Founders of Curves, first fitness and weight loss facility designed for women
Nearly 8,000 locations in more than 85 countries serving more than 4 million members
GUEST BIO
Diane & Gary Heavin: Going Undercover to Give Back
By
The 700 Club
GIVING BACK
Whether Diane and Gary are donating their time, talents and resources to help Haitian earthquake victims, providing assistance to orphans in India, or contributing to the American Cancer Society, they have always known the importance of giving back. In fact, the inspiration for the annual Curves Food Drive--now in its 13th year--came from years of working at their local food bank, serving and ministering to those in need.
Even during the busy years of founding the world’s largest fitness franchise and bringing express fitness to millions of women, Diane and Gary continued their philanthropic efforts. Although their charitable work was still occasionally hands-on, much of their giving was in the form of check writing. “We don’t have a lot of time to be as hands on in our giving as we’d like,” shares Diane.
So Diane and Gary were thrilled when ABC called to invite them to audition for their show, Secret Millionaire, a show in which people of means infiltrate some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in America with the goal of finding deserving organizations or individuals to help. The millionaires must agree to give away at least $100,000 of their own money.
GOING UNDERCOVER
Gary and Diane were put through an extensive selection process, which included several phone interviews, questionnaires and background checks, and a home visit from three of the producers. “It was kind of weird having them dig into our lives,” said Diane. “Here we were, eager to give our time and resources to people in need, and we weren’t sure if we were going to be selected until the very end. But the process helped them confirm that we had good intentions and allowed us to develop a relationship with the team. I really respect ABC for their integrity.”
After being selected, Diane and Gary received a filming date and were told to pack the bare essentials: one small backpack each with basic toiletries and a few sets of clothes…all unbranded. They had to look as if they belonged in the place they would be “dropped” for ten days. And they had no idea where that would be. It wasn’t until the plane taxied down the runway that they were told they’d be going to Houston’s Third Ward and dropped in an area known for its drugs, crime, and domestic violence.
Diane admits, “I was a little scared.” Their temporary home was a 1920s row house with no air conditioning in 100 degree humidity and the frequent sounds of gunshots and people shouting obscenities at each other and their kids. “The house should have been condemned,” said Diane Heavin. The house was filthy but the worst thing about the house according to Diane was “sharing a wall with neighbors who screamed and cursed at their precious children and fought with each other until all hours. It was really heartbreaking. What we found overwhelmingly, though, was a strong sense of community--from the neighborhood garden to the church down the street.”
Gary and Diane were given a car to drive--which they described as a “true clunker” and a cover story which cast them as participants in the filming of a documentary on philanthropy. This helped explain the producers and camera crew that followed them everywhere. “To be convincing with our cover, Gary and I decided to go back 20 years to when we really were poor,” said Diane. “We never lived in conditions that extreme, but we remember having nothing and pinching pennies to make ends meet. This mindset allowed us to open up to the people we met and get to know them better.”
The ABC producers scouted the location ahead of time and prescreened charities that they thought might be of interest to Gary and Diane. “They never told us where to go, but they left a lot of clues and I think we picked up on most of them,” said Gary. “They did a great job in finding worthy organizations that are helping people with needs that most of us can’t even imagine. We gave not only our money but our time and our hearts to these wonderful charities.” The three organizations they met with include:
- The Lazarus House provides a complete, low cost program of wellness in a comfortable environment for chronically ill clients suffering from disease-related wasting associated with HIV and other ilnesses.
- No More Victims, Inc. addresses the physical, emotional and scholastic needs of children experiencing the trauma of parental incarceration.
- The Sean Ashley House provides a meaningful living environment for children and adults with autism and other disabilities.
For more than a week, Diane and Gary had a chance to get to know not only the staff at each of these organizations, but also some of the people they serve. At The Lazarus House, they worked out in the gym with HIV patients, and at the Sean Ashley House they bonded with a blind woman and an autistic young man. During their travels in and around the Third Ward, they stumbled upon the neighborhood in which Gary’s parents had lived when he was born. “The area is now impoverished,” said Gary. “Seeing it made me realize that had my father not broken the cycle of poverty, I might have had a very different life.”
“The whole thing was just an incredible experience,” he said. “One that is kind of hard to put into words. We filmed 18 hours a day and got very little sleep. We learned a lot about poverty and the people who endure it on a daily basis. In many ways, it was both the best and the worst week of our lives.” “Through it all,” he continued, “our appreciation for our own lives grew but so did our sense of duty to help others less fortunate. We were given the rare opportunity to go on a journey that changed our lives while allowing us to change others’ lives.
“We were so grateful to be able to act on our faith. We believe that to whom much is given, much is required. While we were there we prayed, we read our Bibles, and we also attended a black church service, which we’ve never done before – let me tell you, the praise and worship was some of the best ever. “I believe this show will have a big impact, continues Diane. “In these challenging times, it will give viewers hope and affect how we interact with those around us, which can make us feel good at the end of the day and make a real difference in our lives.”
Diane and Gary’s episode airs Sunday, April 3 at 8/7c on ABC.
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