The Patricia Lucas Simmons (PLS) Foundation , LLC was founded to continue a legacy of service to the community started by the late Reverend Dr. Patricia Lucas Simmons. The foundation is a grass roots organization that supports educational and charitable causes in Wilson County North Carolina. Reverend Simmons was a community servant for all of her life. Whether it was as the Founder and Pastor of Genesis Church ministries, the first female Moderator of the Wilson Missionary Baptist Association, administrator in the Wilson County School System, the 22nd Grand Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star (NC), or as a member of the NAACP, Reverend Simmons loved to serve her community. Her motto was always "Hard Work Pays Off". Since her passing in 2017 after a five year battle with ovarian cancer, the Friends and Family of Reverend Simmons and the Patricia Lucas Simmons Foundation has continued this legacy of service to the community by providing educational, financial, and moral support to those in need. The organization sponsors an annual Shining Star Scholarship and ongoing financial and moral support to those in need. The foundation has donated over $15,000 in scholarships, provided gifts and supplies to families in crisis, and provided financial support to local residents of Wilson County battling cancer.
