CNY Professionals Under 40’s Post

We wish to extend our sincere congratulations to SCORE client SWAN 4 Kids on being named the Top Winner of the 2024 Central Penn Business Journal Non-Profit Organization Award. The Central Penn Business Journal’s annual Nonprofit Innovation Awards event recognizes local 501(c)(3) nonprofits that have implemented new innovations to improve their organization or the people they serve in the past 18 months. “The problem that SWAN is addressing is this - over 81,000 children in Pennsylvania have a parent in prison. Incarceration has been recognized as a traumatic and adverse childhood experience. When their parents go to prison, a child may experience the trauma of separation and abandonment, as well as homelessness and continued or deepening poverty. This often results in behavioral issues and substandard academic performance. The other problem that we're addressing is the mental health professional shortage in the United States. Pennsylvania is among 42 states identified as having a severe shortage of childhood and adolescent psychologists. SWAN’s Innovation Program Rising Stars, which began in June of 2023, is unique to the United States as a music and mental model and mental health program specifically for children affected by parental incarceration.” - Diana Vuolo, Founder & Executive Director, SWAN – Scaling Walls A Note At A Time Pictured from left to right: HOLLY GERMEROTH, Administrative Assistant, Diana Vuolo, Founder & Executive Director, Swan 4 Kids; Beverley Doody, PCC, CPC and Bob Thomas, SCORE Lancaster - Lebanon mentors. #NPOAward #scalingwalls #protectingchildren #scoreclient

We wish to extend our sincere congratulations to SCORE client Swan 4 Kids on being named the Top Winner of the 2024 Central Penn Business Journal Non-Profit Organization Award. The Central Penn Business Journal’s annual Nonprofit Innovation Awards event recognizes local 501(c)(3) nonprofits that have implemented new innovations to improve their organization or the people they serve in the past 18 months. “The problem that SWAN is addressing is this - over 81,000 children in Pennsylvania have a parent in prison. Incarceration has been recognized as a traumatic and adverse childhood experience. When their parents go to prison, a child may experience the trauma of separation and abandonment, as well as homelessness and continued or deepening poverty. This often results in behavioral issues and substandard academic performance. The other problem that we're addressing is the mental health professional shortage in the United States. Pennsylvania is among 42 states identified as having a severe shortage of childhood and adolescent psychologists. SWAN’s Innovation Program Rising Stars, which began in June of 2023, is unique to the United States as a music and mental model and mental health program specifically for children affected by parental incarceration.” - Diana Vuolo, Founder & Executive Director, SWAN – Scaling Walls A Note At A Time #NPOAward #scalingwalls #protectingchildren #scoreclient

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE “DOING YOU?” Have you ever stopped and thought, “This is me in my small life, living my life as just a spec among billions of other humans concurrently?” Reflecting on our smallness can be a moving experience when recognizing what all is going on in the world while we work, sleep, vacation, etc. Unless you work in an industry geared towards helping those less fortunate, you may not realize how many of our community members are struggling to survive – let alone thriving. Black River has remained committed to supporting organizations that provide various services to assist those less fortunate, including but not limited to childcare, mental health support, housing and food assistance, and skills development. These nonprofits are the unspoken heroes and backbone of our communities, helping to improve individual and community conditions so that community members (individually and collectively) can live more promising lives. Of the dozens of nonprofits the Black River team has worked with, we want to take a moment to recognize a group or consortium of groups - Community Action Agencies (CAA) and Community Action Partnerships (CAP). What are Community Action Agencies? In 1964, the Economic Opportunity Act created the Community Action Network of national and locally focused organizations that connect millions of community members in need to greater opportunity. The concept of Community Action is often cited in the work of many, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson. Community Action Agencies promote self-sufficiency through services based on community needs and leadership direction. From our experience working with numerous CAAs, we know they all have the same ambitions but execute their missions differently. CAAs may assist with any number of the following: home energy, housing, emergencies, employment, healthcare, youth development, early learning, and others. If you are unfamiliar with CAAs or CAPs, you likely have one working hard to strengthen your community. We encourage you to take a minute to learn more about your local CAA or CAP. #nonprofit #support #compassion #leadership #communityactionpartnership #communityactionagency Angie Kevin Rob

A recent Lender Center for Social Justice symposium in Atlanta brought scholars and community leaders together to discuss how targeted philanthropy can help bridge racial wealth disparities and lead to the practical implementation of economic equity. Learn more! #RacialWealthGap #philanthropy #giving #community #SyracuseUniversity

When a woman can’t see a future for herself, we need to understand why!! Research plays a pivotal role at Modern Widows Club because we deeply value every #widows perspective. Upon inquiring whether she harbored an “Interest in Your Future” prior to engaging with any MWC initiatives, her candid responses revealed a stark reality, albeit one we somewhat anticipated. It’s common for many widows to feel disconnected from their futures, a condition often exacerbated by #grief, which necessitates a period of slowing down to navigate and experience a range of emotions fully. However, upon re-evaluating their “Interest in Your Future” following the participation in an MWC #program, #community, or after accessing our #resources, the pivot was remarkable. Their honesty once again shone through, showcasing a significant positive change in their outlook towards the future, which filled us with immense joy and satisfaction. Such #feedback forms the cornerstone of what researchers term “comparable data,” a crucial benchmark for measuring the effectiveness and impact of our nonprofit’s mission. The initiation of this charity was rooted in such a purpose. The transformative feedback you’ve provided reaffirms our commitment and fuels our passion. Our singular goal is to offer comprehensive support, empowerment, and innovative programs designed to foster #hope, #healing, and personal #growth throughout your journey in #widowhood. Learn more about how Modern Widows Club is revolutionizing the future for widows at https://lnkd.in/d7uQFZF and support our work. Thank you. #modernwidowsclub #resilience #publichealth #communityhealth #womenshealth #families #missiongoals #widowsupport #leadership #research #comparabledata #support #philanthropy

Rob Reich is correct: "The establishment of safety and security for the population is the core function of government." However, as students in our nonprofit course will delve into in a couple of weeks, when the government or marketplace drops the ball, often referred to as 'failure theories,' philanthropy frequently steps in. A crucial point is often overlooked in articles like this one: when governments opt out and philanthropy chooses not to intervene, the marketplace seizes the opportunity to encroach, as evidenced by Amazon's recent announcement of selling primary care services to consumers. Do we really want our access to a police officer contingent on whether we’re a Prime member? As of late, philanthropy faces a lot of criticism due to oversimplifications of complex problems and its willingness to step in where government and the marketplace let us down. Most of our problems don’t originate with wealthy, out-of-touch donors anxious to menace into unfamiliar territory. When philanthropy shows up in places where some might believe it doesn’t belong, we have to remind ourselves of the nature of the relationship and what is being exchanged. A gift is centered on the relationship, always gravitating toward the greatest need, even when it doesn’t fully understand the need or how best to address it. Citizens bear the responsibility of electing representatives who ensure proper funding for their priorities. When this process doesn’t work, it's safe to assume that an affluent group of otherwise 'regular citizens' will step in. If they don’t, or not quickly enough, the marketplace inevitably will. I don’t believe major donors should assume responsibility for training police officers anymore than I believe Amazon should be providing primary care. The question I will pose to our students during this conversation is, in our complex society, which sector should assume responsibility for these concerns, and when they don't, who is the next best alternative? #citizenship #philanthropy #linkedintopvoices

When a woman can’t see a future for herself, we need to understand why!! Research plays a pivotal role at Modern Widows Club because we deeply value every #widows perspective. Upon inquiring whether she harbored an “Interest in Your Future” prior to engaging with any MWC initiatives, her candid responses revealed a stark reality, albeit one we somewhat anticipated. It’s common for many widows to feel disconnected from their futures, a condition often exacerbated by #grief, which necessitates a period of slowing down to navigate and experience a range of emotions fully. However, upon re-evaluating their “Interest in Your Future” following the participation in an MWC #program, #community, or after accessing our #resources, the pivot was remarkable. Their honesty once again shone through, showcasing a significant positive change in their outlook towards the future, which filled us with immense joy and satisfaction. Such #feedback forms the cornerstone of what researchers term “comparable data,” a crucial benchmark for measuring the effectiveness and impact of our nonprofit’s mission. The initiation of this charity was rooted in such a purpose. The transformative feedback you’ve provided reaffirms our commitment and fuels our passion. Our singular goal is to offer comprehensive support, empowerment, and innovative programs designed to foster #hope, #healing, and personal #growth throughout your journey in #widowhood. Learn more about how Modern Widows Club is revolutionizing the future for widows at https://lnkd.in/d7uQFZF and support our work. Thank you. #modernwidowsclub #resilience #publichealth #communityhealth #womenshealth #families #missiongoals #widowsupport #leadership #research #comparabledata #support #philanthropy

West Harlem arts centers share their stories of life after the pandemic S/O to Elliot Heath and The Columbia Spectator for this excellent profile of four of our grantees (The Morningside Players, the Mama Foundation for the Arts, Dances for a Variable Population, and Arts & Minds) and the crucial work that they do in our community. West Harlem has always been a haven for creative expression, boasting an array of arts-based organizations and community centers. With nonprofits in particular, outside funding and government grants help sustain programming, which can bolster community involvement. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, presented unforeseen hardships to small businesses across the city, including artistic centers. The Morningside Players, the Mama Foundation for the Arts, Dances for a Variable Population, and Arts & Minds, who all receive funding from the West Harlem Development Corporation, are four West Harlem-based organizations that faced such challenges. Now that operations are finally getting back to normal in the aftermath of the pandemic, here are their stories. #WHDC #Harlem #WestHarlem #HarlemUSA #EternalHarlem #UptownCollectiv #UptownCollective

Lydia X. Z. Brown, Esq. mentions (in a blog) that “Students of color – especially Black, Brown, and Native students – are disproportionately over- and under-identified as disabled throughout their schooling. School systems administrators are quick to make spurious diagnoses of stigmatized and criminalized disabilities for students of color. They’re also far less likely to accurately identify learning and developmental disabilities when actually present in the same population”. . . Our mission directly aligns with the solution to de-segregate and eliminate the barriers of systemic racism and ableism in the school system. . Black, Brown, and Native families deserve the right to choose and advocate for their individual and academic needs, so they are given equality in the necessary resources provided to them for succeddr . Will you help leverage your resources to create a global impact? . Every dollar COUNTS https://lnkd.in/g4Gtxhgd #blackexcellence #native #indigenouspeoples #educationalequity #systemicchange #racialequity #socialemotionallearning #matheducation #scienceeducation #differentiatedlearning #IEP #benchmarks #nonprofit #nonprofitfundraising #disabilityadvocacy #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport

❤️A love letter to BIPOC Fundraisers❤️: I need you. The community we grew up in needs you. Your younger self needs you. There aren’t enough of us in this space. Passion and perspective are not teachable skills. So why are we being driven out of the field? Why aren’t managers and nonprofits learning: * How to advocate for BIPOC fundraisers in a historically white philanthropic space. * How to create an inclusive workspace where we can share our struggles without facing judgement You’re right, I need to be more granular because there’s a disconnect between the data and practice. Birgit Smith Burton called out some problems in her article, “The Issue of Racism in the Fundraising Profession.” Her article references research from as early on as 2004 because these issues still persist. I’m here to say inclusion is possible. Support is possible. Getting a seat at the table is possible. But it’s a tiring fight. And it shouldn’t be rare. My hope for us is that those who hold the most power in these spaces, do the work to become better. Because you deserve more. ❤️ Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) AFP Minnesota