Check out more photos from the event on LEAD’s Facebook page.

Thanks again to everyone who attended the event, we were able to donate $1000 to the Twin Cities Hunger Initiative, a collaboration of nonprofit, government agencies and corporations all working together to end hunger in the Twin Cities.

Stay tuned for information on LEAD’s next gala in February 2012!

One of the first tasks as a newly formed board was to increase the group’s online presence. With the help of Martin Ashal, LEAD launched a new website in March. With the new look, latest features and fresh information on what LEAD does, there was an increase of 300% in web traffic. LEAD also increased its Facebook presence to 964 fans and over 400 Twitter followers.

In April, LEAD had the first charitable benefit of the year. LEAD proudly hosted The Green Party – a benefit for Great River Greening, the first private event at the newly minted Metropolitan Club at Target Field. More than 400 attendees helped to raise $7,000 to help double Great River Greening’s work this year.

In June, LEAD hosted the first event of its kind. PhilanthroFair – a volunteer fair catered for young professionals looking for volunteer opportunities (board positions or skill based volunteering). It featured over 30 volunteer opportunities from nine Twin Cities nonprofits (pictured right). Prior to the event, MAP for Nonprofits had a 30-minute Mini Board Boot Camp to explain board expectations and helped individuals formulate questions to ask the nonprofits. The attendance goal was surpassed with over 130 individuals.

Later in July, LEAD hosted a BOOM Benefit for Smile Network International. Held at a private residence with a spacious terrace overlooking the Mississippi River, it offered a spectacular view of the Aquatennial Fireworks show. The 150 attendees, helped to raise over $8,000 to improve the lives of 16 children in need of a healthier and happier smile.

During the month of July, LEAD welcomed five new directors to their board – Ellora Batacharya, Jonathan Wilson, Kristin Gast, Mara Hughes, Michael Will, and Peter Wagner. The positions were added to help expand the capacity and work of LEAD.

In September, LEAD partnered with the Citizen’s League and BringMeTheNews to host Candidate Conversation- live, interactive debate between Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Mark Dayton, Tom Emmer and Tom Horner. Attendees filled the Pantages Theater to hear about issues like the economy, education, and how the MN Candidate’s planned to address them as Governor. Attendees also were encouraged to tweet throughout the night resulting in #debateMN as the #1 Twitter trend.

Following the success of PhilanthroFair, LEAD hosted PhilanthoFair II in October. This event featured 45 volunteer opportunities at 11 Twin Cities nonprofit to over 150 attendees.

In November, LEAD partnered with United Way Emerging Leaders to co-sponsor a Board Boot Camp. Over 50 attendees took the first step in creating a meaningful relationship within their community and learned about some of the elements it takes to becoming a board member.

The holiday season tends to be a time of giving thanks. We at LEAD are thankful for many things, including your interest and support for our organization. We hope that you had a wonderful year and look forward to seeing you in 2011.

Warm Wishes,

The LEAD Project Board of Directors

A special thank you to all our generous partners and friends that helped us make 2010 successful:

• Best Buy – Sponsor
• BringMeTheNews – Candidate’s Conversation Partner
• CRAVE – BOOM Benefit Sponsor
• General Mills – Sponsor
• George Family Foundation – Sponsor
• Janel Klein – LEAD Video
• Kim Supple – Event Planner
• Matt Hemsley and the LEAD Founding Board of Directors
• Mansi Bhandari – 2009/10 LEAD Board Member
• MAP for Nonprofits – Board Boot Camp Partner
• Martin Ashal – Website/Interactive Marketing Consulting
• Michelle Sotak – 2009/10 LEAD Board Member
• Mike Feltault – Event Photographer
• Parrel Caplan – BOOM Benefit Sponsor/Host
• Prairie Vodka – Sponsor
• SEVEN – PhilanthroFair Sponsor
• Thom Pham’s Wondrous Azian Kitchen – PhilanthroFair II Sponsor

With the current economic conditions, more and more nonprofits are looking for individuals that can donate their time and talents through skill-based volunteering. It is a win-win for both the nonprofit and young professional. The YP is able to give back in a meaningful and impactful way, develop new skills, learn the workings of a nonprofit, and expand their network. The nonprofit gains the skills/experience of a professional to increase the capacity and effectiveness of their nonprofit without utilizing staff or additional
monetary resources.

As a result, LEAD had an overwhelming number of nonprofits that wanted to be part of PhilanthroFair II. After the selection process, LEAD’s Charity Committee chose 11 nonprofits including; Free Arts Minnesota, Friends of St. Jude, Hammer Residences, Inc., Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, Minnesota Planetarium Society, Movember, Reach Out and Read, Students Today Leaders Forever, The A-List, Washburn Center for Children and Youth Frontiers.

Many of the PhilanthroFair II nonprofits are already reporting back huge success:

“We were able to connect with individuals that we would not normally see at one of standard volunteer fairs. This was a great way to meet new motivated people to bring into our organization that are passionate about sharing our mission.”

“We were very pleased with the entire event. We appreciate getting the opportunity to participate in PhilanthroFair. We got a number of terrific contacts, and anxious to start following up with them!”

To date, LEAD has held two Philanthrofair events for the Twin Cities community connecting +280 young professionals to 20 nonprofit organizations.

To view all of the volunteer opportunities from PhilanthroFair please go to: http://www.theleadproject.org/volunteer/

If you are a nonprofit that is interested in participating in future events like PhilanthroFair, email hello@theleadproject.org.

Skills-based volunteering is an innovative approach that is gaining recognition as a powerful driver of social impact and social value.  Skills-based volunteering is the practice of work related knowledge and expertise (marketing, finance, fundraising, etc.) in a volunteer opportunity.

Traditional volunteering (where specific training is not required) has an estimated value of $21.16 an hour in the state of Minnesota.  Skills-based volunteerism is valued between $40–500 an hour depending on the market value of the time.  Case-studies have been developed that illustrate the various forms of skills-based volunteerism.

Skills-based volunteering utilizes the skills, experiences, talents and education of volunteers and matches them with the needs of nonprofits.  By leveraging an individual’s knowledge and expertise, it ensures that volunteers are making a measurable impact on issues they care about.  Through this, both the individuals and the nonprofits are receiving the biggest return on their investment.

Ways to Get Involved

We are making it easy for young professionals (like you!), to learn about skills-based volunteering available in the Twin Cities through our PhilanthroFair on June 17^th from 5:30 – 8 p.m.  This is a great (and fun!) way to mingle with several nonprofits to learn about their skills based opportunities.

Here are some of the comments from the discussion:

“I find that trying to become a better person is what motivates and inspires me. And that may mean different things to people. But, it’s probably one of the most difficult processes for any human being to go through.”

“A particular mission isn’t necessary for me to have this belief. Do you believe passionately in shelter for all? Then prioritize that in your giving and living. Do you believe passionately in wiping out genocide? Then prioritize that in your giving, living and speaking. But my passion, no matter what I do, appears to be to help others become passionate about something.”

“Distributing positive influences to others that are in need of positive direction in their lives and business.”

“Unselfish individuals who care about helping other human beings, making a difference in students’ lives and feel grateful to be able to give. They inspire me to work better on their behalf and on behalf of the students…they also have made me a better donor.” 

“Turning dreams into reality — that is what inspires me to serve as a fundraiser and as a donor.”

“A love for people and their potential make me do what I do.”

“Working with people who really want to make a difference and leave the world a better place.”

“Utilizing my experience and skills to educate, increase awareness, and reduce the stigma, and discrimination, that keeps so many people in the dark as to how they alone can create change and make a difference.”

“I believe that human beings require 3 essentials: food, shelter, and access to knowledge.
If a man is hungry, he has little desire to learn or earn.
If a woman has no shelter, she has little desire to earn or learn.
If a child has access to knowledge, he or she can change his or her own life … and perhaps change the world. ”

Since my comment, I received numerous emails asking more about my experience and it also spurred another group of individuals to weigh in on the discussion.  The discussion has lasted for over two months and is still going!  This has created an open forum for people throughout our nation to think about their reasons and motivations to do what they do.  I applaud whoever asked the simple and intriguing questions on LinkedIn. 

What Inspires You? What Makes You Do What You Do?

There is an exciting new opportunity to raise funds for Great River Greening through Toodalu, a new social networking iPhone application.  Click the video link below to learn how Toodalu will donate $5 to Great River Greening on your behalf. We love how the free iPhone app makes getting connected easier than ever!  LEAD+Toodalu

Next week celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22) and National Volunteer Week (April 18 – 24), we encourage you to do your part by taking on a new volunteer project.

While sitting at church, watching the collection basket get passed from pew to pew, I barely see any donations being put in.  My husband leaned to me and said, “if everyone donated electronically, it’d be much more efficient.”  That got us talking and I thought, if members were asked to donate online and have money taken out on a weekly/monthly basis, churches wouldn’t have to rely on the donation basket or people being present at mass.  They would have more stability and forecast in their budgets and raise more funds.  I read an article on a study that only one out of six churches have an online donation option: Churches – Slow to Embrace.  How much will it take to get faith-based organizations to change their ways?

Jamie Oliver is one person who decided to inspire change in others by taking a stand against obesity.  Indeed, America has the biggest obesity problem of any country in the world: it affects nearly one out of five children!  Sadly, our children have a shorter life expectancy than our generation.  Accordingly, Jamie started a healthy eating campaign and a show called Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.  He declared, “I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat.  It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!”

I’ve seen one show and admire the way Jamie Oliver is thinking.  He ventured to the unhealthiest city in the nation, Huntington, West Virginia, and went through the uphill battle to change the way the residents think about food.  Jamie found ways to prove his point to the most critical and resistant people.  He was persistent and wouldn’t let anything stop him in his goal of teaching 1,000 Huntington citizens how to cook wholesome foods.  

Jamie has found his issue and platform – what is yours?  We have the power to change things, what do you want to see changed?

Greg Tehven - Co-Founder of STLF

While attending a seminar last week, I met an extraordinary human being that made me think about the importance of interrupting our lives.  He didn’t say one thing that was huge or profound, but many collective thoughts that made an insightful impression on me. 

This inspirational speaker was Greg Tehven.  A 25-year old who leads a national organization of servant leaders.  He launched the vision of “changing the world” with three of his friends only 10 days into his college career.  These four students founded Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF).  They created a community service project on wheels, calling it the Pay It Forward Tour.  To date, they have sent out 206 Pay It Forward Tours, with 8,040 participants, logging 100,000 hours of community service throughout the United States.  Last September, Time Magazine listed STLF as the #2 way to serve America in its piece on 21 ways to serve America.  Greg’s personal mission is simple: To challenge, inspire and encourage young people to live a life of excellence.

Greg and his group exemplify the spirit of service.  They inspire and engage middle school, high school and college students in meaningful service and leadership experiences. They promote action through community service, building lasting relationships, and learning about the communities they serve. 

Pay It Forward Tour - March 2010

His words resonated with me because I think LEAD is very similar in how we’d like to serve the young professional community and because he is so reflective on his experiences.  He thoughtfully shared stories of how so many individuals have inspired him throughout his life.  Greg takes the time to reflect on who he is, who he wants to be, and this shows in the way he lives, by living his life with intention. 

So many of us are always on the go, we fill our lives with meetings, coffees, happy hours, workouts, TV, dinners, errands.  When do we make time to reflect on who we are?  Who we want to be?  How we want to be remembered?  We fill out annual reviews and create development plans for our jobs – when do we do that for our personal lives?  I don’t have the perfect plan and don’t have an answer to those questions. After listening to Greg – I will make an effort to interrupt my life and reflect on the experiences I’ve had and think about the individuals that have enriched my life.  This will get me a little closer to figuring out who I want to be.

To learn more about Students Today Leaders Forever, go to: www.stlf.net

• Festive Black Tie – as dressy as we get.  Guys wear a tuxedo/dark suit with tie.  Ladies wear cocktail dresses (long or short).  We tend to save this for our holiday party. 
• Business/Dressy Casual – dressed up version of a casual look.  Men wear a sport coat, collared shirt with trousers or dressy jeans.  Women wear a tailored jacket, dress or blouse, skirt/trousers/dressy jeans.
• Green – new edition for April’s benefit for Great River Greening.  Attire is GREEN and creativity is key.  You can wear the color green, find an eco-friendly outfit, buy your wardrobe from a consignment store or simply borrow clothes from a friend!

• Summer Chic – summer is normally a time when rules don’t apply (as much).  Men typically wear business/dressy casual with lighter weight fabrics (including but not limited to linen and seersucker).  Women’s hemlines can go shorter with sassy summer dresses/skirts or longer with maxi dresses.