We have our first dusting of snow on the ground, an annual reminder of the changing season. I love the changing of the seasons, I particularly love the transition into winter because it’s an invitation to slow down and reflect on the year as it comes to a close. The timing for Give to the Max couldn’t be better.
I hope you have a set of organizations that you care about. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number organizations doing worthy work, I want to tell you about some of the organizations I volunteer and contribute to.
Art Buddies
I joined the Art Buddies board of directors because I believe that everyone is born with an innate ability to imagine a better world. But this gift often gets stifled at an early age, especially when you aren’t fortunate enough to be born into the kind of privilege where your school still invests in arts programming. Art Buddies aims to close this gap by pairing creative adults one-on-one with kids in public schools that lack robust arts programing to help them take pride in who they are, what they can do, and who they can become through the power of creativity.
The BrandLab
I wasn’t always an active volunteer. I spent my early career just focusing on my own success. The BrandLab is the non-profit that set me on the path of service. At the time, I was working in advertising and frustrated with the state of the world and didn’t know what I could do within my little sphere of influence. Then The BrandLab walked a group of promising young professionals through my agency for a tour, introducing me to their vision and saw immediately how I could contribute. The BrandLab's vision is a marketing industry that thrives on the insights and creativity of people with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. They introduce, guide and prepare diverse students for creative careers.
Transcend IT
I met Transcend IT through my work with Make It MSP. We randomly sat at the same table during the Make it MSP annual gathering. I joined the diversity workshop because I was actively working on their BE MSP professionals of color workplace toolkit at the time. When they asked me to join the board of directors, I immediately said yes. Transcend provides free technology skills training for Veterans, women, and people of color at no cost. Creating career pathways into one the highest growing areas of our economy.
Minneapolis College Foundation
I got connected with the Minneapolis College Foundation through a former colleague. He had been serving on the board of directors for a couple years and always spoken highly of the experience. We stayed connected after I went independent and he knew of my growing interest in the non-profit community. Soon enough I was having coffee with him and the executive director of the foundation and I knew I wanted to join the board. At the foundation we believe everyone has a right to cross the bridge to opportunity no matter their race, gender, family economic beginnings or any other circumstance. It all starts with equitable access and scholarships act as the transformational entry point to that access.
Give to the Max is a day where we get to focus on the good we can contribute to the world rather than everything wrong with it. Please support these organizations with me and thanks for your contribution.