January 23, 2017
Nonprofits will benefit from 2017 IMPACT San Diego program participants’ expertise and leadership
LEAD San Diego directly brings about positive change in our region through Leadership Action Teams (LATs), the service learning component of LEAD’s flagship 10-month program, IMPACT San Diego. IMPACT not only provides participants with a greater understanding of the critical issues and key players in our region, it also motivates participants to use their skills to become engaged with community organizations and causes.
The 58 members of LEAD’s IMPACT San Diego Class of 2017 have been divided into six LATs, each with nine to 11 participants. Each LAT has been matched with a local nonprofit agency that can benefit from the team members’ expertise and leadership to work on an individualized project.
Here are the six Leadership Action Team nonprofit partner agencies selected to work with the 2017 IMPACT class, along with a description of their projects:
Angels Foster Family Network – Angels Foster Family Network is dedicated to ensuring that babies and toddlers in foster care in San Diego get the best start in life. The organization works with the San Diego County Department of Child Welfare and complies with all state and federal health and safety guidelines, but they are an independent organization. LEAD’s LAT will develop a communications and marketing plan to increase the organization’s visibility in the community, thus increasing the number of parents/families who will foster. For more information about Angels Foster Family Network, go to angelsfoster.org
Home Start, Inc. – Home Start is committed to a community-based collaborative effort to reach children and families at risk and prevent child abuse and neglect. Throughout Home Start’s diverse and expansive network, there is a shared commitment from staff and partners to assure every child has a safe, stable and nurturing home. The LEAD LAT will develop a business and marketing plan for the Home Start Thrift Boutique social enterprise. The Thrift Boutique provides a way for homeless mothers to obtain work experience and develop their work skills. To learn more about Home Start, go to home-start.org
Outside the Lens – Since 2001, Outside the Lens (OTL) empowers youth to use digital media to create change within themselves, their community, and their world. OTL has delivered its adaptable curriculum to 13,000 children in weekly classes, after-school programs, summer sessions, workshops and teacher trainings. Students tell their unique personal stories through photography, video and other digital media forms while under the guidance of writers, journalists, filmmakers, photographers, artists and teachers. LEAD’s LAT will develop a targeted marketing plan for OTL’s Cameras in the Classroom program, a cumulative yearlong program which teaches youth digital photography and video skills; increase creative engagement in the classroom; encourage youth to explore the topics of identity, family, community, and the environment; and, promotes media literacy to help youth critically evaluate messages conveyed by the media. Cameras in the Classroom targets Title I schools in traditionally underserved neighborhoods. For more information about Outside the Lens, go to outsidethelens.org
San Diego Performing Arts League – The San Diego Performing Arts League (SDPAL) is a membership-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote San Diego’s performing arts. SDPAL also provides educational seminars and workshops for performing arts professionals in the San Diego region, and provides them with the opportunity to network and gain insight into common issues. The LEAD LAT will create strong brand awareness for a new SDPAL program, San Diego Theatre Week. To learn more about San Diego Performing Arts League, go to sdartstix.com
Serving Seniors – Since 1970, Serving Seniors has been the leading provider of programs and services for low-income seniors in San Diego County. They are the only organization in San Diego, and one of the few in the country, which provides such a broad base of vital services to a vulnerable, at-risk population of older adults. LEAD’s LAT will create a targeted engagement plan for community leaders and key stakeholders, creating strategies to ensure further agency engagement. For more information about Serving Seniors, visit servingseniors.org
United Women of East Africa Support Team – United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST) is a nonprofit organization comprised of more than 200 East African women with the goal of responding to the overlooked health needs of East African women and their families that affect their well-being. UWEAST is meeting City Heights’ overwhelming request to address the physical and mental health related needs of East African refugee women. The LEAD LAT will develop a three-year strategic plan for UWEAST’s core programs. For more information about UWEAST, go to unitedwomenofeastafrica.org
LEAD San Diego’s six LATs have already begun work with their nonprofit partner agencies. LEAD’s LATs will present their completed projects at the IMPACT San Diego graduation and community showcase, which is free and open to the public, on Friday, June 2, 2017 at the Irwin M. Jacobs Hall on the Qualcomm campus, 5775 Morehouse Drive, San Diego 92121. Qualcomm is host and sponsor of the Class of 2017 graduation, which provides an opportunity for the community to support the nonprofit partner agencies and hear first-hand about the work team members have contributed over the six months.