Triple Threat partnered with Fox Valley United Way for the Souper Bowl of Caring, a food drive held at Jewel-Osco locations throughout the Fox Valley area to collect food and donations for the Aurora Inter-Faith Food Pantry. On Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9am – noon, Caleb, Aurora youth, and Triple Threat volunteers served at the Jewel-Osco on Lake St. collecting food and donations. Together (9 area grocery stores and over 160 volunteers) were able to raise over $4,000.00 in cash donations and over 2,200 lbs of food donations for local food pantries.
It all started when I decided to use my December 2009 Motiv8nU Fundraiser Party to give someone special a great Christmas present!! After connecting with Caleb Luper we chose an under-resourced high school girl involved in Triple Threat programs and her family.
I went around town gathering donated raffle items: massages, gym memberships, restaurant gift cards, gift baskets, etc. The day of the fundraiser, a nasty snowstorm kept away half of my guests. We raised $100 that day, but needs far outweighed wants for the girl we wanted to help. Guests and friends continued to bring gifts in.
I wanted this to be special, meaningful, and comfortable for her, and her mom and family. So I wrote a poem in a journal for her. Everyone included a personal message inside so she’d have a real connection with those that had helped her. Gathering the gifts, we arrived at her home. I read the poem to her and we distributed gifts: things she needed, some things she wanted, something special to earn, some items for siblings, and even something for her to give to her mom!
Smiles lit up faces. It was actually pretty emotional for all of us. I shared my personal story about when I was 16, living in my car and showering in the gym. Being homeless is tough and I wanted her to see that hard work, dedication, character, and perseverance do pay off! Honestly this was the best Christmas because all of us that contributed were able to see what the true Christmas spirit is really about. And we made some great new friends in East Aurora!
Staci Boyer, a Triple Threat partner , is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, and founder of Motiv8nU. Watch for Staci’s first book Motvi8nU to be published December 2010!
What does an ideal model of for-profit/non-profit partnership look like? For Medallion Press, a key partner with Triple Threat Mentoring, it looks like “Cause Casual.” Cause Casual is the brainchild of Vice President Adam Mock who desired to move Medallion Press beyond sponsorship through only financial support to a true partnership in every sense. Cause Casual encourages personal involvement through employee volunteerism with Triple Threat events and programs. Here’s how it works.
Employee emails are all enrolled to receive the monthly Triple Threat e-newsletter to stay current with volunteer opportunities. Those who volunteer to serve or lead programs with Triple Threat receive a Triple Threat t-shirt. Corporate dress code at Medallion Press is business casual – with one exception. Employees who volunteer with Triple Threat can instead sport Triple Threat t-shirts, hats, jeans and gym shoes at the workplace. The t-shirts serve as a visible and tangible reminder for the entire MP staff of the values behind the partnership that Medallion Press shares with Triple Threat. Triple Threat t-shirts in the office also spark conversations both internally, encouraging volunteerism and externally as staff interface with other businesses.
As Adam explains, “The benefit is HUGE for everyone! Medallion Press employees get to wear jeans and gym shoes (or business causal if they’d like), while making a clear statement as to what the entire company believes and supports, and Triple Threat gains volunteers that will build awareness for their cause by the way they dress for work!”
Thanks Medallion Press for your ideal partnership in the cause of “empowering urban youth to develop confidence, character and life skills!”