• What We Do
    • About >
      • Mission & History
      • Staff and Board of Directors
      • Annual Report 2015
      • Contact Us
    • Training
    • Consulting
    • Nonprofit Jobs
    • Volunteerism
    • Service Enterprise Initiative
    • Roundtables/Circles
    • Events >
      • Inspire By Example Awards
      • Giving Tree
      • Nonprofit Leadership Summit
      • Calendar of Events
  • Membership
    • Why Join?
    • Nonprofit Membership
    • Individual Membership
    • Consultant Membership
    • Corporate Membership >
      • Corporate - Business Volunteer Council Membership
      • Corporate Members
    • Current Member List
    • Membership FAQ
    • Login
  • Take a Class
  • Resources
    • How to Start a Nonprofit
    • Find a Consultant
    • Nonprofit Salary & Benefits Survey
    • Nonprofit Jobs
    • Blog
    • Share Your Story
    • NPC-NTEN Partnership
    • NPC-Verified Volunteers Partnership
  • Nonprofit Jobs
  • Donate
  • Login

Life Navigators Maximizes Independence for Individuals with Disabilities [Milwaukee Nonprofit Spotlight]

3/7/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Guest blog submitted by Sarah Grossman, Program Coordinator, Life Navigators, to our Milwaukee Nonprofit Spotlights column.

Share your own nonprofit story here.

What has your organization done that you're most proud of?
What inspires me the most about Life Navigators is that we focus not only on supporting the needs of individuals with disabilities but also on encouraging them to give back to others. Life Navigators’ vision is to assist individuals with disabilities to be active and connected members of our community. We want our consumers to not only look at what we can do for them but also what they are able to do for others. The individuals that we serve have so much to offer and, given the right tools, they are able to have such a positive impact on our community. We offer numerous volunteer opportunities throughout the year, including sorting food at Feeding America and participating in clean up days with Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful. These are often their favorite events to participate in, and it’s so inspiring to see how proud our consumers are to help others. 


How has your work in the nonprofit sector inspired you?
My work in the nonprofit sector has inspired me to take the ideas I’ve learned from Life Navigators and apply them to advancing the missions of other nonprofits throughout the community. I have volunteered at various other organizations throughout the years, and it’s so motivating to see how passionate and dedicated each one is to their cause. The small and connected feel of the Milwaukee community allows nonprofits to easily partner together in order to benefit both organizations. I enjoy being a part of a community that puts such an emphasis on these partnerships and connections.


How have you or your organization been involved in NPC? How has NPC helped you?
Life Navigators has been fortunate to be a benefiting organization of The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee's Giving Tree Program for the last three years. Thanks to NPC and sponsors throughout the Milwaukee community, 150 of our consumers and families receive wonderful gifts for the holiday season. These gifts mean so much to the individuals that we serve, and for most, this is the only gift that they receive. I meet with each of my consumers to ask them their three “wishes” for their Giving Tree tag. They are so grateful to be provided choices and have an impact in the decision. My consumers are very thoughtful when they choose their wishes, often putting items that they truly need. While they often request the simplest of items, our sponsors have been so generous. Many of my consumers have been surprised with extra special touches to their gifts. It’s truly inspiring to see how generous the Giving Tree sponsors are, and how it has such an impact in making the holidays special for the individuals with disabilities that we serve. 


If you'd like to share your story with us, please submit it here. 

0 Comments

Riveredge Builds Kids' Confidence Outdoors [Milwaukee Nonprofit Spotlight]

2/6/2017

0 Comments

 
Guest blog submitted by Carly Hintz, Educational Technology & Evaluation Specialist, Riveredge Nature Center, to our Milwaukee Nonprofit Spotlights column

Carly shared her story via our Milwaukee Nonprofit Spotlight questionnaire.
​
What has your organization done that you're most proud of?

For over five years, Riveredge Nature Center has partnered with the Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative (LUMIN) to provide hands-on outdoor learning experiences to nearly 1,200 students in grades K4-8th per school year throughout its five schools. The partnership was driven by leadership within the Robert and Josephine Pieper Foundation who sought to provide a nature-based education experience for LUMIN students. This program was allowed to flourish this school year, in particular, thanks to additional funding provided by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

Through this partnership, LUMIN teachers have observed learning that builds from one year to the next. They are seeing their students remember lessons learned at Riveredge well beyond their experience, and they are applying those lessons in the classroom. This ability to recall experiences in nature and build on them is crucial to the ongoing development of youth as environmentally literate citizens. It is a skill difficult to nurture in urban settings and would likely go undeveloped without the partnership between our organizations. For many urban youth, a first-time visit to Riveredge can cause anxiety from a fear of the unknown. This lack of exposure to natural environments often leaves students accepting negative connotations drawn from social influences and an overall unfamiliarity with the outdoors. However, through repeat exposure to hands-on inquiry based learning experiences, Riveredge is able to shift comfort level and generate enthusiasm for outdoor learning among participating students who may not otherwise have experience in nature-based programming.

How has your work in the nonprofit sector inspired you?

I consider myself fortunate to witness first-hand the transformation that takes place when a child is able to experience “wild Wisconsin” for the first time. It is not uncommon for students who visit Riveredge to move from uncomfortable to a place of wonder, acceptance, and even awe of the natural world after a seemingly small amount of time. I believe providing these experiences to all children are what will help us, as a society, build a more connected, empathetic next generation. Similarly, research shows that these experiences with nature at an early age can make lasting impacts on learning outcomes and social/emotional development. We hope that the opportunities we provide at Riveredge inspire students to maintain that “sense of wonder” and continue to explore “nature” in their own backyards.

How have you or your organization been involved in NPC? How has NPC helped you?

I first learned about NPC through a workshop on program evaluation that was hosted during winter of 2016. Our Executive Director, Jessica Jens, encouraged that I attend because my position at Riveredge Nature Center focuses on evaluation and measuring impact in education programs like the one mentioned here. Since then, I have attended at least one other workshop on building graphic logic models to improve grant applications. My involvement with NPC has allowed me to stay connected to current trends, learn from industry leaders, and network with professionals whom I may not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet.


If you'd like to share your story with us, please submit it here. 
0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Capacity & Skill Building
    Fundraising
    Marketing
    Membership
    MKE Nonprofit Spotlight
    Nonprofit Center News
    Nonprofit Governance
    Nonprofit Leadership
    Social Media
    Volunteerism

    Archives

    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    RSS Feed

Privacy Policy       Terms of Use
©2015 Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
All Rights Reserved

Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
2819 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukee WI 53208  [email protected]  ~  414-344-3933

Picture
Picture
✕