United Way of Greater Cleveland’s Emerging Leaders is celebrating several successes following a year of purposeful rebuilding. In addition to increasing membership of the group’s advisory board known as the Cabinet, Emerging Leaders has also resurrected its social media presence, established a bimonthly newsletter, and hosted several engagement opportunities. Highlights from recent events include:
Civic Engagement 101
On January 25, 2023, the Emerging Leaders hosted Civic Engagement 101, a professional development event featuring a networking hour and panel discussion on the importance of civic engagement at every stage of one’s career. Open to professionals in all fields, this event offered two hours of Ohio CLE credit for lawyers. A total of 85 attendees joined in a lively discussion with panelists Becky Ruppert McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association; Maryam Kiefer, Director of Public Policy at United Way of Greater Cleveland; and Colin Jackson, Vice President of Government Relations at Elsons International. The event raised more than $7,200 in support of United Way.
Fore CLE
The Emerging Leaders hosted its signature fundraiser Fore CLE at Topgolf on May 9, 2023. This event saw impressive year-over-year growth. Event attendance increased by 300%, with 135 young professionals and community members joining us for an evening of golf, networking, and raffles. In addition, fundraising more than doubled as Fore CLE raised nearly $17,000. Revenue from this event supported Family Stability Initiative, a program that provides rental, mortgage, and utility assistance for families in Cuyahoga County. This aligns with the Emerging Leaders’ mission to help break the cycle of poverty for families and children in our community.
Volunteering in the Community
On two July mornings, members of the Emerging Leaders Cabinet volunteered with United Way partner agency May Dugan Center. Cabinet members assisted with May Dugan’s twice-a-month food distribution which included running the drive-thru, assisting with pre-scheduled walk-ups, and packing produce. This was an excellent opportunity for members to experience first-hand the essential programs supported by United Way. In addition to volunteering at May Dugan Center, Cabinet members have also helped staff United Way booths at various community events throughout the summer.
In the year to come, Emerging Leaders hope to build upon these successes by hosting even more engagement opportunities, including fundraisers, networking events, happy hours, and professional development workshops. In doing so, they will continue to engage Cleveland’s next generation of leaders in United Way’s mission.
This article originally appeared in Give for Good, which is published by United Way of Greater Cleveland for our friends and benefactors. For more information on our Emerging Leaders, please visit our Emerging Leaders page or email Katie Dager, Director of Development Communications, at kdager@unitedwaycleveland.org.
