W e all know the importance of giving the nonprofit sector. But for some, the passion for helping others can spark a commitment that becomes a movement, leading to the establishment of an entirely new nonprofit organization. Getting a nonprofit off the ground can seem daunting, but with a little bootstrapping, ingenuity, and help from family and friends, one person can wind up impacting thousands in need. Here, we highlight three individuals who helped create local nonprofits, and the valuable lessons they learned along the way. back—whether through donating money, volunteering or actually working in
It TAKES a VILLAGE Airola and Roemer will be the first to tell you that no one builds a successful nonprofit alone. Surrounding yourself with people who share your passion and possess different skills and expertise are essential to helping an organization thrive. For example, when Airola started The Grace Network, she and her husband quickly enlisted the help of close friends. One was a doctor, another a lawyer, and another an accountant. They assisted with everything from obtaining nonprofit status to setting up QuickBooks.
WHERE to BEGIN?
For many “startup philanthropists,” inspiration comes from witnessing an unmet need. Sarah Airola was a volunteer tutor at Chicago’s Erie Elementary Charter School when she learned the teachers were spending their own money to buy hygiene supplies for students. She dug deeper and found out that almost 15% of all Chicago Public School students experience homelessness at some point during their education. So, Airola took action, founding The Grace Network , a nonprofit that brings basic hygienic supplies into schools. For others, the motivation to start a non-profit may come from a more personal experience. When Fronzie Roemer’s son, Patrick, tragically passed away after a lifelong battle with mental illness, the local community created a GoFundMe page in his memory. Roemer was surprised when it raised $110,000 in just 72 hours, and she and her family decided to use the donations to establish Paws for Patrick , honoring Patrick’s love for dogs. The nonprofit’s mission is to improve the mental health of young people through the support of animals.
Similarly, the founders of North Shore Exchange (NSE), a luxury resale shop that donates all profits to Chicagoland charities, actively sought volunteers who brought different experiences and talents to the table. “We recruited volunteers with backgrounds in marketing, business, retail, nonprofit, legal, website development, photography, and more,” recalls Kim Cornell, former President of Family Service of Glencoe, who helped start NSE. The infrastructure she and her co-founders created helped NSE grow to four retail locations plus an e-commerce business, which together have raised millions of dollars since 2013.
ASPIRE ON THE SHORE // 53
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