Lodestar Center launches fourth Public Allies Arizona class
Public Allies, an AmeriCorps national youth leadership organization that places service-minded young people in apprenticeships in nonprofit organizations throughout the community, recently launched its fourth Public Allies Arizona class and is nearly doubling in size.
Since the program's inception three years ago, the ASU Lodestar Center has been training and mentoring talented young adults from diverse backgrounds and advancing their leadership skills through participation in a 10-month program of full-time, paid apprenticeships in nonprofit organizations, leadership trainings and team-service projects.
Based on the strength of the past three cohorts, and the expansion of the AmeriCorps program nationally, the ASU Lodestar Center's Public Allies program was granted an increase from 25 slots to 48 slots for the 2009-2010 year. This increase includes 12 "Second Year Fellows" who are completing a second term of AmeriCorps service and participating in an advanced leadership development program.
Recovery Act dollars contributed to the ASU Lodestar Center's grant of $615,000 this year from the Corporation for National and Community Service. A total of $1,513,339 in external grant dollars have been awarded to the ASU Lodestar Center in support of Public Allies Arizona since the program's launch in 2006. When accounting for in-kind support as well as the funds contributed by the nonprofits to have an ally placed within their agencies, the total value of the program and impact to the community is more than $1.2 million this year and more than $1.8 million over the past three years.
"The Public Allies model of leadership development and community empowerment is a proven one that works," says Robert F. Ashcraft, executive director of the ASU Lodestar Center and professor of nonprofit studies in the School of Community Resources and Development. We are enormously proud of these young people and their involvement in capacity-building efforts through our ASU program in partnership with some of our community's most vital nonprofit organizations."
The 2009-10 Public Allies Arizona participants and their nonprofit placements:
• Ana Arboleda-Rabionet: Communities in Schools of AZ
• Caitlin Acker: Tempe Community Action Agency
• Lindsey Baron: Aid to Adoption of Special Kids
• Alyssa Brooke-Gay: Equality Arizona
• Judy Buhrman: AZ Citizens for the Arts
• Evelyn Brumfield: Keep Phoenix Beautiful
• Jeeun (June) Cho: McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
• Jemia Cunninghan: Central AZ Shelter Services
• Hannah Davis: Aid to Adoption of Special Kids
• Aubree Duplessis: CHW Foundation
• Antonia Garcia: Southwest Human Development
• Ashley Gilliam: AZ Hemophilia Association
• Andrew Grove: Valley of the Sun United Way
• Nicole Hadley: Childhelp
• Denise Haydukovich: Childhelp
• Brian Hennigan: Urban Outreach
• Michael Huerta: Equality Arizona
• Hannah Humphrey: XICO, llc
• Braddon Johnson: Helping Hands Housing Services
• Haddy Kreie: Phoenix Theatre/Greasepaint Youtheatre
• Justin Kring: Urban Outreach
• Carol Lamoureux: VisonQuest 20/20
• LaVonne Lester: Karuna Village
• Helena Lyson: ASU Lodestar Center/Public Allies Arizona
• Liana McNeil: Arizona Wilderness Coalition
• Jacqueline Morris: Childhelp
• Milo Neild: Equality Arizona
• Patrick Nichols: Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development
• Joseph Perez: Valley of the Sun YMCA
• Stephanie Padon: Keogh Health Foundation
• Gabrielle Porter: XICO, Inc
• Robert Preston: CHW Foundation
• Kira Robertson-Weaver: Phoenix Conservatory of Music
• Isaiah Sanchez: Helping Hands Housing Services
• Oliver Simpson: Goodwill of Central Arizona
• Jennifer Snell: Open Table
• Angela Soliz: VisionQuest 20/20
• Anna Soo: GLSEN & Anti-Defamation League
• Jessicca Stocks: Open Table
• Erica Schwartzmann: Campfire of Arizona
• Anh Vuong: Asian Pacific Communities in Action
• Jordon Weiner: Goodwill of Central Arizona
• Katie Wiening: Central AZ Shelter Services
• Kelly Williams: Valley of the Sun YMCA
• Analisa Xavier: CHW Foundation
• Karina Ybarra: Aid to Adoption of Special Kids
• Rachel Zwiachter: Alzheimer’s Association
"The candidates this year were amazing and we struggled to decide who would best fit with our organization, since so many of them met (and exceeded) our criteria," says Elizabeth Reich, executive director for VisionQuest 20/20. "We finally chose two Public Allies and are looking forward to a successful year with both of them."
Public Allies Arizona will be holding a "Meet the Allies" event on Nov. 12 to introduce the Allies and their nonprofit organizations to family, friends and others in the community.
The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation (formerly the ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management) is recognized as a national leader in undergraduate and graduate nonprofit education, research and technical assistance. The ASU Lodestar Center exists to enhance the quality of life in communities through the advancement of nonprofit leadership practices and provides knowledge and tools to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, professionals, board members, donors and volunteers by offering a selection of capacity-building workshops, conferences, classes and programs. For more information, visit: http://nonprofit.asu.edu.