Greetings YANA New Englanders,
This year is challenging us like no other. In addition to personal stresses, our mission focused energy and compassion have shifted into over-drive. Known causes need support – and daily we uncover new needs and opportunities to help. We asked YANA New England board members to share their insight into five issue areas:
- Mental Health
- Food Security
- Recreational Land Use
- International Development
- Nonprofit Consulting
Read on to learn the challenges caused by this pandemic, and how nonprofits in these areas are pivoting to respond.
Also, please take note of two special YANA events happening this fall.
Be well, everyone!
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Rachel Littman '91, YANA Executive Director
Joellyn Gray SOM ’81, (Darien, CT) Co-Chair
Robin Noble YC ’91 (Portland, ME), Co-Chair
John Woyke YC ’63, LLB ’67 (New Canaan, CT), Co-Chair
Ivan Dremov YC ’07, SOM ’11, Regional Group Chair - Boston
Mick Hirsch DIV ’03, Regional Group Chair - Massachusetts
Michael Kurs YC ’77, Regional Group Chair, Hartford, CT
Yvonne Lodico DIV ’09, Regional Group Chair, VT
Toddy Turrentine SOM ’80, Regional Group Chair, Fairfield County, CT
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Current Leadership & Funding Issues in Nonprofits Arts & Cultural Institutions
Artists and arts organization managers will discuss the necessary relevance of arts and culture to a just, equitable, and meaningful community.
Wednesday, Oct. 7
1:00 - 2:00 PM (ET)
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YANA Virtual
10th Anniversary Gala
YANA’s fall gala showcasing honorees, supporters, and those positively impacted.
Support YANA by becoming a sponsor beginning at $25!
Wednesday, Nov. 10
6:30 - 7:30 PM (ET)
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PANDEMIC CHALLENGES & RESPONSE |
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Michael Kurs
Partner, Pullman & Comley
While New England has had good showings in national mental health service rankings in the past, we should probably expect the “perfect storm of psychological trauma” spurred by the pandemic to continue to challenge our resources and our best intentions to meet the mental health needs of our populace.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has alarming implications for individual and collective health and emotional and social functioning.”
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Yvonne Lodico
Co-Founder,
Grace Initiative Global
The Pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inter alia inequality, poverty, and food insecurity.
"The reality of food insecurity became more apparent in the wake of COVID-19 even in the U.S. In Vermont, food insecurity
rose by 33%."
Without Food Security,
There Is No Peace
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
Mick Hirsch
Executive Director, ThriveGulu
The coronavirus has severely complicated service delivery in virtually all sectors, including refugees, food scarcity, human trafficking, and reproductive health. Across the board, COVID-19 has exacerbated already dire situations for beneficiaries and service providers alike.
"In times of international crises, international development organizations are essential, frontline workers, tending not only to their unique local contexts, but reinforcing global unity."
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Toddy Turrentine
in conversation with
Aaron Lefland YSE '17, Executive Director
New Canaan Land Trust
The New Canaan (CT) Land Trust has conserved and manages 392 acres over 70 properties and easements, most open to the public, with established trails. Lefland shares his reflections on how the pandemic has changed his work and his vision for the future.
"We hope to come out stronger, with a greater understanding of the healing force of nature in our community, and the financial ability to preserve more land forever."
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Ivan Dremov
Board Member
Community Consulting Teams of Boston
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Impact on Nonprofit Consulting
COVID-19 has put a financial burden on many Boston area nonprofits, cutting into earned revenue and donations, and forcing some to lay off a portion of their staff. Some organizations are partnering to provide services, while a few are contemplating mergers, uncommon for the sector, for survival. The need to work remotely has increased the difficulties and created disconnects. Community Consulting Teams of Boston (CCT) surveyed our clients and found that although they are interested in assistance from us, they have fewer resources to dedicate to working together. Additionally, clients have expressed a desire for shorter pro bono consulting projects, mostly to aid them in identifying how best to operate in the virtual world. To that end, we have fielded volunteer teams this fall to virtually assist three of our past clients on one- to three-month projects, in order to get aspects of their operations up and running again. During our last regular consulting cycle (January through May 2020) we found ourselves thrown into a virtual world. Our ten client teams reverted to working together remotely and presenting their findings to clients and boards via Zoom. The clients were more appreciative than ever and felt that CCT rode this pandemic wave with them, helping them to navigate the new reality.
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CCT Accepting Applications – Deadline October 16
Currently, CCT is accepting applications for spring 2021 projects from Boston-area nonprofits. Teams of experienced MBA volunteers from top-tier business schools staff these projects, which are valued at $100,000 each. Typical projects include growth strategy, SWOT analysis, benchmarking analysis, marketing planning, financial modeling, or help with some aspect of a strategic plan. To be eligible for a CCT consultancy, nonprofits must have 501(c)(3) status, an annual budget between $500,000 and $5 million, a full-time executive director, a minimum of three full-time staff, and at least one staff person who will be assigned to the project. A Board member is required to support this project and be interviewed by CCT prior to acceptance. In response to shifting needs of nonprofit clients and CCT volunteers brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, most if not all of the project work will be performed virtually.
Applications are due October 16, 2020
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YANA offers its programming — free of charge — with the goal of being accessible to the widest possible audience. If you have found any value from being a part of the YANA network, and/or from attending our events and webinars,
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OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED |
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7-Time Consecutive Winner of the Yale Board of Governors Excellence Award
Working Together, Giving Back, Changing Lives
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