As we approach the end of year 2017, Scott Beale, Founder & CEO, Atlas Corps pens down a powerful letter about the Atlas Corps community who are working for the vision of building bridges across the world.
“For those too busy for the full story, this is Atlas Corps in <100 words: It has been an inspiring, yet challenging year. We’ve grown Atlas Corps 40% (from 70 Fellows to 97), expanded from 3-classes a year, to 5-classes, and our 600+ community of Fellows and Alumni are impacting thousands of people around the world. Yet, we’ve been hit hard by cuts in government funding and unexpected expenses. If you believe in global engagement and if you want to support diverse social change leaders, then please invest in Atlas Corps today. Two-thirds of our budget comes from Host Organizations, which means 100% of your support goes directly to Fellows.
Please help us by donating now at donate.atlascorps.org
Thanks,
Scott Beale, Founder & CEO, Atlas Corps
P.S. Changes to the tax code are coming in 2018, NOW is the time to make your charitable contributions count. Give today at donate.atlascorps.org
For those who have 3 minutes, please read my full end of year letter below:
It has been a challenging year. Yet, I awake each day inspired. I am inspired by people like you, our Atlas Corps community who share our vision of building bridges.
I am also encouraged by the dynamic and diverse group of social change leaders who are tirelessly addressing the world’s most critical issues Atlas Corps Fellows. This global community of international changemakers are building bridges that overcome cultural, geographical, and political differences to find solutions to these challenges. The challenges in our world are too great to solve alone. We need our network of Atlas Corps Fellows to create solutions together. We need our global community of bridge builders.
Now, more than ever, Atlas Corps needs your continued support. The changes in government policy and challenging new visa regulations have created a difficult environment to foster the talent of these global leaders. While Atlas Corps placed 40% more Fellows this year than last year, the operational environment has become more difficult. Your support will help us grow our global community of bridge builders.
Your support has enabled us to engage talented professionals like…
Abeer, a human rights professional from Aleppo, Syria, who left a humanitarian crisis to gain new skills she could use to advance her home country. She is gaining that knowledge in New York as she promotes leadership programs that strengthen the global nonprofit sector through the American Express Leadership Academies.
Amira, a public health professional from Khartoum, Sudan, is gaining the skills to advance community health at home by promoting innovative women’s health initiatives and advancing gender equality at the International Center for Research on Women in Washington, DC.
And our Alumnus, Arturo, an instructional designer for social change from Monterrey, Mexico, applied his experience from serving at Kid’s Food Basket in Michigan to develop financial and business learning courses for nearly 19,000 low-income women entrepreneurs in Mexico. Arturo also serve on our Board of Directors.
Before Atlas Corps, Abeer, Amira, and Arturo were talented individuals independently working in their home countries. Now, as Atlas Corps Fellows, they are part of a global community committed to sharing ideas to accomplish real results on a global scale—88% of our Alumni say they are achieving impact in their local communities because of the Fellowship.
These individuals are not barriers to safety. They are bridge builders to opportunity. They are crossing borders to share and learn and return home to better their countries. They are Atlas Corps Fellows!
Your support goes directly toward developing and networking these emerging leaders—our global network of bridges builders. During the Fellowship, our leaders participate in innovative professional development programs like the new Georgetown University Global Leadership certificate program. This applied leadership course complements our current partnerships with Deloitte and reinforces the skills Fellows gain at their Host Organizations.
In 2006, I founded Atlas Corps based on the idea that talent exists throughout the world but opportunity does not. My experiences in Bosnia, Colombia, and India convinced me that young leaders are the bridge to a brighter future for our world. All they need is access to opportunity to share their talents. Atlas Corps provides that opportunity.
The Atlas Corps network includes more than 600 emerging leaders from 88 countries who have served at 220 organizations (nonprofit, private, and government) in the United States, Colombia, Australia and Malaysia. Each individual commits to a year of service abroad to address critical social issues. In the United States, our Fellows serve across the country— Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC and the list continues to grow!
Will you join Atlas Corps in building bridges at donate.atlascorps.org?
With your gift of $50, $100, $250, or more, you will create opportunities for young leaders to positively change our world…regardless of country of origin. Support Atlas Corps today. Build the bridge that enables Atlas Corps Fellows like Abeer, Amira, and Arturo to make a difference.
Let’s build bridges. Let’s support our young leaders.
Thank you for supporting Atlas Corps!
Scott
P.S. Read more about Abeer, Amira, and Arturo at http://bit.ly/AtlasCorpsBuildBridges2017“