The Young Leadership Committee is a group of young professionals dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of JDRF. The committee hosts various fundraising, networking, and social events that attract hundreds of young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40. Recognizing the value of young professionals, the YLC supports JDRF though events that are dynamic, energetic, and fun
Members of the Young Leadership Committee are asked to attend meetings where they are given the opportunity to take part in the inception, planning, and ultimately the success of several social functions throughout the year aimed at benefiting JDRF. Additionally, the committee hosts occasional networking and social gatherings at area restaurants or bars to foster an environment of year-round involvement.
Video JDRF: Young Leadership Committee
History
The JDRF Young Leadership Committee was originally formed in 1994 as The Professionals to Cure Diabetes with the JDRF's Long Island (NY) Chapter. The founders, Darren Port and Sara Siskind, had been active in the Long Island Chapter for a number of years. They formed the group to plan an event that would target their friends and offer an opportunity to network with others.
Applying their knowledge and passion, Darren and Sara put their energy into creating a committee of young professionals dedicated to the cause. It started with a grassroots approach, reaching out to friends and family to get involved. Eventually it was their friends, and friends of friends who helped to form the committee. The first event, held in the spring of 1995, was a wine tasting at a New York City art gallery. Despite low expectations and high uncertainty about the concept, the event proved to be an outstanding success, attracting over 300 people.
Due to that success, they planned the following year's fundraising event at the Puck Building and held it on March 7. The event was a beer bash with numerous vendors set up for tasting - in short, a well-organized keg party. That day, an ice storm hit, but despite the weather more than 800 people attended, and the event raised more than $10,000.
Thanks to Darren's contacts as a promoter and the impressive growth of the committee, the event developed from 1997 through 2002 to attract over 1,200 attendees as well as corporate sponsorship. To accommodate the growth, the venues moved to some of the most heralded clubs in New York City, including Club Roxy, Webster Hall, and the Palladium. In 2000, the Professionals to Cure Diabetes officially joined the New York City Chapter, raising $64,000 the first year and quickly surpassing the $100,000 mark in 2001.
As the founders matured, the event grew up with them, evolving from beer tasting to a slightly more sophisticated taste of food and wine. In 2003, the Professionals to Cure Diabetes re-branded to become the Young Leadership Committee and included a full Board of Directors with a strong committee that would ensure a sustainable model. The event had many names over the years, however, needing a brand, it became Spring for a Cure in 2004 and found a home at the Puck Building for the next five years. From its start, Spring for a Cure included over twenty food and beverage sponsors raising money through ticket sales, corporate sponsors, raffle tickets, and silent auctions.
The Young Leadership Committee soon added the Absolute Cure, a team for the Manhattan Walk to Cure Diabetes. The YLC Walk team was raising $40,000 annually from over 80 walkers, making it one of the largest Walk teams for the event. After ten years, Darren and Sara stepped aside from the Young Leadership Committee.
From 2005 through 2008, under the leadership of Chris DeNoia, the Spring for a Cure event continued to grow. The major breakthrough came in 2007 when, for the first time, the committee chose to honor its founders, Darren and Sara. That year, Spring for a Cure raised over $225,000. Nationally, JDRF took notice.
Mark Bernstein became the new president of the NYC YLC in 2008. Under Mark's leadership, the Spring for a Cure continues to grow, achieving record levels of committee membership. The event moved to the Metropolitan Pavilion in 2009 to accommodate the 30+ vendors and over 1000 attendees. The YLC Walk team has grown as well, with over 120 walkers raising over $80,000 annually. 2009 saw the addition of a new event, the Kickoff to Cure Diabetes, which raised over $10,000 in its inception year. With its potential evident, the Kickoff to Cure Diabetes was soon added to the JDRF New York City Chapter's event calendar.
Following the success of the NYC model over the course of nearly two decades, the evolution of the YLC into a national brand was the next clear objective. As it turned out, NYC was not alone in employing this model. Other similar groups existed in Albany, Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C. New groups were gathering momentum. Interest rose in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Boston, and London. The Young Leadership Committee concept was about to go international.
Under the direction of JDRF Outreach, representatives from all of these groups met for the first time in the summer of 2009. It was quickly agreed that existing groups would unite under the Young Leadership Committee brand and leverage the social network for best practices. By 2010, a common strategy was created for all groups operating under the YLC banner. The first official new YLC fundraiser was hosted by San Francisco's committee on April 22, 2010 at the Thirsty Bear. Other new YLCs connected with chapters across the nation would soon follow.
After a successful 2010 Spring for a Cure, Mark Bernstein stepped down as NYC Chapter President, passing the reigns to Michael Taormina and Benjamin Wunderlich. Under the new leadership team, the Kickoff to Cure Diabetes grew its net fundraising by over 50% in 2010. Seeing a winter gap in the group's event calendar, Michael and Ben launched the Bid to Cure Diabetes, a charity date auction held in January 2011 at the Ainsworth Bar. In its first year, the event netted just over $15,000 and hosted over 450 guests, as auctioneer & MC Duncan Schieb auctioned off donated dates with fourteen bachelors and bachelorettes. Michael and Ben further instituted the group's social media strategy, utilizing various social media networks to drive awareness and membership.
In spring 2012, YLC National launched the group's official website and logo: www.jdrf.org/ylc. JDRF YLC Facebook Page
Maps JDRF: Young Leadership Committee
Chapters with a YLC
USA
- Alabama Chapter
- Austin Chapter
- Capitol Chapter
- Central Oklahoma Chapter
- Central Virginia Chapter
- Coastal Carolina Chapter
- Desert Southwest Chapter
- Eastern PA/Delaware Chapter
- Georgia Chapter
- Greater Bay Area Chapter
- Greater Dallas Chapter
- Houston Gulf Coast
- Illinois Chapter
- Indiana State Chapter
- JDRF Northwest Chapter
- Kansas City Chapter
- Kentucky Chapter
- Los Angeles Chapter
- Metro Detroit/SE Michigan Chapter
- Mid-Ohio Chapter
- Mid Tennessee Chapter
- MinnDakotas Chapter
- New England/Bay State Chapter
- New York City Chapter
- North Florida Chapter
- Orange County Chapter
- Piedmont Triad Chapter
- Rocky Mountain Chapter
- San Francisco Chapter
- Silicon Valley Chapter
- South Central Texas
- Southwest Ohio
- Tampa Bay Chapter
- Triangle/Eastern NC Chapter
- Utah Chapter
- Western Pennsylvania Chapter
International
- London, United Kingdom
- Perth, Western Australia
- Melbourne, Australia
Events
- Spring For A Cure(New York City) Spring for a Cure is a culinary, wine and spirits tasting event featuring some of New York's hottest and most popular restaurants and vendors
- Rock the Cure(Atlanta, GA) Rock the Cure is an annual Brews and Blues event featuring the best Atlanta has to offer, including live music, local Sweetwater Beer, great BBQ, and amazing raffle prizes.
- Bid to Cure Diabetes(New York City) The Bid to Cure Diabetes is a three-hour open bar charity date auction, where guests have the opportunity to bid on dates with 16 of the city's most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes! Dates are pre-determined and have been donated by various restaurants or venues throughout New York City (past dates have included rock climbing, trapeze lessons, a tasting at a winery & VIP tickets to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). All net proceeds from the event benefit JDRF.
- Walk to Cure Diabetes
- Illinois YLC Red Carpet Oscars Party - The Red Carpet Party features a live viewing of the Academy Awards and a silent auction benefiting JDRF. The event features delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks.
- (YLC's Nationally) Kickoff to Cure Diabetes- The Kickoff to Cure Diabetes event raises funds by attracting people to watch the life broadcast of the NFL opening-day game. This game is typically hosted by the current Super Bowl Champion and played the Thursday before the Week 1 Sunday games. The event has the unique aspect of being held simultaneously in multiple cities, which fosters a sense of unity. Kickoff to Cure is a flexible event and can accommodate many venues and fundraising opportunities.
- Dallas Brew the Cure Event
- New England/Greater Bay State Masquerade Ball
- Alabama BBQ & Brews live music and food event
- Utah Chapter YLC Mud Run
- Austin Chapter YLC's Toast to Cure event series
See also
- JDRF: Improving Lives. Curing Type 1 Diabetes.
- JDRF National Website
External links
- JDRF National YLC Facebook
- JDRF National Twitter
- JDRF - Young Leadership Committee - NYC
- JDRF - Young Leadership Committee - Illinois
References
- JDRF YLC Website
- About JDRF
Source of article : Wikipedia
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