Completed Udemy Course - Comprehensive Grant Writing for beginners: 7 simple steps

{Image Description: Certificate of completion of course.}

Joined the Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County Board of Directors, as a Board Member representing Ithaca Children's Garden. Starting 2022!

WE DID IT! Ithaca Children's Garden made our goal of $40,000, unlocking a full match in that amount offered to us by Triad Foundation. AND we did it before the match period ended on December 17th!

Half of this was raised through digital efforts alone {email and social media} since we had a hiccup with our mailed letters and forms and they were significantly delayed. As a solo Communications team who has heavily leaned into Development this year, let me just say "Whew.". 

In ICG's 20+ year history, this is highest goal we've ever set, and even in another challenging year, managed to meet and exceed it. It's humbling to see so much support for our little Garden and its huge mission. We did it!

{Image Description: A collage in the shape of a heart, composed of many small pictures of Ithaca Children's Garden, program participants, and the staff. In the middle of the heart are the words "You belong here".}

Ooooooooh these Jordan 1 Bordeaux are everything.

{Image Description: Pair of burgundy and cream colored high top sneakers in the snow.}

blk grrl kicks is LIVE!

Blk grrl kicks was brought to life in 2021, and while all are welcome to revel in the magic and culture, this space only highlights Black non-men sneaker enthusiasts; those most often excluded from the sneaker industry and its communities. This should in no way insinuate that the groundbreaking contributions men and non-Black folk have made in sneakers are not recognized, acknowledged, and valued here, we just do not center them as they are a predominant force in sneakers.

Blk grrl kicks truly belongs to and celebrates Black subversive sneakerheads who shop off the beaten path or mod and design their own sneakers, and the dedicated sole seekers always on the hunt for the next trend. We celebrate collectors with more pairs on ice than they wear on their feet, and the aficionado wearing holes into every pair. We celebrate folks who match their kicks to their decked out mobility aids, and folks pairing their Adidas sneakers and Nike sweatshirt with reckless abandon.

BGK is open for submissions!

Our year-end giving campaign at Ithaca Children's Garden has officially kicked off! My second ever nonprofit capital campaign, and the first I've been able to lead on the Communications side!

The annual appeal is crucial to our small organization as we are not funded by the City, and so a looooot of planning {and tears} goes into our giving campaign. We're lucky to have the community support that we do; community support is vital in helping us sustain this safe, courageous, and kindhearted green space which aims to honor children wholly as they are. It allows us to continue facilitating and expanding our contemporary educational programs such as After School @ ICG, Gaia Circle, and our play immersion preschool, Playful Nature Explorers. Gifts given to the Garden means that another child has access to the essential, meaningful experiences that nourish their relationships with nature; like tasting a sun ripened tomato plucked directly from the vine, and discovering tadpoles in the Rice Paddy Pond. 
Each contribution is an opportunity for every single one of us to be change-makers in critical and necessary work. ✊🏾 I'm honored to be on this team, trusted with such a big task. I'm also super exhausted, and it's just getting started!
Oh, yeah - you can make a gift to ICG too and help us unlock a $40,000 match by December 17th! This is the highest goal we've set in ICG's history!