Last April, Marissa was invited to a cocktail party hosted by the Linus Foundation. Never being one to turn down a party, Marissa dressed up in anticipation of a great night. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love with the party’s host charity and its cause…but she did.
The Linus Foundation is a rapidly growing community of young social entrepreneurs who engage the skills, passion and energy of its members through social initiatives. The Foundation’s leadership believes that every child deserves a security blanket. To make that vision come true, they provide aid to underprivileged youth in local communities. And they do it by partying!
To raise money, the group hosts cocktail parties for young professionals in major US cities. Attendees pay a $100 cover to enjoy unusual venues, music, dancing, food, and open bar.
Marissa enjoyed the party that April night and by the end of the evening, she had joined the Boston leadership team. She’s now one of 10 board members and the Director of Marketing for the Boston chapter.
On November 10th, The Foundation hosted their second Boston event, this time in the State Street Pavillion at Fenway Park, with Marissa operating behind the scenes. Linus Bats for Kids attracted 270 guests to a venue transformed by white lights, small trees, candles and images of children everywhere. Guests could stand on the walkway overlooking the park as the Linus Foundation logo shone down from the jumbotron above the Green Monster.
Guests enjoyed a delectable spread of food, including Fenway franks, of course. The evening featured an open bar with liquor donated by Absolut Vodka and Sam Adams. There was a raffle and a live DJ.
The Linus Foundation chose Horizons for Homeless Children as the non-profit organization to receive the event’s proceeds. On January 17, The Foundation presented Horizons with a $5,000 check and 65 new blankets. Following the check presentation, board members spent the afternoon interacting with the pre-school children during their story hour at the Edgerley Family Community Children’s Center in Roxbury. The $5,000 donation will fund new window treatments at the center, creating a more private and heat efficient space for the homeless children who are educated there each day.
The Boston Chapter of the Linus Foundation is once again underway planning their next event for late spring of 2008.
www.linusfoundation.org
www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org |
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