Jeffrey M. OwensBPG Wealth Management for Children's Cancer Association
The music specialists sent by the Children's Cancer Association to work with pediatric cancer patients are a “game changer,” said Jeffrey M. Owens, president of BPB Wealth Management in Clackamas, Ore. “The kids now say 'At least the hospital is fun,'” he said.
Other programs include the “Caring Cabin” on the Oregon coast, where families and sick children can stay for free on weekends; and the Chemo Pal mentor program, which matches adult buddies with young patients, providing respite care and companionship that gives parents a little time break.
What keeps Mr. Owens involved?
“The satisfaction of just helping,” he said. “I will never forget the emotion I felt when they reached out to my family so many years ago.”
Frank LentoMerrill Lynch for the Institute for Educational Achievement
In 1996, a small group of parents with children newly diagnosed with autism were all hitting the same brick wall. At the time — and even now — educational programs for children with autism were few and far between. Waiting lists for the most effective programs were years-long.
IEA serves about 30 students, ages six to 21, with 30 teachers providing one-on-one attention.
Twenty students have graduated so far, including Kate, who now works at a job she loves.
“These 20 graduates have saved the economy about $60 million dollars,” Mr. Lento said. “They're not going to be a burden to society because they'll transition into regular schools and regular life and regular jobs.”
Gerard KlingmanKlingman & Associates for Best Buddies International
The folks at Best Buddies have an audacious goal: to make it natural and normal to hire and be friends with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said Gerard Klingman, president of Klingman & Associates in New York City.
“Oftentimes, this population doesn't have any friends outside the family,” Mr. Klingman said. “They suffer from social, physical, and economic isolation. Our programs are life-changing.”
Mary Lou ArvesethFinancial Network for the Utah chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Mary Lou Arveseth, a designated sup-ervisor at Financial Network in Draper, Utah, co-founded the Utah chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in 2010 after her son committed suicide the year before.
The chapter has achieved much in its short history, including:
• Getting bills passed requiring suicide prevention education for all school employees and parents' nights on suicide prevention in all schools.
• Providing suicide awareness, prevention and response training across the state.
• Instituting a fundraising walk, providing widespread awareness, hope and comfort to bereaved families and friends. In 2015, about 4,000 people raised more than $100,000.
• Decreasing the statewide ranking of suicide from the No. 3 cause of death in 2015 to No. 5 in 2016.
“Please remember this national hotline number: 800-273-TALK,” Ms. Arveseth said.
Ryan HarmanEdward Jones for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc.
"Where you are is as much therapy as what you're doing,” said Ryan Harman, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Hendersonville, N.C., ex- plaining the basis of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
Currently, there are 212 programs throughout the U.S., Canada and Germany. In 2015, 3,500 volunteers helped 7,400 disabled vets and service members.
“Everyone involved gets an opportunity to interact with vets at a very low point in their lives,” Mr. Harman said. “They have life-altering injuries, both physical and psychological. They really need some support to move forward in their lives.”
“Fly-fishing, rivers — this is my quiet place,” he said. “I couldn't think of a better way to say thank you to these vets than sharing something that's been so important in my life.”
Chad CoeCoe Financial Group for Special Kids Network
The experience of Chad Coe, president and CEO of Coe Financial Group in Deerfield, Ill., goes to show that you never know where childhood influences may lead you. In 1999, inspired by his nephew, he founded the Special Kids Network to raise funds for organizations that help intellectually impaired children and young adults.
Recipients include Keshet (an organization that serves children and adults with special needs), the National Stuttering Association, the Foundation for Retinal Research and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Two annual events — a golf and tennis tournament and a poker night — raise about $200,000 per year for charities.
If you want to start a charity, go for it, Mr. Coe advises.
“If you believe that what you're doing can help others, be inspired to create your own vision,” he said. “I try to play without fear. Everything always has a way of working out.”
Trent BrysonBryson Financial for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach
Trent Bryson, CEO of Bryson Financial in Long Beach, Calif., is currently chairman of the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, which serves more than 4,200 children annually in after-school programs in 11 facilities. Services focus on character and leadership, education and career development, health and life skills, fitness and social recreation, and the arts.
Unmet needs have been uncovered and solutions offered, such as a new theater program, soccer activities and training in public speaking.
“I want to make this city better, and the best way for me to do it is to give the kids an opportunity to be successful,” Mr. Bryson said.
Daniel C. JonesRaymond James for The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis
Dan Jones is a man guided by gratitude and patience. After surviving a devastating car accident in 1999 that left him paralyzed from the chest down, he went on to build a successful career in financial services and now serves as branch manager and senior vice president for Raymond James & Associates in Jenkintown, Pa.
The Miami Project, after 27 years of research, is on the cusp of a potential breakthrough, and is conducting an FDA-approved Phase I clinical trial on the feasibility of transplanting certain cells essential for regenerating damaged spinal cords.
“We're finally getting traction,” Mr. Jones said. “Reaching these long-term goals takes time. They can't do it without the money. If we don't pay the scientists, they're going to go somewhere else and research something else.”
Roy C. Jordan Northwestern Mutual for the Green Hills Family YMCA/YMCA of Middle Tennessee
My father and other mentors instilled in me the importance of a strong community,” said Roy C. Jordan, a wealth management adviser with Northwestern Mutual in Nashville, Tenn. “The stronger it is, the stronger I am.
In fact, the Y provides services in youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
“I'm having an impact on the community by seeing the Ys stay open,” Mr. Jordan said. “The money we raise helps local Ys in less-affluent areas.”
His efforts strengthen the Y's ability to boost its members.
“You have people walking through those doors hurting, and the Y provides a safe haven to come in and leave their troubles at the door,” Mr. Jordan said.
Larry GoffTriloma Securities for Beauty for Ashes Uganda
To be able to take care of 7,000 people with $350,000 is unbelievable,” said Larry Goff, a managing director and co-founder of Triloma in Winter Park, Fla. “And that includes secondary education for 1,000 kids.”
A cooperative is a group of about 30 women, led by one woman, which becomes both a support group and a micro-business incubator. The group looks for opportunities for members to earn money to feed their families and build savings. In turn, the groups create their own small banks, which make loans to members.
Beauty for Ashes started with one cooperative in 2011 and is now supporting 37 cooperatives.
Mr. Goff, who is active in all aspects of the charity, makes a clear connection between his professional work and his charitable work.
“One of the reasons to be successful is to invest in other people's lives,” he said.
Michael MeltzerTocqueville Asset Management for Maya's Hope Foundation
Two friends leveraged their strengths six years ago, and now hundreds of sick and neglected children in orphanages around the world are living better lives.
The charity's major programs are:
• Monthly sponsorship of a specific child providing clothes, food and tuition.
• A“Guardian Angel” fund to pay for private caregivers and therapists.
• “Margarita's Hope,” a fund for special formula for kids who can't digest solid food.
• An emergency medical fund for procedures such as surgery or chemotherapy.
“Literally, lives are being saved by having access to a little bit of money and love,” said Mr. Meltzer, who serves as board chairman and treasurer. “It's something we Americans don't quite understand.”
Steven TonkinsonTonkinson Financial for ShelterBox USA
Four strangers meet and we hit the ground running,” said Steven Tonkinson, managing director of Tonkinson Financial in Miami, describing his role as an emergency response volunteer for ShelterBox USA.
The experiences are transformative, Mr. Tonkinson said.
“Every deployment is different, but I always come back with the same feelings: grateful to help and amazed that people who have lost everything still open their hearts to strangers,” he said. “It gives you perspective on how blessed we are.”
Lisette CooperAthena Capital Advisors for the Boston Youth Sanctuary
There's a major gap in services for inner-city children suffering from trauma, said Lisette Cooper, founder and CEO of Athena Capital Advisors in Boston. “A lot of money is going into early childhood education and college readiness, but not into the mental health of elementary school students,” she said.
The children, often the younger siblings of gang members and suffering from domestic abuse, are all in special education and have post-traumatic stress disorder, Ms. Cooper said. They are referred to the program by social workers and the schools.
“A goal is to get their acting-out under control so they can return to regular school,” she said.
“[This nonprofit] all started with a question to my client — 'What are your hopes and dreams?'” Ms. Cooper said. “But advisers should also ask clients, 'What do you care about that could make the world a better place?'”
Janel HustonRaymond James for Children's Oncology Services
There's a need. I can fix it,” said Janel Huston, a financial adviser with Raymond James & Associates in Winnetka, Ill. “I aim my cross hairs on it, fix it, then move on.” This sums up Ms. Huston's heart-filled involvement with Children's Oncology Services over the past 22 years.
Results appeared swiftly: 2015 saw an 11% growth over 2014 in camper participation numbers, and an 86% growth in revenue.
Leadership has been a learning experience for her.
“You can be all heart, but you have to be a critical thinker. You have to make the hard calls,” Ms. Huston said.
“But I've become more tolerant. I listen more. I learned that everyone is not me.”
Michael J. NathansonThe Colony Group for the National Brain Tumor SocietyComapny here
Michael J. Nathanson, CEO of the Colony Group in Boston, joined the board of the National Brain Tumor Society just in time to help it reinvent itself after it had merged with another organization. Living with a noncancerous brain tumor himself, he was passionate about helping the largest nonprofit brain tumor organization in the world.
The way forward emphasizes three areas:
• Research: funding and creating partnerships among top research centers.
• Advocacy: convening research conferences and lobbying Congress.
• Working with industry: encouraging pharmaceutical attention to cancerous tumors.
“We help guide the research selection process and the research itself,” Mr. Nathanson said. “We have committees with scientists, both on staff and from the research community, who decide where to invest, whether in existing clinical trials or in research we wish to initiate.”
What does it take to succeed?
“You have to have a clear and strong mission,” Mr. Nathanson said. “You must be laser-focused and people have to be disciplined about following it"
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