Stories from the Third Sector

Stanford Social Innovation Review's newest blog, Third Sector Grit, highlights the important but largely untold stories of nonprofit workers. As TSG blogger John Brothers explains,

Third Sector Grit is most times not the stories of the sector’s executive leaders; more often it refers to those community champions in each nonprofit who do not have the larger titles but who are individuals that the organization could not move forward without. I would venture to say that the definition of Third Sector Grit are the individuals and stories in each nonprofit that showcase its most valuable asset, the ‘firmness of spirit and unyielding courage in the face of the hardship’ toward fulfilling its mission.

From working closely with nonprofits for the better part of the past decade, we at The ThinkTank know how vital these "on-the-ground" staffers are to the organizations and the communities they serve. That's why we think this new blog series is so special.

Have a Story to Tell?
If you work in the nonprofit sphere, chances are you know of someone whose story deserves to be told. Brothers invites story suggestions and nominations on his blog site.

To read the first profile in the series or contact Brothers with a story suggestion, please click here.

NFTE South Florida Invites You to the 2010 Regional Youth Business Plan Competition

The New York Times' Thomas Friedman is talking about it. The Huffington Post is talking about it. Millions of students across the country are experiencing it.

What is it? The transformational power of entrepreneurship education. If you live in the Miami area, you can witness it for yourself tomorrow evening at the 2010 Regional Youth Business Plan Competition at Miami-Dade College.

This is an event you don't want to miss. Click here to learn more.

Mock DUI Gives Students a Sobering Wake-Up Call

Prom night, graduation parties, drinking and driving. The combination is a lethal one. So deadly, in fact, that more than 700 young adults die each prom season from alcohol-related injuries.

Fortunately, one South Florida youth organization called DFYIT (Drug Free Youth in Town) is on a mission to change that.

On April 29th, 2010, DFYIT joined forces with the City of Miami Fire and Police Departments and 50 student actors and volunteers to recreate a scene of blood, booze and body bags at Miami Beach Senior High School.

The group used ambulances, fire trucks, and motor vehicles supplied by the City of Miami Beach to produce a frighteningly realistic simulation called “Cheat the Reaper; Live to See Your Future,” which plays out the deadly scenario resulting from a teen’s careless and tragic decision to get behind the wheel after drinking during the prom.


THE SCENE
Two students argue over who will drive home from the prom, as the male student is already intoxicated. Although the female is sober, her boyfriend refuses to let her drive the car. A horrible crash ensues. As bodies lie scattered and still, the boyfriend quickly realizes that his girlfriend his dead. Fire rescue arrives and begins to cut through the roof of one of the cars, removing the injured victims. The victims are rushed to ambulances and the young woman’s body is covered in a white cloth. Police arrive on the scene to take the young man away in handcuffs.

SHOCK FACTOR
For the students of Miami Beach Senior High, the final scene of this reenactment may have been the most hard-hitting. A hearse and coffin were displayed in an emotional funeral scene, where fellow students gave a eulogy in honor of their deceased friend.

The dramatic event represents a joint effort among the city, school and community organizations to communicate the extreme dangers of drinking and driving to South Florida’s students.

DFYIT and local authorities hope the event will instill greater awareness and encourage students and young adults not to drink and drive during prom night, graduation celebrations, or any other time of year.

Since DFYIT’s inception at Miami Beach Senior High in 1998, there have been zero instances of DUI-related car crashes or arrests among the students from the school during prom weekend, proving that educating students about the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving does, in fact, save lives.