March 2020 Newsletter

A Message from our CEO

“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Such are the times we find ourselves in amidst the present COVID-19 crisis.  As a program built on the notion that diversity of thought and innovation are the cornerstones to success, BroadFutures is most assuredly mobilizing on our ability to innovate and 
see the stars I feel so fortunate to be working with the outstanding  group of colleagues at BroadFutures, who are passionately and tirelessly committed to supporting the success of every aspect of our program. Within a period of less than 24 hours, we converted our entire Friday training curriculum to an online format, worked in partnership with our amazing and dedicated employers to secure the majority of our internships in a remote or ongoing capacity, and devised new ways to ensure both our interns and employers remain supported for the duration of our program. We are grateful for the commitment of our employer partners who have worked diligently to devise remote projects for our interns.  We are equally grateful to our families, who remain patient with the present circumstances and provide welcomed words of encouragement for all of us here at BroadFutures. However, most impressive, is the incredible tenacity of our interns. It has been a profound privilege to watch their growth and courage during these times of uncertainty.

As the child of a father who grew up in the depression, fought in World War II, lost a father and two sisters to cancer, and somehow amidst all this received his PhD in economics, his mantra was always “take things one day at a time” . I often thought it was an ironic statement coming from a man whose professional life was based on modeling, theorizing and predicting the future.  However, during these uncertain times, it has become my own personal mantra and that of BroadFutures. True to this mantra has been our ability to adapt, thrive, and take things one day at a time. The present unpredictable and overwhelming crisis the world finds itself in has provided BroadFutures the opportunity to take learning and practicing concepts of flexibility and resilience to new heights! In so doing, we are all learning and growing in ways we had not imagined. As an eternal optimist, I am confident that our community, buoyed by a zealous drive for excellence, a strong commitment to a diverse workplace, and an ability to innovate, we will get through this together –  one day at a time

This is a time for reflection and laser focus on what is important to each of us personally and professionally. In so reflecting, I keep coming back to the notion of COMMUNITY. I am profoundly grateful to all who have helped to build and sustain BroadFutures and understand why our mission is so vitally important not only for our direct community, but society as a whole. A sincere thanks to ALL for your patience, support, and willingness to be a part of our community during this unprecedented and trying time.  

With gratitude and onward!!!!!

From the BroadFutures Remote Working Corner
Tips for Working from Home from our Interns & Staff

1.  Get yourself ready in the morning. You will feel more productive if you change out of your pajamas.

2. If you are used to moving around, make sure you build that into your day. 

3. Stick to a schedule.

4. If you are accustomed to a lot of contact and collaboration with others, make sure that still happens. Schedule virtual lunch dates or happy hours with your family and friends.

5. Ask yourself: How will I protect myself from feeling lonely or isolated and stay healthy, productive, and vibrant?

6. Exercise! It is critical for your well-being.

7. Find your rhythm. 

Resources







BroadFutures Has Gone Virtual

COVID-19 has not stopped our team from ensuring our interns are still fully supported and growing professionally. While we cannot be together in person, we are still able to see everyone’s smiling faces during our virtual training thanks to Zoom!  Below is all of us after our yoga and mindfulness
session.


On our third virtual Friday training session, we decided to incorporate themed Fridays! First Friday theme: Crazy Hats.


Join us by Giving Back!!!

The past couple of weeks have been scary and unexpected. But amongst these feelings of fear and uncertainty, there has been a renewed sense of connectivity throughout the world. Now more than ever people have been reaching out, connecting, and helping to support one another. Just like small and local businesses, as a small, young nonprofit, BroadFutures needs your help in this time of crisis.  If you are in a position to support our efforts and secure the future of BroadFutures, please consider contributing to our mission by making a gift here . We are so grateful for your support!


Employer Spotlight – Atlas Corps

We are happy to feature Atlas Corps for this month’s Employer Spotlight! The mission of Atlas Corps is to address critical social issues by developing leaders, strengthening organizations, and promoting innovation through an overseas fellowship of skilled nonprofit professionals. Fellows are given the opportunity to learn best practices and build organizational capacity, returning to their home countries, and hopefully creating a network of global change makers We first partnered with Atlas Corps during our Summer 2017 Program, and they have welcomed BroadFutures interns for every one of our programs since. 

Zachary Morrice, Senior Program Manager, who has worked with several of our interns shared, “Having BroadFutures interns has been a rewarding experience. We’ve helped them unlock their potential and build their self-confidence while they’ve helped us multiply our impact. Together, we are changing perspectives and changing the world.” Thank you, Zachary, for those kind words! We are so grateful for the mutual benefits of partnering with each other, and we look forward to continuing our partnership into the future.

You can learn more about Atlas Corps  here .

Intern Spotlight – Zoe Belkaid-Whalen

We are excited to feature Zoe Belkaid-Whalen for our Intern Spotlight! A hard-working 19-year-old from Maryland, Zoe recently graduated from Fusion Academy and plans to attend college this upcoming fall. Zoe has multiple talents, including writing, performing, and even indoor skydiving! Zoe is intelligent, eager to learn, and brings her creativity, humor, and honesty to our program.

Zoe is presently interning at the Office of Senator Van Hollen. Zoe has proven to be a remarkable and valuable intern, quickly understanding and navigating how the Senator’s office operates. Zoe shared that her favorite part of the internship has been ” getting to use all the tips and tricks I was taught through the program.” She also added that her favorite part about BroadFutures has been ” the friends I’ve made in the program.” Zoe, you have been an absolute pleasure to work with, and we wish you the best of luck as you finish our program and start your college career in the fall!

SPREAD THE WORD
Know someone who would be interested in what BroadFutures does?
Know someone who might be interested in applying?


STAY CONNECTED!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn  to stay up to date on what we are doing here at BroadFutures.
202-521-4312 | info@broadfutures-website.azurewebsites.net  | www.broadfutures.org

BroadFutures update on COVID-19


To our amazing community:

As COVID-19 continues to impact our community and the world, we wanted to take a moment to share what is being done at BroadFutures to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and interns. Our team is currently working remotely, and we will continue to reevaluate the situation on a week by week basis. While we are not in our physical office, this does not mean we are reducing our support system. If anything, we are committed now more than ever to ensure each intern feels supported in this challenging time.

The BroadFutures mission is to unlock the potential of young people with learning disabilities. This is our chance to demonstrate that even in times of uncertainty, our interns are capable of rising to the occasion and demonstrating their courage and resilience. BroadFutures is here to provide resources and support, and it is in that spirit that we write to you today.

To our interns and families:
Know that we are here for you! Whether you are working from home or still going into the office, please know that we are still 100% dedicated to continuing to support you in your internship and professional development. You have our emails – use them! If you have any questions at all, or just need some positive words of encouragement, our team is ready to help in any way we can. 

To our supporters and friends:
We need you! This is a time for us to come together as a community, and to offer assistance to each other in any way we can. It is clear that the crisis has had a huge impact on the economy, and the ripple effect on philanthropy and fundraising is uncertain at best. At this time we intend to continue our summer program, but are cognizant of the possibility it may be smaller than in summers past, or worst case scenario, we may have to delay the program in its entirety. Coupled on top of the uncertainty that arises from the present COVID-19 crisis, unfortunately last week BroadFutures was the victim of a theft. Our MacBook laptops were stolen from our office along with a camera and various Apple charging cords. If you are in a position to support our efforts and secure the future of BroadFutures, you can contribute to our mission by making a gift here .

We are learning right alongside you as we navigate COVID-19 together. Everything is dynamic and changing rapidly and we are working diligently to accommodate and incorporate such changes. We are proud of the swift changes our staff is making, and their commitment to our interns, families and employers. The safety and health of our community is our #1 priority, and we are fiercely committed to ensuring that as well for the growth of our interns. 

Thank you for being a valued part of our community. We are confident we can all work through this present crisis with grace and courage, hopefully coming out the other side having grown together. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or thoughts. 

-The BroadFutures Team
202-521-4312 | info@broadfutures-website.azurewebsites.net  | www.broadfutures.org

February 2020 Newsletter



Hard at Work
Our interns have been hard at work in their internships for 3 weeks now. They  are working at a wide variety of internships and all excelling! From working with computers to interviewing applicants to acquiring general professional skills, our interns have already gained many valuable workplace experiences. We are so excited to see their continued success in the coming weeks!

Below are some snapshots from our training, including our intern’s presentations at the end of initial training, our drama curriculum, and graffiti art.


































February was a busy month spreading the word of the BroadFutures mission

From sunny Florida to snowy Vermont, we have been all over! We are so grateful to have opportunities like these to get the word out about what BroadFutures has to offer for students who learn and think differently. From presenting at  Beacon College  and the  Learning Disabilities Association of America  2020 Conference to visiting  Landmark College  in Vermont over parent’s weekend, we have met so many wonderful people, including many promising potential applicants. To all of the students we met, we hope to see your application soon!!


Apply to the Summer 2020 Program! 
Application Deadline – March 16th, 2020


We have lots of fabulous internships for the summer! 
If interested in applying, please do so here.

If you are interested in becoming an employer partner, we are always actively recruiting new employers. Please find out more here.
Employer Spotlight – Discovery, Inc.


This month we are excited to feature Discovery, Inc. in our Employer Spotlight! Discovery, Inc.  is known as the #1 global real-world media and entertainment corporation. Discovery has achieved global operations in more than 160 countries and territories, reaching an approximate 1.3 billion subscribers. We began our partnership in the summer of 2017 and currently have two interns from the Winter 2020 cohort working at Discovery. We are so grateful for our partnership and for Discovery’s willingness to work with us and find new ways to challenge and support our interns. 

Pat Djiwatampu, a supervisor for many of our BroadFutures interns, shared, “BroadFutures had made me aware of the support that society needs to provide for young people to better equip themselves to be independent and BroadFutures certainly provides the support and I have seen the immensely tremendous results in the students who were and are interning with Discovery.” In addition, other Discovery employees who work closely with BroadFutures wanted to share their experiences, including Rogers Barnes, who said,”BroadFutures is a program dear to me…To think I play an important part is a great feeling and I hope to continue and expand this relationship with BroadFutures and Discovery for many years to come,” and Calvin Song, who wrote, “Absolutely enjoy working with the BroadFutures interns. Some of most talented young adults I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

To everyone at Discovery, we thank you so much for your kind words – you guys are the best!

You can learn more about Discovery here .
Intern Spotlight – Michael Glynn

This month we are shining the spotlight on Michael Glynn! A 23-year-old from Bowie, Maryland, Michael is a thoughtful and fun addition to our winter cohort. As a graphic design major, Michael possesses a keen attention to detail and creativity, and these two skills are clearly demonstrated through his work.

Along with one other BroadFutures intern, Michael is interning at Discovery, Inc. In the three weeks that he has been there, Michael has already had the chance to give a presentation, refine his computer skills, and gain an overall sense of how an office setting operates. Throughout his internship and training, Michael has proven himself to be a natural leader. Keep up the good work, Michael, and we can’t wait to see more of your continued successes!
SPREAD THE WORD
Know someone who would be interested in what BroadFutures does?
Know someone who might be interested in applying?

STAY CONNECTED!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn  to stay up to date on what we are doing here at BroadFutures.

202-521-4312 | info@broadfutures-website.azurewebsites.net  | www.broadfutures.org