Des Moines "I Have a Dream" Foundation Spring 2012 Newsletter

Spring 2012 | Des Moines “I HAVE A DREAM” Foundation | www.desmoinesdreams.org 1 2507 University Ave | Des Moines, IA 50311 | 515-271-1976

“I HAVE A DREAM” FoundationDes Moines

Our Mission

Success begins with a dream! The Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation

motivates and empowers children from low-income communities to reach their

education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring,

tutoring and enrichment, as well as tuition assistance for higher education.

1. Our Dreamer Classroom at Callanan has been the perfect “home base” for our sixth graders as they transition to middle school.

2. IHAD Executive Director, Emily Hamilton, was named a Top 5 Finalist for the Juice Magazine “YP of the Year” award.

3. Ms. Dusenbery’s “Good Grade Heroes”wall was featured in the Des Moines West Register. The Dreamers love donning goofy wigs and rockstar sunglasses to show off their As and Bs.

4. Generous private donations, including $5,000 from Contributors Breakfast Club are moving us toward the goal of fully funding the 2018 Dreamer Project by the end of 2012.

5. Dreamer families are planning a Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for summer programming. Stop in for breakfast between 8 - 11 a.m. May 5 at Central Presbyterian Church, 3829 Grand Ave.

6. The Dreamers Do! service group is learning lessons in leadership, volun-teerism and sales as they help raise money to prevent animal cruelty. They are currently selling 100 calendars they designed for the cause.

7. Strong relationships with our mentors, volunteers, sponsors, Dreamer families and friends. You make a difference!

Page 2: Meet our new Project Manager and Board MemberMake your Birdies for Charity Pledge

Page 3: Sweet Dreams Details

Pages 4 & 5: IHAD Community Snapshots

Page 6: National Dreamer ConferenceNotes from the Executive Director

Page 7: Q&A with our new Board PresidentConnect with IHAD online

IHAD Wish List: • Gas cards

($10 denominations)• 1-2” Binders • Conference volunteers

7 Reasons We’re Celebrating: In this issue:

2 Spring 2012 | Des Moines “I HAVE A DREAM” Foundation | www.desmoinesdreams.org 2507 University Ave | Des Moines, IA 50311 | 515-271-1976

Meet our new Staff member: Meet our new Board member:

Brianne Sanchez IHAD Project Manager

Brianne brings a background in journalism and marketing com-munications to her new role, as well as enthusiasm for the

IHAD mission. She will assist Emily in the Founda-tion office and is already launching new projects, like a Foundation blog. Outside of IHAD, Brianne is currently a student in the Drake MPA program and serves on the Des Moines Social Club Board and the planning committee for TEDxDesMoines.

Contact Brianne if you have ideas for new fun-draising events, know of potential mentors or volunteers or outreach opportunities for IHAD to tell our story.

Contact: 515-271-1974, [email protected]

Grant TaylorJE Dunn Construction

Grant, a Des Moines native and proud Hoover High School and Iowa State University alumnus, recently brought his family back

to Des Moines after 16 years away. He’s excited to serve on the board. “Whether it be coaching, teaching my kids’ Sun-day School classes or serving as the Den Leader in my son’s Cub Scouts I feel the most alivewhen I am working with kids,” Taylor says. “My parents and faith have always taught me to give back to others. The Des Moines “I Have a Dream Foundation” is the type of organizationwhich would provide me with a platform to do just that. I want to make a lasting, meaningful impact on the lives of the current class of M.L. KingDreamers and future classes as well.”

Make your “Birdies” pledge for IHAD The Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation is excited to once again be included as one of the recognized nonprofits for the Principal Charity Classic® Birdies for Charity® program!

Visit www.principalcharityclassic.com/birdies-for-charity to make your pledge. Make sure to select the Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation from the drop-down menu of charities. Or, contact our office for a brochure to mail in a pledge.

Encourage first time donors

Last year, IHAD raised $4,109.06 through Birdies for Charity pledges (enough to support one of our Dream-ers for a year), but we aren’t about to settle for par for the course!

We’re grateful for your support and advocacy for our education initiative over the years. Consider encour-aging a friend to direct his or her Birdies pledge to our cause. The small donations are a great entry to involvement, and they truly add up.


Sweet Dreams Details Date: April 25, 2012Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m.Place: The home of Dotty and Stan Thurston 733 Foster Drive Cost: Guests are asked to contribute $200 to the Dream Maker initiative RSVP: Call 271-1974 or e-mail [email protected]

Principal CEO Larry Zimpleman (left) presents the 2011 PCC Birdies for Charity check to past IHAD Board President Steve

Whitty (right).

How “Birdies for Charity” works Donors like you can pledge pennies (minimum of two cents) per birdie made by the Champions Tour players. There are typically between 700-900 birdies at the Principal Charity Classic.

So, as an example: If you pledged $.05 per birdie and there were 795 birdies in the tournament, you would donate a total of $39.75.

The best part? Not only does the Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation benefit from 100% of your pledged donations, but we also receive a match of 25% of donations from the event! This is a fun way to amplify your giving and make an impact on the organization.

SWEET DREAMS 2012Join us for our annual Girls’ Night Out

Come sip, socialize and satisfy your sweet tooth in a spectacular setting! Join us for a springtime girls’ night out that celebrates the power of friendships and supports the students of “I Have a Dream.”

Sweet Dreams is a festive spring evening event, featuring cocktails & hors d’oeuvres in a garden party atmosphere.

Established to support the 2018 Dreamers each year as they progress through school, Sweet Dreams has already raised more than $100,000 in the first five years, and has a fundraising goal of $30,000 in 2012.

Special advance thanks to the Committee members who work to put together this spectactular event:

Sara Bering, Nancy Bone, Diane Brown, Mary Cownie, Paula Duncan, Suzanne Farley, Priscilla Gilbert, Lynn Graves, Barbara Grefe, Ginny Hancock, Beth Koenig, Joan Middleton, Becky Moomey, Paula O’Brien, Kathy Stuart, Cheryl Sypal, Dotty Thurston, Nancy Vernon, Michele Whitty, Linda Witte

Can we exceed $4,100?

2011 Sweet Dreams Committee & Board


IHAD Community SnapshotsFind many more photos from Dreamer events on our Facebook page:

Facebook.com/DesMoinesIHAD

Dreamer families, mentors and staff came together for the annual Dreamer Holiday party, which included a lasagna dinner, decorating ginger-bread houses and other crafts.

A huge part of the IHAD education model involves engaging family members in our programming. We want parents and guard-ians to feel empowered to be the best possible advocates for their child’s education.

WHO TV reporter Dave Price visited the Dreamer Classroom to offer professional tips on how to conduct on-camera interviews. Dreamers will produce an orientation video for incoming Callanan 6th graders.


(Below) Our Dreamers Do! service group has an ongoing service project to prevent animal cru-elty. Dreamers sold pet bags and are currently selling calendars to benefit a local shelter.

(Above) Drake University Optimist Club mem-bers hosted our Dreamers for an afternoon that included lunch, games, making Valentines for veterans and a women’s basketball game.

We thanked our Mentors with a February dinner at the Des Moines Art Center, where we got to make cookies in the cafe kitchen.

Des Moines IHAD’s Emily Hamilton (second from right) was honored at a January reception for Juice YP of the Year nominees.

Do you have photos from Dreamer events? Please e-mail them to [email protected]


Seeing our current Dreamers grow, hit milestones, mature and flourish is a rewarding long-term journey. We know we’re making a difference in these kids’ lives, but how will they look back on the program? I recently had the opportunity to meet Kristen (Thompson) Holcomb, a graduate of the 1990 Moulton Project and proud IHAD alumna, and hear how IHAD impacted her.

Kristen’s story started out like a lot of our current Dreamers’. The third of five siblings in a family whose parents didn’t go to college, she was shy, with a bit of a rebellious streak and unaware of her options. In fifth grade, IHAD entered her life and propelled her on the path to a college degree, in business, from Drake University. There she met her husband and started a fulfilling personal and professional life. “It was huge for me,” she says of her oppor-tunities as a Dreamer. “Other than goosebumps, you can’t measure it. That magnitude cannot be discounted.”

Reconnecting with Kristen underscored the value of our mission. Day by day, we’re opening up a path for success.

Gratefully, Emily W. Hamilton

Des Moines IHAD Chapter will host 2012 IHAD National Dreamer Conference

NATIONAL DREAMER CONFERENCE

Dates: July 18-21, 2012Location: Drake University

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Corporate Sponsorship: If your company would like to support an education initiative with a national scope, we have several spon-sorship options.

Career Bingo: Join Dreamers for a fun networking exercise.

Volunteer chaperone: Help us keep all of our Dreamers safe at an off-campus outing.

College Spirit Day donations: Spread your school spirit by donating a T-shirt from your alma mater. Dreamers are encouraged to wear college apparel for one day of the Conference.

This July, we will host more than 100 Dreamers from across the country at Drake University for three days of workshops and enrichment activi-ties. We will conduct mock interviews, career exploration events and outings to Des Moines landmarks such as the PappaJohn Sculpture Park and Gray’s Lake.

The Dreamers are all entering 7th grade through Freshman year in college and will be coming from IHAD affiliate programs in cities such as L.A., Port-land, Denver and New York.

Conference applications mimic the college appli-cation process, and attendeees will stay in Drake residence halls. This experience is a great op-portunity to emphasize college readiness for our Dreamers.

Measuring Impact in Goosebumps Notes from Executive Director Emily W. Hamilton

Read more about Kristen’s experiences on our blog: DesMoinesIHAD.wordpress.com


Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation Facebook

Find it: www.facebook.com/DSMIHAD

Are we friends yet? Facebook is the easiest way to stay connected to the IHAD community. We regularly post photos from various IHAD events and share news about Board member and staff ac-complishments and the latest opportunities to get involved. “Like” us and share our page with other friends who you think would be interested in our cause.

IHAD Blog

Find it: www.desmoinesihad.wordpress.com

Go behind the scenes in our Dreamer Classroom, read about upcoming fundraising opportunities and get a more in-depth look at our weekly hap-penings through our Dreamer Blog. Starting with Summer School, the 2018 Dreamers will also begin producing posts from their own perspective, recapping enrichment activities and service projects.

IHAD Twitter account

Find it: www.twitter.com/DesMoinesIHAD

We use Twitter to stay connected to important conversations about education reform, nonprofit trends and other issues that impact our organiza-tion. Follow us for informative links. Not a twitter user? You can still bookmark our profile page as an easy resource.

Connect with IHAD online: www.desmoinesdreams.org

Q: How did you learn about IHAD?

I was first introduced to IHAD by Joan Middle-ton and Bill Kimberley, who took me to lunch and told me about the mission – which blew my mind!

Q: Why do you find the mission compelling?

I couldn’t believe there was an organization that pledged themselves to the same group of kids for 16 years, and actually offered to pay for college. A great part of what we do is that we can measure everything about the pro-gram and make changes to perfect the model.

Q: How has your experience as a mentor in-fluenced you personally?

Being a mentor for Javion has certainly opened up my eyes as to the need and the opportu-nity with these great kids who happen to be in a tough spot. I’ve received far, far more than I’ve given as a result of this relationship, and I think my wife and kids would agree. To be a mentor isn’t always easy, but the personal benefits greatly outweigh the efforts.

Q: Has serving on this board taught you any professional lessons?

Being on the board, and now chairing the board, has taught me the value and benefit of channeling positive energy from lots of good people. Everyone on the IHAD board has a huge heart, and they are all very talented at what they do. The best opportunity to turn all that talent and heart into forward motion is to get everyone on the same page with our mis-sion and goals – and then get out of their way!

Q&A Brennan Buckley, 2012-2015 Board President


I Have a Dream Foundationc/o Drake University2507 University AveDes Moines, IA 50311

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID

DES MOINES, IA PERMIT NO. 2217

Brennan BuckleyBoard PresidentIowa Realty

Andy FrantzBoard Vice PresidentPrincipal Financial Group

Rebecca MoomeyBoard SecretaryBankers Trust

Jennifer BarpBoard TreasurerKemin Industries, Inc.

Rick BachKohles & Bach, Inc.

Sara BeringCommunity Volunteer

Mary Tiffany CownieIowa Department of Cultural Affairs

Tom DelahuntDrake University

Dr. Kari HensenDes Moines Area Community College

Danielle HermanOPN Architects

Sean JohnsonAmerican Computer Services

Joan Middleton Sponsor/Community Volunteer

Anthony RodariNationwide

Grant TaylorJE Dunn

Board of DirectorsThanks to our corporate sponsors for helping

make education Dreams come true!

The Des Moines “I Have a Dream” Foundation is proud to announce that we once again recieved a Community Betterment Grant from the Prairie Meadows Foundation. This funding will be directed toward King 2018 Dreamer programs.

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Des Moines "I Have a Dream" Foundation Spring 2012 Newsletter