Leadership Palm Beach County has selected five civic engagement projects that will address the pressing needs of some of the community’s most vital nonprofits and the people (and animals) they serve.
The 50 class members of LPBC’s Leadership Program will spend the coming year planning, executing and ensuring that the projects have a lasting impact in Palm Beach County.
“This year’s civic engagement projects will benefit from the talents, diversity and community contacts of our class’s top-tier leaders in a variety of industries to make a difference in the quality of life across our community,” said Christina Lambert, executive director of Leadership Palm Beach County.
The five selected projects are:
• Guardians Ad Litem, Palm Beach County — Help promote the program and increase the number of guardians available for kids who have been removed from their homes.
• El Sol — Plan a summer camp program for disadvantaged youth.
• Vita Nova — Assist with the organization’s thrift shop that benefits young adults aging out of foster care.
• The Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County — Spread the word that talking about mental health is important and shouldn’t be taboo.
• Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League — Work with the agency and others to ensure that no cats need to be euthanized.
Since LPBC’s founding in 1983, civic engagement projects have been a guiding principle of the organization. Each year, LPBC’s new class members decide on the projects they want to work on from a list of nonprofits vying for their projects to be selected.
Past projects have included the development of a countywide ethics initiative. That initiative ultimately led to a referendum in Palm Beach County to establish a Commission on Ethics, the Office of Inspector General and a Code of Ethics as part of the county’s charter.
Leadership Palm Beach County Inc. is an educational nonprofit organization designed to foster awareness of community issues and promote efficient communication and cooperative relationships between existing and emerging community leaders. LPBC’s stated mission is to educate and unite leaders to build a better community. Since 1983, LPBC has prepared more than 1,000 graduates for enhanced community leadership roles.
ABOVE: Members of the current Leadership Palm Beach County class.
