How did you first become involved with Swift Youth Foundation? I heard about SWIFT through a good friend of mine - I attended visitors day at camp - it was so lovely to see the kids having so much fun. Why did you decide to more deeply support Swift and join the Swift Board? I recently retired after working for the past 18 years with seniors and was looking for an opportunity to work with children - after hearing about SWIFT, their mission and visiting camp I wanted to get involved and help SWIFT in any way I can, I am excited to help SWIFT grow and achieve their goals for the future. When talking about Swift, what are you most excited to tell others about? How Swift is impacting young lives with their after school programs, summer camps, through mentorship programs and especially the mission to reach more children. What is your favorite Swift program and why? Not sure yet, but excited to find out! At Camp Swift, are you Team Grilled Cheese or Team Tomato Soup? Definitely Grilled 🧀 More about Jo...
She has spent the last 18 years helping seniors stay at home staying healthy and safe. She has been married for 31 years and has three children and two grandchildren. Her eldest son lives in Boston, her daughter in Chicago and her youngest is at ASU. She loves to travel, this year she did a tour of Normandy in France and a nature trip to Costa Rica. One of her best travel adventures was a rural tour of Japan. Eating a raw fish from head to tail was quite an experience. She joined Toastmasters in 2012 to improve her public speaking skills – she readily admits that although she is quite a talker, speaking to large groups can be a challenge and her experiences at Toastmasters has enabled her to better master this skill. Jo is passionate, optimistic and excited about the future, she truly believes that the next generation is vital to our future, she has a lot of love, experience and fun to share and as her 4-year-old granddaughter can attest – she tells great stories. As she enters this next stage of her life she is looking forward to more travel, spending time with her family, finding ways to give back that are purposeful and meaningful and working on interesting projects such as helping her best friend publish an authentic Sicilian Cookbook.
How did you first become involved with Swift Youth Foundation? I started as a counselor at Camp Swift in 2003. I was signed up to go in 2002, however that was the year of the wildfires and camp was cancelled. I continued to volunteer with Swift through High School, College, and into my career post graduation. I eventually joined the Swift staff in 2016. Why did you decide to more deeply support Swift and join the Swift Staff? I decided to join the staff of Swift because I believe in the mission and hope to grow our organization to serve more of Arizona’s youth. Did you know that approximately 23% of kids in Arizona are growing up in poverty? Through the work we do at Swift, I believe we can improve our community by providing opportunities to help youth and teens reach their full potential. When talking about Swift, what are you most excited to tell others about? The impact it has on those who participate and volunteer. Swift has not only had a positive impact on others, but on myself as well. From influencing my choice of majors in college to meeting my soon to be wife, Swift has made played an important role. As Swift continues to grow, I look forward to seeing all the different impacts we can make for the youth and teens in our community. What is your favorite Swift program and why? I can't choose just one. I love working with the teen volunteers through Team Swift and our high school clubs to help support the organization. Seeing the impact we have on the youth participants at Camp Swift and Swift After School is extremely gratifying. Not just in their feedback, but in the data too. Furthermore, watching the amazing work our volunteers accomplish to support all the programs is also a favorite of mine. At Camp Swift, are you Team Grilled Cheese or Team Tomato Soup?
I started as a member of Team Grilled Cheese, but due to an ongoing lactose dispute, I’ve been traded to Team Tomato Soup. While I love my current team, Team Grilled Cheese will always have a place in my heart.
How did you first become involved with Swift Youth Foundation? I first learned about Swift through ASU Lodestar. Having already been a HUGE camp enthusiast, I knew that I wanted to use my spare time to support a camp I believed in and then through some amazing serendipity I connected with Kaylie. After discovering their was a great opportunity to help support Swift through fundraising, I joined a volunteer committee and then the Swift Board of Directors. Why did you decide to more deeply support Swift and join the Board/Staff? I first decided to join the Swift Board because I saw a great opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship. I felt I had a lot to offer Swift and would learn and grow while serving a cause I believed in. I was then asked to join the staff and more intentionally help further the mission of Swift as the Development Director. When talking about Swift, what are you most excited to tell others about? I love that we were founded by social-action minded high school teens and almost 40 years later, we are still an organization that empowers high school teens to develop as leaders within the community and partners in furthering our mission for the youth we serve. What is your favorite Swift program and why? Club Swift Jr. and the Swift Outdoors program. These programs primarily serve our middle school age youth and closed the gap in the Swift programming. It is great to see our middle schoolers begin their leadership journey and take the first steps in becoming the passionate and dedicated counselors that they look up to. At Camp Swift, are you Team Grilled Cheese or Team Tomato Soup?
#TeamTomatoSoup all. the. WAAAAAY! Chef Zane makes an Uh-mazing vegan tomato soup that will rock your socks off!
How did you first become involved with Swift Youth Foundation? I first became involved with Swift at age 15 when I volunteered as a counselor at Camp Swift. From the moment the campers got off the bus I was hooked, and I continued to volunteer at Camp Swift as well as at all of Swift's year-round programs as well throughout my high school career. Why did you decide to more deeply support Swift and join the Staff? When I left Arizona to attend college in Colorado, I always said that the only way I would ever move back to Arizona would be if I was offered my dream job to work for Swift. More than a decade later, the timing was right and here I am! When talking about Swift, what are you most excited to tell others about? Peer Mentorship! I think it is Swift's youth-teen peer mentorship that really sets us apart from other organizations. I'm not only the Executive Director, but I'm a product of the program, so I can say from personal experience, that the relationships formed between the youth and teens in our programs are incredibly life-changing. What is your favorite Swift program and why? I love Swift Saturdays because they are the best way for Swift's youth participants and teen volunteers to reconnect on a monthly basis throughout the school year. At Camp Swift, are you Team Grilled Cheese or Team Tomato Soup?
You cant make me pick a team! I like them both equally, but I LOVE them together.
How did you first become involved with Swift Youth Foundation? I learned about Swift when I met Kaylie. I then visited the website and spoke to some people who had been involved with Swift and became interested in learning more. Why did you decide to more deeply support Swift and join the Board? I have a nonprofit background and wanted to use it to help another nonprofit. Swift seemed to be the right fit. When talking about Swift, what are you most excited to tell others about? I get excited about what Swift has done to mentor kids and help those who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to go to camp and further their education. What is your favorite Swift program and why? Too new to Swift to rate them yet. At Camp Swift, are you Team Grilled Cheese or Team Tomato Soup?
Never been, so not sure how to choose. |
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