Month: May 2015

The past few months at Becky’s Fund have been enlightening for me. I was able to see the large amount of work that goes into running a non-profit. From planning a large fundraiser to working on small programs throughout the semester, we were always working on a project.

My favorite part of the experience was helping with Gold Cup. I never realized how much went into hosting a fundraising event for hundreds of people. It was rewarding to see the whole process play out from creating the Eventbrite page, ordering the materials such as balloons and decorations to preparing the check in lists for the hundreds of people who bought tickets in support of our cause. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the actual event which would have been the ultimate reward for all the hard work we put in to it during the semester, but I could tell from the pictures that our hard work paid off.

Moving forward with my career in graduate school I will take with me the positive attitude I observed constantly in the office with Becky. I have never met a more energetic or motivating person. Even at times when things were a little bit crazy, Becky had a positive attitude and was able to calm everyone else down and help figure out what the next step was. Seeing her attack different problems all with a smile on her face motivated me to incorporate that positivity into my own life. I’ll also take with me the knowledge I gained about Domestic Abuse Prevention programs. Men of Code is a wonderful program that helps local male youth learn about not only healthy relationships but also financial and personal responsibility, leaving them as better men as they transition out of high school.

Overall, I am thankful for my time at Becky’s Fund. I learned a lot about myself and the non-profit field. I will be able to take my experiences with me and use them as I move forward with my graduate degree in Social Work.

It’s hard to believe that my semester with Becky and the rest of the interns at Becky’s Fund has come to a close. It has been an informative and affirming experience to take ownership over my projects and see the products of my hard work—whether it be the lessons planned for an upcoming Becoming Your Own Heroine workshop, a presentation on IPV for a group of college students or the success of this year’s Gold Cup.

One of my favorite projects to work on was the development of curriculum for an upcoming Becoming Your Own Heroine workshop. I loved the opportunity to reflect on what I, as a middle or high schooler, would have benefitted from learning about in such a setting. I believe that the inclusion of lessons on identity, gender norms and media literacy will only improve the BYOH curriculum and make the workshop an empowering experience for all involved. There is such a lack of positive, supportive spaces for young girls to exist in these days—so much of media and popular culture teaches young girls that they must always be in competition with each other for the attention of others. I love that the BYOH workshops allow young girls to escape these expectations and carve out a positive space for themselves and their peers.

Additionally, I appreciate the opportunity to work with a new client of Becky’s Fund. My time with this client was short and not much came of our time together but I found it incredibly affirming that Becky was confident in me to allow to perform the client intake and follow-up. My time speaking with this client was also affirming in my belief in the importance of the direct client services that Becky’s Fund provides. This client was so appreciative of my willingness to follow-up and just talk with her on the phone. Even though I didn’t provider her with any “tangible” help, I do believe that even lending an ear to listen is important.

Becky believes in the abilities of each of her interns and this shows in her expectations. From the very beginning, I had a lot of independence and was expected to produce results without a lot of instruction. This allowed me to develop confidence in myself and my abilities. I was (and still am) in awe of Becky’s energy and determination. It is truly incredible that she has built this organization by herself and continues to be the heart and soul of Becky’s Fund. I know I echo all those involved when I saw how inspiring she is. Thank you to Becky—and the rest of the interns—for a wonderful semester!

Helen Conway, Programs and Communications Intern