On Thursday, March 7, Jim Flanagan and his colleagues from Price WaterHouse Cooper (PwC) and members of the Hockey Helps organization hosted our first Service Learning Event of the year. Members of the 9th class of the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation (HLF) Young Ambassadors (YAs) tuned into the Zoom meeting to hear about Flanagan’s moving story.
The Zoom began with Flanagan and his colleagues introducing themselves and sharing their job in a day’s work for PwC. Flanagan is a supporter of HLF and is currently a Board member of the Ronald McDonald House. He initiated the beginning of Hockey Helps with a fundraiser in 2014, where teams played hockey for 24 hours straight. The event was so successful that Flanagan began making it an annual tradition, each year raising money for several local charities focused on aiding struggling children and adults.
The Young Ambassadors then proceeded to break up into four groups of different boroughs: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. YA’s got the opportunity to explore “Donors Choose,” a website consisting of hundreds of teachers in need of funding for supplies such as headphones, printers, laminators, sensory toys, and art supplies to improve their classrooms. With a budget of $1000, each group worked together to decide which projects to fund in their district and create a strong argument as to why they should be chosen.
After the Young Ambassadors discussed with their groups what they wanted to do with their $1000, they met back with the entire class, Hockey Helps and PwC and gave group presentations on why they felt Hockey Helps should fund their schools’ projects. Each group gave a thoughtful presentation and were passionate about the projects they desired to donate money to.
Finally, Flangan and colleagues discussed which projects to support. After much debate, they decided to fund every single group’s projects. This Service Learning Event was a wonderful way for the YA’s to learn about the steps to take if they desire to pursue a career similar to Flanagan’s. Additionally, it was a great way to support our New York community and fund schools in need of additional resources.
Written by HLFYA Claudia Hupp
