Founded in 2008, Young Friends of Learning Leaders (YFOLL) is a dedicated group of young professionals helping to bring new creativity and future leadership to New York City’s premier school volunteer not-for-profit.
The YFOLLs range in age from 24-44 and live and/or work in New York City and are committed to providing much-needed support to the City’s public school students by volunteering their time to work one-on-one with a student, through the annual “Go Back to School” fundraiser held in September or by helping to promote Learning Leaders’ mission, programs and events to friends and colleagues. Last year’s inaugural “Go Back to School” event raised over $43,000. In this way, Learning Leaders will deliver volunteer support to even more schools and school children. Every $1,500 donated results in 400 hours of service to a public school.
The YFOLL Committee accepts new members year round. If you are interested in joining please contact Julia Gilliam, Director of Special Events at jgilliam@learningleaders.org or 646-519-8364.
YFOLLs Upcoming Events:
There are currently no events at this time. Check back often for updates.
Past YFOLL Events:
Go Back to School! - [September 30, 2009]The Young Friends of Learning Leaders (YFOLL), hosted its Second Annual "Go back to School" benefit on September 30th at BLVD.
The Event Chairs were Maggie Ryan and Stephanie Xethalis, with Celebrity Co-Chairs, designer Tracy Reese and actor Tom Cavanagh. Sponsors included Inocente Platinum and Tribeca Treats. Guests were treated to music by DJ Spazo, signature cocktails named after famous children’s books including “James and the Giant Peach,” a Bellini made with Sofia Blanc de Blanc donated by Francis Ford Coppola Winery , “The Goblet of Fire” and “Goodnight, Moon” -- a Tequila Sunrise, of course, hors d'Oeuvres and a silent auction full of wonderful prizes. There was also a “school photo” picture booth, a crafts area to make book marks and a book drive to support the PS 191 library. P.S. 191 was the first-ever Learning Leaders school: the program began there in 1956 as the NYC School Volunteer Program (SVP) when 20 women, led by founder Clara Blitzer, went into the school to help free up teachers by doing non-instructional tasks.
Event proceeds support the updating and refreshing of the third floor library at P.S. 191 as well as a volunteer drive to recruit, train and place as many as 25 new volunteers to help keep it open. The event raised nearly $25,000 for Learning Leaders programs and the book drive helped add an additional 100 books to the library.
Thank you to all of the evening's supporters! Please click here for photos of the evening.
Book Buddies Meet and Greet - [June 12, 2009]Learning Leaders hosted the Young Friends of Learning Leaders & PS 182 Book Buddies Meet and Greet on June 12th. Members of the Young Friends Committee and their buddies each received a copy of Owen and Mzee, The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship, by Isabella and Craig Hatkoff and Paula Kahumbu, read corresponding sections of the book and shared three letters “pen pal style” about the book throughout the school semester. The event marked the first time the buddies met in person. After introductions and formalities were out of the way, the buddies got down to business – decorating cookies and eating pizza! See more photos!
Great School Volunteer Week – [April, 2009] Learning Leaders launched Great School Volunteer Week on April 20th with the Read Out! event at Lincoln Center for over 700 NYC 4th graders which included Al Roker, Charles Osgood, Sonia Manzano, children’s book author Jennifer Swender and Head of NYC Middle Schools Verone Kennedy. GSVW was a week long event to help celebrate volunteerism in public schools. Throughout the week there were 300 events in 300 schools.
The Young Friends were busy that week: Elizabeth McGarr coordinated a corporate Sports Illustrated team that engaged 9th graders in the art of reporting and editing at the Secondary School for Journalism in Brooklyn, while Leah Wittman, Shawn Williams, Maggie Ryan, Katherine Smith, Sandy Sullivan and Dylan Hoffman conducted read alouds and a card making activity around the Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with 3rd graders at PS 64 in Manhattan. See more photos from that day.