C2C Staff Spotlight: 8 Questions with Julie Lima

Julie Lima is the Director of Individual and Family Philanthropy in Boston. Her job is is to raise money to benefit  C2C.  She greatly enjoys her job where every day she’s touched by people’s generosity and desire to make a difference in the world. Julie has been at C2C for 8 months.

What were you doing before you worked at Cradles to Crayons?   
I worked at the Pine Street Inn in a similar role.

Describe working at Cradles to Crayons in 3 words or less. 
Inspiring, Fun, and Hopeful

What story about a child we have served has stuck with you most?
It sometimes saddens me to think about how many children in my own community are living in such need, without basic essentials.  All kids have dreams and potential.  It doesn’t quite seem fair that some kids are born with such disadvantages. It’s the newborn orders that hit me the hardest.  The orders often come in without a name, and it reminds me that before these kids even enter the world they are at a disadvantage. What would these children do without the support of C2C? It is my faith in people that reassures me; it is the generosity of the volunteers, donors and community that make C2C run and gives me hope.  Children’s dreams and potential can flourish with love and support from the community.

What was your favorite book, toy, or outfit as a child? 
My favorite book was Charlotte’s Web. My dad read it to my sister and I every night before bed. I loved Wilbur and was so sad when Charlotte died. I had a pig collection when I was younger.

What do you like to do in your spare time? 
I like to run and spend time with my friends and adorable nieces and nephews. I also enjoy nature and love going to the beach and taking my dog, Nicky, for walks in the woods.

Describe what you were like at age 10. 
I was a tomboy. I loved sports and playing soccer. I enjoyed climbing trees and playing in the woods behind my house with my friends.

Who is your role model?  
My parents are my role models. They are hard workers, committed to their faith and taught me the importance of helping others.

If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be?
I would like to meet former President Carter. I admire his dedication to the country and the world post Presidency.

Thanks for sharing, Julie! Stay tuned for more staff spotlights each Friday.

Digitas Day at C2C: by Barbara Goose, Executive Director at Digitas Boston and Detroit

In May, the Digitas Boston office took over the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory in one of the largest volunteer efforts that Cradles has had to date in their new location.  As the largest advertising agency in Boston, we aim to take advantage of volunteer opportunities where the whole office can work together to make an impact. Our day at Cradles delivered on just that.

We arrived at Cradles to Crayon’s new facility, and were immediately broken down into groups, allowing us to do what we do best- work in close knit teams toward a common goal. The Digitas teams tackled projects from coat sorting to toy inspection to coordinating wish-list packages that will be sent to deserving families in the Boston area.

In total, our teams organized 330 bags of assorted clothes, created 274 outfit packs, cleaned and sorted 730 pairs of sneakers, inspected and assembled 560 toys, created 648 packages of books, sorted 274 coats and 480 sets of pajamas, and finally, prepared 250 wishlist packages for selected children. The Cradles team organized our hundreds of volunteers so efficiently that this work was completed in just under six hours! And  in total, our efforts helped over 3,700 children in Massachusetts.

Digitas Interns at C2C Boston 7/27/2011

We look forward to continuing our relationship with Cradles to Crayonswith future on-site volunteer efforts and quarterly clothing and toy drives. It’s a fantastic organization and I am proud that our employees had an opportunity to experience their vision and mission statement. In fact, just two weeks ago, our summer interns came to Cradles’ Giving Factory for a community service day of their own!

Check out photos from Digitas’ Volunteer Day as featured in the Boston Globe here. Plus, be sure to watch the promo video that we created for Cradles to Crayons’ website here.

- Barbara Goose, Executive Director, Digitas Boston and Detroit
Board of Directors, Cradles to Crayons

If you would like to learn more about how YOUR company can get the Cradles to Crayons experience, contact Angela Martano at Angela@CradlestoCrayons.org. 

C2C Staff Spotlight: 8 Questions with Josh Nespoli

Josh Nespoli is the Community Outreach Manager at Cradles to Crayons in Boston. In this role he builds and maintains relationships in the community with the goal of developing “Champions” for our cause. He works with the Boston Community Outreach team to develop and implement strategy to increase incoming product donations through community events and large scale initiatives. Josh also manages C2C Boston’s social media. He has been at C2C for 4 years.  He worked as an AmeriCorps*VISTA after graduating from Babson College in 2007 before moving into the role of Community Outreach Manager.

Why did you decide to work at Cradles to Crayons?
I heard there was cake.

Well….that and from the first time I heard about C2C I was intrigued by the organization’s innovation, model and mission.  But when I met the employees and witnessed first-hand the passion they had for their work, I needed to be a part of that.

What is your favorite part of working at Cradles to Crayons?
Working here forces people to be versatile.  Our team can do anything, and problem solving is our specialty.  On any given day we might be using skills in marketing, sales, customer service, logistics or all of the above.  And we always need to be ready for some heavy lifting.

What story about a child we have served has stuck with you most? 
It’s actually the story of a volunteer group that sticks with me most.  A group of 8^th graders from an inner city private school.  While working on our puzzle project, they expressed frustration over how many puzzles were no good because of a few missing pieces.  At the end of their shift they asked to take the unusable pieces back to school with them.  Over the course of the next month they used these pieces to create arts and crafts – pins, magnets, picture frames, etc. – and sold them in their community.  On their next visit to C2C they beamed with pride as they handed our staff a check for $1,000 for new games and puzzles.  Social entrepreneurship in its purest form.  Amazing.

Where are you originally from? What do you miss most about your hometown?
Berwick PA.  The greatest small town in the United States. Aside from my family, I miss the rural summers most.  I miss the hours spent on the tractor mowing the field, and the smell of the fresh cut grass.  I miss jumping on some inner tubes and floating down the crick on a lazy Saturday afternoon, and carnival games at night.  There’s nothing quite like enjoying a greasy carnival cheeseburger with the clink of the bottle toss and the clapping of the spin wheel in the background, except maybe the fresh corn on the cob grown right down the street for dinner.  Oh, and warm strawberry shortcake that soaks up milk like a sponge for dessert.  And there’s nothing quite as peaceful as driving up to the grove each weekend, laying out in the beds of our trucks and sleeping under the stars.

What was your favorite book, toy, or outfit as a child?
When I was in 5^th grade, I put on a serious hissy fit in Kaufman’s Department Store until I finally convinced my mom to buy me a flannel jacket like my big brother Marc had.  It was five or six sizes too big, but I wore it to school every day that year.  And every year after that – all the way through college.  People in Boston make fun of me, but 15 years later I still wear it every fall.  It’s thread-bare, faded and border line stinky, but it’s the single comfiest article of clothing I’ve ever owned.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 
Since I’ll still be a few years too young to run for Vice President of the United States, I’ll most likely be co-organizing the world’s largest Santa Speedo Run with my brothers back in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

Who is your role model?  
My dad not only has this uncanny ability as a teacher to connect with anyone and change their lives, but he has a wealth of wisdom, generosity and perseverance.  Plus he landed my mom.  They’ve been married 39 years today.  I’d say that’s his most spectacular achievement.  If I can be half the man my dad is, then I did something right along the way.

Describe what you were like at age 10.
Sickeningly adorable and obnoxiously nerdy.  Family videos nauseate me.  I was an artist, and the family video camera was my canvas.  If I ever run for Vice President, there will surely be videos all over the internet of me performing “Skinnamarink” with my baby sister Wheezy.

Thanks for sharing, Josh! Stay tuned for more staff spotlights each Friday.