Got the DNA?

I’m excited about the momentum building for Companies for Causes!

Today, Tom Raffa, Raffa PC, led a meeting that brought together non-profit leaders, CEOs and public officials in the very hip VisArts center in Rockville.

Isiah Leggett, Montgomery County Executive, inspired the audience with the story of his childhood. I didn’t know that he was one of 13 kids and grew up in a 3-room house in Louisiana. He said he struggled to get into college and earned his way by cutting grass and other chores. He encouraged businesses to get involved in their communities. The work we do might help a young person reach their dreams, as he himself experienced.

As a founding partner of Companies for Causes, I talked about thinking long and hard about this commitment. It’s a serious responsibility, especially during tough economic times. But, it’s one I could not pass up for many reasons. I’m inspired by the determination of our fellow CEOs, their passion for helping others, and by the learning experience we’ll share as we collaborate to create programs that help solve challenging problems in our region.

Companies for Causes’ first endeavor will be focused on education in Washington DC. The District has one of the highest dropout rates in the country, and there are extreme differences among schools in their students’ reading and math levels. In the next few months we’ll be meeting with educators, students, non-profits and other business leaders to craft a plan that will have a measurable impact in at least one school.

I hope other CEOs who, as one CEO says  ”have philanthropy in their DNA” will join in. We are eager to welcome business owners who want to roll up their sleeves, brainstorm, and contribute their time and resources to make long lasting change for the Washington Metro community.

(An aside: I grew up in Rockville, and had not been to the Town Center in about 5 years. Wow…it’s an entirely different experience now, with shops that house residences above—almost a shiny mini version of Capitol Hill where I live now. Finally planners are getting it! Many people love living where they can walk to dinner, shop and enjoy entertainment.)