A Note from Stephen Beaudoin

Do we ever get to any destination entirely on your own? Of course not. It takes a community of care and support for each of us to thrive. So I invite you to join me as I journey "on the road" to age 44 by supporting an impactful nonprofit, On The Road Collaborative in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a philanthropic gift in honor of my 44th birthday, which is Saturday, October 21st. On The Road empowers and supports youth as they journey on the road to fulfilling their brightest and biggest potential in the world, through enrichment, connection, and empowerment programs.

There's another reason why their mission is worthy of your support: and that's Russell Leary.

Russell has just joined On The Road as their new co Executive Director, working alongside his co-leader Emani Morse to lead the nonprofit through a time of growth and change as they serve more young people than ever. Russell is also someone I'm proud to mentor and support as an emerging nonprofit leader, and did marvelous work transforming New Bridges Immigrant and Refugee Services during his tenure there just prior to this new appointment.

I hope you'll join me in celebrating the road to 44 with a gift to On The Road of $44, $440, or whatever amount feels right to you. Please read on for more information on the organization's mission and impact.

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About On the Road

On the Road Collaborative is a nonprofit organization that empowers youth by providing equal access to educational opportunities and hands-on career experiences. We operate after-school and summer learning programs for middle and high school youth (grades 6-12) in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro (Virginia). These opportunities and experiences include our Career Enrichment Courses, after-school tutoring and homework assistance, mentoring, field trips and our High School Academies.

Because of a 6,000-hour learning gap experienced by low-income youth, we knew we needed to provide more than just an after-school program. This gap puts these youth at a disadvantage throughout school and as they prepare for their future. On the Road is dedicated to addressing this problem. By providing more educational opportunities and hands-on learning experiences outside of the school hours, our programs help to close this gap over time, while building our youth's confidence, skills, and understanding of their interests and future pathways along the way.

That's why we've created our signature 10-week Career Enrichment Courses, which connect our youth to trusted Community Teachers and potential career paths. Unlike many other after-school programs, we maintain no barrier to entry, meaning we never turn away a young person who wants to participate. By offering these kinds of opportunities in an inclusive and welcoming environment, we believe we can help put our youth on the road to realizing their promise.

On The Road to 44 with Stephen

By On the Road Collaborative

On The Road to 44 with Stephen