Sparrow Clubs USA (then called “The Sparrow Foundation”) was incorporated in the State of Washington and established in 1995 as a public 501 (c) 3 educational charity. The structuring of the organization came from the outstanding support of Seattle attorney, Roger Lageschulte and the founding Board of Directors: Donald Jacobson, Steve Mezich, Dr. Donald Douglas, Mike Baldassin and Jeff Leeland.
Our first objectives as a new non profit organization were to establish our board, bylaws, policies, processes and infrastructure as well as become qualified as a IRS approved 501 c3. Our founding board was scheduled to meet quarterly starting the first week of February, May and August. November was set for the annual meeting with the fiscal year ending September 30th.
For our May meeting we had mock-ups for our logo and initial presentation materials. We had decided to have The Domain Group out of Seattle develop the basic design and copy for a brochure, letterhead, address stickers and business cards.
Roger Lageschulte acted as The Sparrow Foundation attorney and handled the legal establishment of the foundation and offered pro bono counsel and guidance during the initial board meetings. He also helped us apply and acquire our official 501 © 3 public tax-exempt status from the IRS before our third quarter meeting in August 1995.
The Sparrow Foundation received several letters of request for assistance from needy families that first year with the release of One Small Sparrow. However, the board had decided to use 1995 to build a “nest-egg” fund and establish our guidelines before we began giving. We learned much from those requests as they encouraged us to focus on how we could best meet needs yet balance that with the recruitment of youth compassion.
We initially decided to grant $560 per request to go into a private trust account established at a local bank (a template patterned after the Michael Leeland Trust Fund) to seed fundraising activities where kids were helping kids in medical need. By the end of the year we had set up our basic Application for Assistance, Guidelines, and Trust Fund template.
Fiscal Year 1: 1995/1996
Our first Applications for Assistance were accepted for two medically challenged children in our first official fiscal year as a 501 c3 late 1995 and throughout 1996. For details on all Sparrow Projects see the attachment.
- December, 1995 Denise Toal Antioch Bible Church Kirkland, WA
- January, 1996 Jordan Brown Shelton High School Shelton, WA
I was struggling to learn both the legal and operational basics of running a non-profit organization. But, whenever I had the chance to present this to students, I also knew that we had struck a nerve. There was something substantive in the hearts of young people that I knew we were tapping into through the work of kids helping kids in medical.
Michael and I had two wonderful opportunities to make presentations together in the beginning of 1996. First was a pep assembly before the entire student body of Shelton High School. A senior named Misty had read One Small Sparrow as an employee of a bookstore. She had heard about Jordan Brown - a local two year-old boy who was struggling to survive a brain tumor. She initiated the request for me to come and present the Sparrow Foundation to her school to help Jordan.
During the opening activities, the crowd was rowdy and I wondered if I’d have any hope of getting through to them. Michael held my hand as I came forward to share with these students what kids had done to save Michael’s life. You could’ve heard a pin drop! They were totally tuned in for ten minutes - especially during the story of Dameon. We handed Misty a $560 check for seed money and had very little contact and follow-up after that point.
In May, I was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Washington Student Leadership Conference at the Seattle Downtown Sheraton before hundreds of college and high school students. After my 30 minute talk, a young lady came up and told me she was a senior at Shelton High . She thanked me for what had happened at her school. Apparently the event for Jordan had a huge impact on students and the whole school climate. “Yes”, I thought to myself, “This works – and it can happen again!”
Michael and I had another heartfelt privilege of giving thanks in early 1996. Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, WA (where Kamiakin Jr High is located) had adopted Denise Toal as their sparrow. The youth group was spearheading a drive to raise some support for her. At one point in the service the pastor asked us to come forward and share our story with the congregation. Denise was one of the Kamiakin students who helped raise money to save Michael’s life. Now, two years later, she was having surgery for the removal of a cancerous kidney. Michael was there to give an envelope with his allowance to Denise’s mom.
From the beginning, The Sparrow Foundation’s growth and development has been hindered by the lack of full-time staffing, office facilities and funding resources. As the executive director, my productivity had also been significantly reduced because of my many employment obligations. In September of 1996, I accepted a position as a sales manager for Questar (Mutnomah) Publishers in Sisters, Oregon. Even though I regretted the move from teaching, I was excited to step into an office situation where organization work would be more feasible even though my time was still extremely limited as a 100% volunteer executive director.
The board met and corresponded primarily by phone conferencing in 1996. There was only one other board meeting during the summer that year. In December, we launched our first out-of-state project. Two year-old Kristine Erskine from Bollingbrooke, IL became our third sparrow project.
Fiscal Year 2: 1996/1997
The year opened up with a change in administrative policies for carrying out Sparrow projects and with an increase in grant money. Our new grant included the $560 seed money as before, with an additional $2,000 matching funds for each sparrow project. We changed our disbursement policy by patterning after the COTA fundraising organization. Each “Sparrow” would have his/her own “Sparrow Account” designated under our 501 C 3 tax-exempt status. All funds for each sparrow project, including grant money and other donations, would be transferred into that designated account and then disbursed under a reimbursement policy spelled out in a “Letter of Understanding”. We disbursed funds to Sparrow Families from each designated project account for receipts on medical bills and maintenance they paid or owed.
Our Sparrow Projects in 1997 included:
- December 1996 Kristine Erskine Various youth groups Bollingbrooke,IL
- January, 1997 Fiona Roche Endeavor Elementary Mukilteo, WA
Our May meeting was in Sisters, OR. Mike Baldassin, Michele Tennesen, Diane Ridgway and myself were the only members in attendance. I was discouraged. After a time of discussion, the future of the Sparrow Foundation came down to a decision. Would we dissolve or continue on. We agreed on joining together in prayer – calling on God to impress upon our hearts about what we ought to do. After a fair amount of prayer it was unanimous – this was no whim of one person, the mission and organization belonged to God. The future of the foundation was reborn and dedicated then and there to God’s glory.
Up to this time our board was strong in entrepreneurial spirit, but lacking in board maturity, governance and resource development capabilities. Michele and Diane, however, who were voted in to both the president and secretary positions were both gifted especially in board governace experience. Organizational infrastructure became first order of business. Diane put much time and effort into shoring up bylaws and minutes while Michele oversaw the proper administration and documentation of futire meetings and policy.
At the August 1997 meeting, we added Rick Bonn as another board member. Rick lived in Los Angeles and worked on various writing and acquisitions of movie productions. Rick was instrumental in discovering Michael’s story through an assembly program he had worked on in 1993. He had a great passion for our cause and brought a very creative yet focused approach to our mission.
At the November meeting Jun Young and his wife, Amy, were also inducted as board members. Amy worked with Diane Ridgway for the government and Jun worked as an engineer for a Boeing Company think-tank and eventually was hired by Microsoft. Both had been involved extensively with the Washington Student Leadership Council—where they had heard my presentation in 1996. Jun and Amy brought much wisdom to the foundation.
Ellen Brown and her husband Jerry also joined the board in 1997. Ellen worked as a pediatric psychiatric nurse at Children’s Hospital in Seattle. Bill was a west coast VP at for Alta Vista internet systems. Both brought outstanding business focus to our work.
Mike Baldassin continued as board treasurer but Diane Travis, legal secretary for Roger Lageshulte, became involved as a greatly needed volunteer for Sparrow Foundation. Diane agreed to help with the tracking of designated funds and with our books beginning with Fiona Roche’s event. The new system of bringing all fundraising under Sparrow and then reimbursing the families out of their designated fund was cleaner, but much more labor intensive.
Fiscal Year 3: 1997/1998
As publicity for One Small Sparrow spread, so too, word spread across the country about the foundation. Calls would follow after radio broadcasts. Our service capacity was stretched and spread thin in 1998 as many new Sparrow Applications came in.
Our Sparrows in 1998 included:
- November, 1997 Nathan Boyd Kamiak HS Mukilteo, WA
- January, 1998 Joshua Witcher Malone College Canton, OH
- January, 1998 Jonathan Doroshenko Lk Placid MS Lake Placid, FL
- March, 1998 Tiffany Lovett Hilliard HS Hilliard, FL
The highlights of the year began with Joshua’s Sparrow Project. He was a 3 year old who needed a bone marrow transplant. Malone College students spearheaded the Sparrow Project with an auction. This drive took on a life of it’s own. Over $70,000 was raised. Amazingly, a house was built by the community and donated as an in-kind gift to the family! I had the priviledge to speak at the auction in Canton, Ohio and see the house in progress of being built. What an incredibly rewarding feeling that was! The family was truly humbled and blessed by the outpouring of grace. God was given the glory.
Jonathan Doroshenko’s project was amazing too. Lake Placid Middle School FCA group adopted 17 year old Jon who was in a coma from a car wreck. Over $8,000 was raised to help Jon to continue rehab. The students planned and orchestrated a “Gospel Sing”. Community churches joined together for a night of worship and praise to raise money for Jon. Two people trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior! Darrell Heckman, the project coordinator was so moved by the entire project that he actually met with me and initiated plans to establish a Florida Chapter and office for Sparrow! – and he wanted to run it. This, however, is still on hold.
Our first “Sparrow Club” was also officially launched at Bellermine Prep in September after the “Sparrow for Matthew” event in June.. Two sophomore girls, Alicia and Brenda Zittel, were so inspired by Matthew’s project the previous school year that they asked Mike Baldassin, coach and the project coordinator, if they could start a permanent student body “Sparrow Club” on campus. They put together a school club constitution and a student application and started signing students up. They recruited 65 Club members that fall. Ellen and Jerry Brown resigned at the close of 1998 due to a career change that moved their family to the east coast.
Our first internet website was launched in the fall of 1998 (www.sparrow-fdn.org) with the assistance of Chris Haan. He was a co-worker at Microsoft with Jun Young.
Fiscal Year 4: 1998/1999
Many of the projects that began in 1998 were rolling into 1999. We were kept busy servicing on-going projects and streamlining our systems rather than starting new ones. It became clear that we were nearing a new season for the foundation. We desperately needed to increase service capacity – or begin turning away children in need and kids who want to help them.
The new Sparrow Projects of 98-1999 school year included:
- June, 1998 Kressa Baier Rainbow Girls Colorado Spr, CO
- June, 1998 Kristina Hill Girl Scouts Tyler, TX
- June, 1998 Matthew Randall Bellarmine Prep Des Moines, WA
- August, 1998 Michelle Smith Kent MS Kent, WA
- September, 1998 Tyler Stenson Youth for Christ Missoula, MT
- November, 1998 Michael Hall Elementary Bellingham, WA
- January, 1999 Mikayla Olson Bellarmine Prep Port Orchard, WA
- February, 1999 RJ Dressler Bellarmine Prep Olympia, WA
I remember sitting in the waiting room at Shriners, watching a 4 year-old boy with knarled-up legs scoot himself across the floor, happily playing games. I thought to myself – what a lesson in life this is for me. This broken child became a clarifying contrast to my own problems. This kid’s happiness and courage humbled me.
The mission of the organization was being honed to a fine edge in my heart. Yes, these children in medical crisis certainly needed practical help – but what teenager in America would not be helped more by taking their eyes off themselves and focusing on these broken, yet courageous, and hope-filled children? I was more determined than ever to move into Sparrow work fulltime. I knew that the organization’s focus must be educational for teens in order to become a conduit of charity for children.
The April board meeting was pivotal. The board approved the hiring of two fulltime positions – an executive director and an administrative assistant -- when funds became available. A specific designated fundraising campaign for those positions was also approved.
“Sparrow Outreach” was also approved as a fundamental program for the organization. The outreach specifically focused on establishing Sparrow Clubs and the development of educational and motivational tools for compassion-oriented service learning projects to get young people on-board with our cause. Our pattern for growth was decided to follow a Northwest regional target, yet with national accessibility.
After our August board meeting a major board turnover occurred. Michele Tennesen resigned as president due to a job change that moved her to Colorado. Board secretary Diane Ridgway resigned due to increased travel demands with her work and her father’s illness. Rick Bonn resigned due to his wife’s health condition and work restrictions. Jun and Amy Young resigned due to Jun’s decision to return to law school.
The loss of these board members could have severely crippled the organization. All these members have helped shape the mission and needed infrastructure in a huge way over the previous two years. However, at the same time we were blessed by the addition of several key new board members:
Martin & Kristi French of Sisters OR; Intl. award-winning artist/illustrator
Wayne Gibson of Gig Harbor, WA; President of Unlimited Potential
Mel Bryan of Sisters, OR; former development manager for Focus on the Family
Kathy Peth of Mt. Vernon, WA; writer and columnist for a Western newspaper
Donna Greene of Birmingham, AL; Director of Community Ministry for Girls
At our annual meeting in November, Steve Mezich was elected board president and Kathy Peth was elected to fill our board secretary position.
Fiscal Year 5: 1999/2000
The service demand of the organization increased dramatically in 99-2000. We’ve initiated nine new Sparrow Clubs and projects since December 1999 – including Courtney and David. The other new projects include:
- November 1999 David Trainor Evergreen Elem. Redmond, OR
- December, 1999 Courtney Morris High Desert MS Bend, OR
- January, 2000 Sparrow for JoAnne LaPine Elementary LaPine, OR
- February, 2000 Sparrow for Deondra Holy Rosary School Tacoma, WA
- March, 2000 Sparrow for Pedram East coast/Iran VA
- April, 2000 Sparrow for Brylee Prineville High Prineville, OR
- April, 2000 Sparrow for Chris St. Catherines Seattle, WA
- April, 2000 Sparrow for Kayla Bellermine Prep Tacoma, WA
- May, 2000 Sparrow for Amir, Virginia schools VA
By the end of our first five years of operation in September of 2000, Sparrow Clubs USA had adopted a total of 40 medically needy children to schools and various youth organizations, mainly in the Pacific Northwest. These first Sparrow Projects helped us perfect our program and prove that the concept of this unprecedented “educational charity” of kids helping kids in medical crisis truly works! Thousands of hours of community service and life-changing lessons for students were inspired. In addition, $195,000 was also raised for medical expenses and family maintenance needs of those 40 “sparrows” in crisis. Schools that started Sparrow Clubs became increasingly recognized in their communities for promoting wonderful service-learning experiences.
A teacher described her school’s Sparrow Club to parents in a school newsletter. She wrote, "The benefits for the children at Amity Creek far outweigh the monetary benefit that the sparrow receives. The Club provides an outlet for kids to express compassion and to contribute their time, energy and talents in an extraordinarily worthwhile manner. It empowers and legitimizes kids helping kids. It creates a caring culture. It promotes the developmental assets that help kids to grow up as healthy, caring and responsible individuals and members of a community."
In September 2000 I resigned my Marketing Director position at Multnomah Publishers to be effective January 1, 2001 to pursue my passion and dedicate fulltime effort toward advancing the mission of Sparrow Clubs USA. Sparrow Clubs was a rapidly growing phenomenon in Central Oregon, the base from which I lived and voluntarily serviced the program and operations. Just prior to leaving my paid position at Multnomah, we received a $50,000 grant from the Starview Foundation. The need for structuring empathy, empowerment and compassion into young lives is looming larger every day. Current data suggests that youth violence in schools will increase through year 2007.
There will be more teens age 14-17 years since the babyboom AND they will be:
The best armed generation ever
The least emotionally attached generation ever and
The least morally rooted generation ever.
Hurting kids hurt other kids. For every child who falls through the cracks in the healthcare system – under-insured and un-noticed; a thousand more teens fall through the cracks of school hallways – emotionally hurting, disengaged and desperately wanting to matter. However, we believe that the same hurts that evoke anger and revenge may also predispose kids to feel compassion. It is well accepted by psychologists that anger can be transformed into grief. And compassion is a form of grief – suffering alongside another.
The mission of Sparrow Clubs is to bring healing to wounded bodies and wounded spirits, empowering youth through compassion-oriented service-learning projects. Ironically, two tragedies – kids in medical need and teens with emotional needs -- provide the basis for the synergy and win/win solutions we seek to create.
Our vision is to see consideration and empathy structured into schools by the formation of Sparrow Clubs nationwide -- helping young people appreciate their assets and exercise their heart-gifts by focusing time and energy to help children in medical crisis.
Sparrow Clubs raise money for children in medical crisis by sponsoring youth compassion-projects. For every hour of community service donated in a child’s name by a student, we transfer $10 into a designated non-profit account for that child (ie Sparrow for David). We also match every dollar he or she personally gives or raises as well. Our cap for Sparrow Cash is set at $2,560 (the $60 is to replicate the gift of Dameon).
Communities often rally around these youth service events and 100% of those dollars are added to the child’s designated account as well – raising significant funds in cases of urgent need, similar to what happened for my son, Michael.
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