Photo of the Day: Working the Room
I felt like such a yuppie today (but in a good way) after hobnobbing at a networking event after work hosted by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network in New York City. Held at Slate, a stylish little bar and venue in the Flatiron District, I had a wonderful time meeting like-minded people over drinks and conversation. And unlike other professional mixers, the attendees were engaged, genuine, and authentic about their excitement for their work. I only got to talk with a select few people, but everyone I met had such diverse backgrounds and were working on very different causes, but all for the public good. Due to the recent re-branding of our organization, I didn't have any business cards on hand, which made it difficult to network efficiently. But I did get some key contact information, and hopefully I'll be able to develop some valuable professional relationships from the interactions I had.
The guest speaker and co-host of the event was Rachael Chong, the president of CEO of Catchafire, a company that matches professionals with short-term, discrete projects for nonprofits. They do similar work to Taproot Foundation, but on an individual scale, and with a much more sophisticated matching system. It's actually a really interesting and admirable model, and I think our two organizations complement each other well. She was very passionate about her work, and I think I'll definitely be contacting her in the future to explore further opportunities for partnership.
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| The standard sign-in and nametags. |
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| Networking with fellow nonprofit professionals at the bar at Slate. |
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| My colleague and fellow AmeriCorps VISTA member Francesca (far right) floats through the room. |
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| Rachael Chong, founder and CEO of Catchafire, offers insights into her unique business model. |
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| It was raining steadily by the time I was heading home. I wish I'd brought an umbrella. |
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