FY23 Q3 Board Report

ABOUT US

OUR MISSION PROGRAM GOALS

Leadership Growth

90% of interns experience growth in SEL skills that contribute to long-term gains, such as thriving, decreased risktaking behaviors, and improved academic performance.

Leadership Identity

90% of girls identify as confident leaders and feel they can lead authentically

Improved Mental Health

90% of youth who are matched with a Leadership Coach report improvements to their mental health, including lower levels of stress and anxiety

Post-Secondary Achievement

90% of youth who are matched with a Leadership Coach receive acceptance into a college, university, or another post-secondary education/career program

Butterfly Dreamz, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps girls develop into women who achieve their dreams and fill the roles of leadership in this nation and world.

Through our programs, research, and advocacy, we:

Equip girls to be confident leaders who disrupt the status quo.

Build an intergenerational network of women and girls who are committed to growing as leaders, supporting each others’ endeavors, and making a positive impact on their families and communities.

Cultivate community and corporate partnerships that combat injustice and influence organizational and systemic change

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Butterfly Dreamz Friends & Family,

Spring always reminds me of rebirth and renewal There is a freshness in the air as winter bids farewell, flowers bloom, and the promise of graduation and other new beginnings foster pride and excitement This spring Butterfly Dreamz is shining bright We're entering the spring season with a number of accomplishments under our belt, including:

Employing 46 youth interns through our in-person (29) and online (17) paid internship programs, with 94% of interns reporting improved mental health;

Serving over 700 girls and women through our Cocoon Club community while maintaining an over 90% youth satisfaction rate at our online and in-person community- and school-based Cocoon Club events; and

Celebrating college acceptances for 93% of our high school seniors as of March 31st

Along with these highlights, we also have important challenges that we're working diligently to overcome, such as supporting our young people through physical and mental health struggles and financially sustaining our work As we enter into our last quarter of the fiscal year, I am inspired and comforted by the many ways our community is "holding space" for one another celebrating each other's victories, encouraging each other's dreams, and supporting each other through life's toughest moments. I believe the beauty of our community is illustrated in each of you and throughout this report.

Thank you for journeying with us. If you have questions about this report, please feel free to email me at joy@butterflydreamz.org.

Much love & light,

Joy Lindsay, Founder & CEO Joy Lindsay

COCOON CLUB

Our Cocoon Club is a supportive, intergenerational community of women and girls who work together to grow as leaders and achieve their personal, professional, and academic goals. We stay connected to each other through our community app, Mobilize, and our in-person community events in Northern NJ and Northwest, IN. Thus far, about 100 new members joined the Cocoon Club in the 2022-23 school year, ending Q3 with 719 total members.

75% of Cocoon Club members use our community app for mentorship, community connection, leadership development, and college and career preparation.

We’ve maintained an over 90% youth satisfaction rate at our online and in-person community- and school-based Cocoon Club events.

98% of members find our college and career programming beneficial.

95% of attendees said they felt more confident talking about women ’ s and girls' health topics after attending our Paint & Debate event in Newark, New Jersey.

90% of attendees also said they felt more comfortable engaging with

“This community has been such an extreme blessing to my family and my personal growth and development.” Ms.

Janay,

parent

“Thank you for [the Becoming a Researcher Career Chat] session! It was really timely, beneficial, and a great reminder to me especially. While it can be intimidating being the only person of color in a room, it’s also important that our voices are heard. Needed that extra encouragement today! :-)” Anthonette, 12th grade

“One takeaway from the [Women Who Clap] event is that we are not alone. There are incredible women who are working to improve our community and support young girls like me. ” Eva, 11th grade

“I learned that one way to be successful in college is to not be afraid of branching out and meeting new people.” Aniyahlis, 12th grade

“While I was participating in the chats this month, I learned about college expenses and finances, the difference between a PWI and an HBCU, and I got to learn about someone else that has pursued one of my dream careers. ” —Sanaa, 11th grade

YOUTH INTERNSHIPS

During the 2022-23 school year, we are employing 46 youth interns through our in-person (29) and online (17) internship programs.

Three youth interns exited their internship early due to family and school obligations, and three interns are battling serious health challenges that limit their participation.

Overall, interns find their internships enjoyable and valuable.

95% of interns are enjoying their internship experience.

98% of interns report a favorable relationship with their Leadership Coach.

94% of interns report improved mental health after completing holistic, one-on-one mentoring sessions with their Leadership Coach

“I learned a lot about what it takes to do screenwriting and how movies and TV shows get their ideas out for the directors to visualize it. I also learned about the validation part of [the LOVE model] during my oneon-one [Leadership Coaching] session, and I learned the importance of it to make people feel heard and have that sense of understanding.”

—Jamiya, 12th grade

“I have learned that as individuals, we have a head, heart, and gut that we utilize for our decision-making. Sometimes we use one or both more often than the other, but we should find a way to balance them which can spiritually align us. ” Chioma, 12th grade

“Something I really learned this month was the importance of taking your time! Sometimes you can feel like life is going too fast, and you need time to process and access how you ' re feeling and what you ' re gonna do about it.” Racquel, 10th grade

"I enjoyed being a part of a panel and sharing research opportunities with other Cocoon Club members!" Jada, 12th grade

“The thing I enjoyed learning this month was how women can build each other up more in the community, instead of tear each other down. But, most importantly, learn how to learn from each other on how to grow and develop together, all in one, instead of separately.”

Destiny, 12th grade

“It is always fun meeting [My Leadership Coach]. She makes me feel really happy and makes my mind feel fresh. I feel free to share my problems with her, as I feel unjudged, and she appreciates my honesty and is always there to help me out. I am able to share what is going on with me without a fear because of that… I love [her], and I am very thankful that she is my coach.” Amena, 11th grade

DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

We’ve raised $325K in FY23, which means we’ll be able to cover all our necessary program costs and award scholarships this fiscal year! However, because we ’ re about $124K short of our total fundraising goal, we’ll need to cut back on some bigticket expenses, including canceling our June 2023 Butterfly Weekend event and postponing the publication of our annual Leadership Journal until the fall.

In FY24, our school-year youth internships will transition to summer internships in partnership with local municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey, and Lake County, Indiana. These partnerships help ensure the sustainability of our youth internship programs by providing financial and administrative support for recruiting, selecting, and paying youth interns.

In collaboration with Indiana and New Jersey workforce development partners, we’ll also offer a Community Health Worker (CHW) Apprenticeship program for early-career professionals in Northern New Jersey and Northwest Indiana. CHW Apprentices will support our Cocoon Club by providing one-on-one mentorship and college/career counseling to youth participants and facilitating health, wellness, and leadership development programming.