Atlas Corps: Building Bridges for Social Impact

"Beginning a new job can be stressful at any level, and this practice can be very grounding, accelerating your ability to get up to speed faster in a foreign atmosphere." - Seemeen Gul (Pakistan, Class 20, Host: UN Women)

Hello!

Do you remember your first day at a new job or new school? It is exciting and intimidating all at the same time. Atlas Corps Class 20 initiated their service on February 1 to that same level of excitement. Now, 30 days later, they are thriving as part of a new team and members of a new community.

Seemeen shared this quote in a recent blog post sharing her first day of service at UN Women. "Today wasn’t just my first day at UN WOMEN; it was the start of a journey," reflected Seemen. "I was scared of a new atmosphere, though change was scary but allowing fear to stop you from growing evolving and progressing was scarier."

Your support has inspired individuals like Seemen to overcome the fear of new experiences to embrace the opportunity that exists within the Atlas Corps Fellowship. This year, we celebrate 10 years of inspiring individuals. Since we launched in 2006, we have inspired 450 individuals from 75 countries to serve abroad...and it is just the beginning!

Look forward to Atlas Corps sharing 10-year highlights from Alumni, Host Organizations, and Supporters as we build up to our big celebration in November in Washington, DC (details soon)!

We also invite you to celebrate the start of our 10 Year Celebration by making a donation during Bonus Day on March 16, 2016!

Thanks for being part of our first 10 and we look forward to you being part of our next 10, 20, 100 years!

-Abby

P.S. Spread the Word - post on social media: Act local. Impact global. Celebrate 10 years! Support @AtlasCorps on 3.16.16 #bonusday #AtlasCorps10 http://bit.ly/AtlasCorpsBonusDay

Hello Friends -

As you may have seen on Facebook, Atlas Corps has decided to launch a special fund in response to growing violent extremism in the world that has led to terrorists attacks in Paris and California. We want to respond in a way that also counters the rise of hate crimes and hate speech against Muslims in the United States. We need new models of positive engagement that empower leaders in Muslim-majority countries, rather than the alternatives that are being suggested on the evening news.

A Board Member challenged me to raise $10,000 for the Muslim Engagement Fund and he would match with another $10,000 and he pushed me to contribute as well. Therefore, I promised him that if 100 people donated any amount, that my wife and I would also contribute $10,000. So far we have raised over $12,000, earned the $10,000 match from the Board Member and received 65 donations. Can you please donate and help recruit some other donors so we can get to 100 people?

From now until the end of 2015, ALL donations received through GlobalGiving will go towards the Muslim Engagement Fund!

As we approach our 10-year anniversary, there are lots of great reasons to give to Atlas Corps. Perhaps you are excited that we are expanding to Australia and will have our first Fellow serve there in February. Perhaps our White House partnership is the reason that you feel Atlas Corps has earned your philanthropic support. Maybe it is how we are advancing social issues such as global LGBTQ rights or the work we are doing with large numbers of Fellows from Pakistan, Sudan and South Sudan. Or, maybe you have just met one of our Fellows and know the incredible quality of leaders we are bringing here. No matter what the reason, I hope you will consider supporting Atlas Corps this year.

Please help us meet our goal of 100 donors!! Consider donating to Atlas Corps and to the Muslim Engagement Fund.

If I have missed a donation that you already made, please forgive me, but I really wanted to reach out to you to ask for your support for 2016 and for this special initiative.

Scott

Scott Beale 
Founder & CEO 
Atlas Corps