HISTORY OF CHAMPIONS
EMPOWERING CHAMPIONS
• SPRING 2022
The support of some very dedicated individuals and corporations had allowed us to continue providing the basic needs of our students throughout the pandemic, but we were aware of our need to secure additional support. In April of 2022, we held our second fundraiser at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach. When we held our first fundraiser in January of 2020, we never imagined that we would not be able to gather for more than two years. The Quail Ridge community came out in mass to learn about our mission and the students we serve. Our keynote speaker was Champions board member and Superbowl LVI Champion, Buddy Howell. Two of our students shared their story and how Champions had empowered them to achieve their academic and professional goals. As the guests’ eyes filled with tears, they became passionately connected to our students and supporting our mission. Monetary donations and offers to support our next event came in mass. Once again, we were in our community and empowering others to become Champions for the students we serve.
BACK IN PERSON
• FALL 2021 – SPRING 2022
Finally, we are back in person! We will never forget the smiling eyes that we saw as masked students walked into our first in-person Squad Night since March of 2020. We announced social distancing was required, but the benefits of hugs among our Champions outweighed the risks. Our programming focused on thriving in our new normal as periodic outbreaks and new variants became common. As we learned to live in the moment and be prepared for uncertainty, our students were facing housing insecurities, homelessness, increasing cost of living and so much more.
We began shifting our focus too.
ONE MORE YEAR OF VIRTUAL SQUAD NIGHTS
• FALL 2020 – SPRING 2021
Champions continues to provide support for our students and develop new programs as the pandemic continues to require social distancing and frequent quarantines. The virtual world has become our temporary normal and as we became proficient with breakout rooms that would our students and volunteers to continue building bonds and developing skills. We relied on Amazon to deliver the much needed academic and life essentials to our students, a practice that we continued post pandemic.
CONTINUING SUPPORT/FALL SEMESTER PREP
• SUMMER 2020
Champions continues to provide support for our students and develop new programs despite the Coronavirus. We are also responding to any emergency needs of our students, whether it be a student who needs companionship while ill or setting up a virtual doctor appointment for a student who was injured. Champions is also assisting students by connecting them with resources in the community and serving the technological needs of students needing laptops by connecting them with the necessary resources at FAU.
NONPROFIT, 501(c)3 STATUS AWARDED
• SPRING 2020
Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, Champions continued looking forward. We became a registered Florida corporation and were approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 entity. The advisory board transitioned into the organizations first board of directors with Jeff Gordon named as our first chairperson and Kim Dunn named as our first executive director. Everyone served as uncompensated volunteers.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
• SPRING 2020
Champions continues to assist its student members during this complicated time. Given the difficulties created by the pandemic, our student population unfortunately is disproportionately disadvantaged. Our volunteers and board members are therefore engaged in assisting our students to weather this storm as best as possible. Our Squad Nights were virtual and volunteers were taking note of the additional support our students needed to maintain their academic progress. This crisis made our efforts that much more important.
FIRST SQUAD NIGHT OF 2020
• JANUARY 2020
The first Squad Night occurred in January 2020. The evening brought together almost 60 attendees (mix of volunteers and students), representing 50% growth in attendance since our inaugural Squad Night.
CHAMPIONS FIRST FUNDRAISER
• JANUARY 2020
Champions Empowering Champions’ first fundraising event, a happy hour held in January 2020 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Boca Raton, brought together board members, volunteers and local residents to hear about the organization’s mission, how it is making an impact and its vision for the future.
INAUGURAL NIGHT
• FALL 2019
For the Fall 2019 semester, an advisory board was developed, and 22 students and 22 community volunteers accepted invitations to join the inaugural squads. On September 25, 2019, Champions Empowering Champions had an official kickoff with the Inaugural Squad Night.
TOP HONORS AT 2019 FAU TECH RUNWAY ®
• MAY 2019
At FAU’s 2019 Tech Runway®, Champions proposal was so convincing that the judges departed from their customary practice of focusing on businesses aspiring to profit-making status and included Champions Empowering Champions in the 2019 entrepreneurial class. This earned the organization a $15,000 cash award and a year’s worth of hands-on start-up assistance.
CHAMPIONS CONCEPT CATCHES ON
• FALL & WINTER 2018
After the idea of developing a program to help these students and the name Champions Empowering Champions was envisioned, Dr. Dunn began to share her vision with others on campus. Buoyed by the support of others, including Lorraine Cross, Dennis Crudele, Dasia Drew, Jasmine Moore, Danny More, Joseph Murray, Dorothy Russell, and Marcus Schnellenberger, Dr. Dunn had more than a dozen allies from the university and the greater community.
CHAMPIONS BEGINS
• SPRING 2018
During the spring of 2018, Dr. Kimberly Dunn began thinking about the hundreds of young college students who had experienced foster care or homelessness. She recognized the academic and emotional struggle for these students to move ahead on their own without adequate support systems.
EMPOWERING CHAMPIONS
• SPRING 2022
The support of some very dedicated individuals and corporations had allowed us to continue providing the basic needs of our students throughout the pandemic, but we were aware of our need to secure additional support. In April of 2022, we held our second fundraiser at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach. When we held our first fundraiser in January of 2020, we never imagined that we would not be able to gather for more than two years. The Quail Ridge community came out in mass to learn about our mission and the students we serve. Our keynote speaker was Champions board member and Superbowl LVI Champion, Buddy Howell. Two of our students shared their story and how Champions had empowered them to achieve their academic and professional goals. As the guests’ eyes filled with tears, they became passionately connected to our students and supporting our mission. Monetary donations and offers to support our next event came in mass. Once again, we were in our community and empowering others to become Champions for the students we serve.
BACK IN PERSON
• FALL 2021 – SPRING 2022
Finally, we are back in person! We will never forget the smiling eyes that we saw as masked students walked into our first in-person Squad Night since March of 2020. We announced social distancing was required, but the benefits of hugs among our Champions outweighed the risks. Our programming focused on thriving in our new normal as periodic outbreaks and new variants became common. As we learned to live in the moment and be prepared for uncertainty, our students were facing housing insecurities, homelessness, increasing cost of living and so much more.
We began shifting our focus too.
ONE MORE YEAR OF VIRTUAL SQUAD NIGHTS
• FALL 2020 – SPRING 2021
Champions continues to provide support for our students and develop new programs as the pandemic continues to require social distancing and frequent quarantines. The virtual world has become our temporary normal and as we became proficient with breakout rooms that would our students and volunteers to continue building bonds and developing skills. We relied on Amazon to deliver the much needed academic and life essentials to our students, a practice that we continued post pandemic.
CONTINUING SUPPORT/FALL SEMESTER PREP
• SUMMER 2020
Champions continues to provide support for our students and develop new programs despite the Coronavirus. We are also responding to any emergency needs of our students, whether it be a student who needs companionship while ill or setting up a virtual doctor appointment for a student who was injured. Champions is also assisting students by connecting them with resources in the community and serving the technological needs of students needing laptops by connecting them with the necessary resources at FAU.
NONPROFIT, 501(c)3 STATUS AWARDED
• SPRING 2020
Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, Champions continued looking forward. We became a registered Florida corporation and were approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 entity. The advisory board transitioned into the organizations first board of directors with Jeff Gordon named as our first chairperson and Kim Dunn named as our first executive director. Everyone served as uncompensated volunteers.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
• SPRING 2020
Champions continues to assist its student members during this complicated time. Given the difficulties created by the pandemic, our student population unfortunately is disproportionately disadvantaged. Our volunteers and board members are therefore engaged in assisting our students to weather this storm as best as possible. Our Squad Nights were virtual and volunteers were taking note of the additional support our students needed to maintain their academic progress. This crisis made our efforts that much more important.
FIRST SQUAD NIGHT OF 2020
• JANUARY 2020
The first Squad Night occurred in January 2020. The evening brought together almost 60 attendees (mix of volunteers and students), representing 50% growth in attendance since our inaugural Squad Night.
CHAMPIONS FIRST FUNDRAISER
• JANUARY 2020
Champions Empowering Champions’ first fundraising event, a happy hour held in January 2020 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Boca Raton, brought together board members, volunteers and local residents to hear about the organization’s mission, how it is making an impact and its vision for the future.
INAUGURAL NIGHT
• FALL 2019
For the Fall 2019 semester, an advisory board was developed, and 22 students and 22 community volunteers accepted invitations to join the inaugural squads. On September 25, 2019, Champions Empowering Champions had an official kickoff with the Inaugural Squad Night.
TOP HONORS AT 2019 FAU TECH RUNWAY ®
• MAY 2019
At FAU’s 2019 Tech Runway®, Champions proposal was so convincing that the judges departed from their customary practice of focusing on businesses aspiring to profit-making status and included Champions Empowering Champions in the 2019 entrepreneurial class. This earned the organization a $15,000 cash award and a year’s worth of hands-on start-up assistance.
CHAMPIONS CONCEPT CATCHES ON
• FALL & WINTER 2018
After the idea of developing a program to help these students and the name Champions Empowering Champions was envisioned, Dr. Dunn began to share her vision with others on campus. Buoyed by the support of others, including Lorraine Cross, Dennis Crudele, Dasia Drew, Jasmine Moore, Danny More, Joseph Murray, Dorothy Russell, and Marcus Schnellenberger. Dr. Dunn had more than a dozen allies from the university and the greater community.
CHAMPIONS BEGINS
• SPRING 2018
During the spring of 2018, Dr. Kimberly Dunn began thinking about the hundreds of young college students who had experienced foster care or homelessness. She recognized the academic and emotional struggle for these students to move ahead on their own without adequate support systems.