E65: Empowering Youth Through Sports with CJ Stewart from the L.E.A.D. Center for Youth

Lead with Heart | Philanthropy, Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Management & Fundraising

On this episode of Lead with Heart, I have the honor of speaking with CJ Stewart, a former Chicago Cubs outfielder and the visionary co-founder of the L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta.
Through the transformative power of baseball and tennis, the L.E.A.D. Center for Youth is empowering at-risk youth, addressing trauma, and creating lasting change.
CJ’s dedication to empowering youth through sports and the L.E.A.D. Center’s innovative approaches to breaking the cycle of poverty and racism are truly inspirational. With over 17 years of impact, there is so much for us to learn from their remarkable journey.
In this episode:

• [02:22] Using sports as a tool to address trauma in children
• [10:33] The unique challenges that at-risk children face and how the L.E.A.D. Center addresses those issues
• [14:13] How the L.E.A.D. Center engages youth to become radical philanthropists who give back to the program
• [20:48] Developing the mental component needed for sports and leadership
• [25:23] How to make a difference in your own community
• [34:09] Instilling the value of teamwork into your nonprofit

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CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Certified Stress Management Coach, and Certified EmC train the trainer. She is the Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business. She has worked in both small and large nonprofit teams in the human services, homelessness, and youth sectors; and she specializes in the EmC process, nonprofit leadership, board development, and fundraising. Haley is a passionate, impact-driven, experienced nonprofit professional whose mission is to empower, elevate and engage nonprofit leaders to build healthy, thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
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