Past Board President Rachel Sheinbein Donated $25K to Challenge Day Ahead of Summer Fundraising Event on Sun, June 4, 2023, at Willow Pond Ranch
(OAKLEY, CA) – On May 22, 2023, Challenge Day announced that angel investor, Venture Partner at Lemnos and Challenge Day's Past Board President Rachel Sheinbein donated $25,000 to the nonprofit ahead of the summer fundraising kickoff event, sponsored by Sensei Jon Keeling of Silicon Valley Shotokan Karate, set for Sunday, June 4, 2023.
"For the last 35 years, we've been able to reach over a million students and adults worldwide, but now we're at a critical time in our history. Post the pandemic, we are trying to rebuild and sustain Challenge Day and keep our doors open for the next million youth and adults worldwide. And so we're asking for your help," says Challenge Day Executive Director Ana Rubio.
As a leader in experiential social-emotional learning, Challenge Day has led over 1,007,500 students and 217,940 adults in middle and high school and their communities throughout the country to build what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) credit is a determinant of youth's well-being from their formative adolescent years into adulthood – school connectedness or "feeling close to people at school."
"I was the Challenge Day coordinator at Hermon High School in Hermon, Maine, for many years until I retired. The program made a huge impact on our school, and so many students were positively affected by attending. I know my life has been enhanced by the many years I was influenced by the positive messages the wonderful leaders you always send! May you continue to impact the lives of people with your powerful program," said Shelley Hutching Garett.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Challenge Day's self-funded model relied on revenue from its program offerings at public schools. With the pandemic redirected funding into technology investments for virtual learning platforms, Challenge Day had to drastically reduce staff while it adapted its in-person program to an online experience. Since 2020, the organization has become increasingly dependent on donations and grant support from the private sector.
As Challenge Day's past board president and a youth health champion, Sheinbein's donation helps set the nonprofit on course to meet its summer fundraising goal of $100,000. She hopes to inspire other like-minded entrepreneurs to consider similar contributions to help youth on their journey to personal, academic and professional achievement, especially in underserved communities where emotional and mental health programs are drastically needed post-COVID.
Challenge Day has been featured on various T.V. programs, including the 2010 MTV series “If You Really Knew Me” and Oprah's High School Challenge. "I just want to say this is how we change the world—one person at a time," said Oprah.
ABOUT CHALLENGE DAY:
Challenge Day's mission is to build empathy and compassion with programs that help youth and adults throughout communities and the country. Its vision is to create a world where every person feels safe, loved and celebrated. Through a series of fun activities and exercises led by two highly trained facilitators, Challenge Day teaches students, faculty and adults its innovative approach to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) based on the 5 Collaborative Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) competencies: self-management, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, social awareness and relationships skills. The dynamic and participative workshops are customized to students' or faculty's needs and according to the curriculum of the type of program offered: Faculty Training, Graduation Day Middle School, Graduation Day High School, or Challenge Day 10th Grader.