Giving Tree Families is a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children the merits of helping worthwhile causes and the positive results of their hard work.As Executive Director of the organization, I coordinate service projects for children who might otherwise be too young to find outlets for volunteering. Church groups, schools, scout groups and others reach out to Giving Tree to arrange a project. Then, my team and I provide a project for them to complete for one of our many Philadelphia-area nonprofit partners. We provide all supplies, as well as educational materials and curriculum to teach kids the value of giving in a fun, upbeat, age-appropriate manner. Once the project is complete, we deliver it to the organization. I ensure the children and group leaders come away with a very positive feeling about what they have accomplished. We handle details so they can focus on their project.As a leader, I believe in teamwork — involving all team members and truly listening to and applying their feedback. We could not do what we do without our adult volunteer team, and I always try to make sure volunteers understand the important role they play.To join us in teaching the value of giving, connect with me on LinkedIn or contact me directly and let’s arrange a time to talk. bridget@givingtreefamilies.orgKEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:✔ Grew Giving Tree Families from an idea and a one-time clothing drive into a valuable resource for families to volunteer together and an outlet for parents to teach the importance of giving. ✔ Created the Peace and Smiles Box, a service project where children decorate an empty cereal box and fill it with craft items for other children who are receiving medical care or going through difficult times. Since April 2012, we have delivered over 5,000 boxes and have gotten Peace and Smiles Box registered as a federal trademark.✔ Involved thousands of children in donating much-needed supplies to charitable organizations.

For seven years, I focused on raising my three children full-time — a task that required plenty of patience, time management and project management skills, and of course, lots of love and a sense of humor.KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:✔ Gave three kids a great start and lots of family time. ✔ Volunteered at my kids’ schools.

I started and ran a gift basket business that served a variety of corporate clients. We provided gifts for companies’ clients and employee incentive programs, and differentiated ourselves by offering a retail location where customers could build their own custom baskets. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:✔ Grew the business from home-based to occupying a dedicated retail location.✔ Captured high-profile corporate clients, including Merck.