Participants of the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) have announced an effort to help local non-profit organizations in McLean County.
The 25 members of the 2012 MCLP class have been assigned to teams that will produce projects to help the Community Health Care Clinic, Ecology Action Center, Habitat for Humanity, Heartland Head Start, and the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation.
Each year MCLP selects four to five different non-profit organizations to work with to ensure every corner of the community is touched.
“This is the third year that our MCLP participants have worked with different organizations to add value to our community and gain leadership experience they can use at home, work and community,” said Macaria Lopez, MCLP Chair of Community Projects and Mentorship.
During a time when the nation’s unemployment is hovering at 10 percent, these agencies are struggling with limited resources and a backload of work on various projects. That’s where MCLP comes in.
“What the MCLP program does for them is put our very talented group members together to help them with projects they otherwise couldn’t afford to get done,” said Leslie Harding, MCLP Board Member and Marketing Chair.
This year’s MCLP class is composed of leaders with various professional and personal backgrounds. As part of the MCLP curriculum, participants are screened to identify their personality types. They are then separated into diverse teams to reflect a variety of contrasting styles. The groups are then paired with compatible agencies.
“I am excited about the projects,” said Shleah Scarborough. The insurance claims adjuster was assigned to the Ecology Action Center Project Committee. “I’m excited about getting the word out to see how we’re impacting people of various backgrounds, ages, economic backgrounds, and of course raising awareness for myself,” she added.
MCLP participants will continue to work on the projects until the end of their class term in March.