Businesses Sponsor Private School Tuition for Inner City Students

100 Businesses Who Care, a philanthropic group of business leaders in Southeast Michigan, came together this past fall to help send 38 underprivileged high school students to Notre Dame Preparatory School in Pontiac, MI. During their second bi-annual meeting, the group of executives voted to make a collective donation of $36,000 to Building Bridges, a non-profit that provides scholarship opportunities and mentorship to promising students from Pontiac and Metro Detroit.

100 Businesses Who Care was founded in February of 2017 to bring together 100 (or more) local business leaders who have agreed to each donate $500 to a local non-profit bi-annually, at a ‘shark tank’ style meeting. During each meeting, three members are randomly selected to pitch a local non-profit to the group. After the group hears about the local organizations, members vote on which non-profit will receive the group’s collective donation.

During the September meeting, Paul Housey, Co-Founder of ISTO Advisors, was selected to pitch his non-profit to the executives in attendance. Housey founded Building Bridges in 1999, initially with the broad goal of simply helping underprivileged youth. Eighteen years later, the 100% volunteer-driven organization has helped hundreds of children meet their potential and become productive, contributing members of the community by way of financial scholarships and one-to-one mentoring initiatives.”

“When Building Bridges partnered with Notre Dame Prep in 2004, we wrote a check to sponsor students, but never met the kids so we didn’t get to see the full impact of our donations,” said Housey. “As time went on, we realized that many of the students would be the first in their families to go to college and didn’t have the support needed in other areas of their life to be successful. As the organization evolved, the idea of volunteer mentor advocates was born to truly assist the students with their entry into the private school and to help guide them to become well-rounded students prepared for the stringent college admission process.”

Building Bridges donated the first high school scholarship for a student at Notre Dame Preparatory in 2004. Now the school has given Building Bridges the green light to provide scholarships for up to 70 students over the next several years. As Building Bridges continue to gain more awareness, volunteers, and funding, more student’s lives and futures will be changed by the strong educational foundation.

“100 Businesses Who Care is so honored and inspired by the team at Building Bridges and their passionate role in developing our future leaders,” said Carrie Schochet, one of the co-founders of 100 Businesses Who Care. “While our financial commitment will help fuel high school scholarships for many students, Paul’s pitch has also inspired members of the 100 Businesses Who Care community to become mentor advocates to the students. 100 Businesses Who Care is proud to support Building Bridges in their effort to change the lives of not only students but entire families throughout Metro-Detroit.”

100 Businesses Who Care currently has 83 members who have committed to donating $500 bi-annually. The group would like to surpass their initial 100 member goal by the next meeting on Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 7:30 am-9:30 am. The meeting will be hosted at and sponsored by Paul Glantz (CEO, Emagine Entertainment) and his team at Emagine Entertainment in Royal Oak. To learn more about 100 Businesses Who Care or to become a member, visit www.100BusinessesWhoCare.com.

About 100 Businesses Who Care

100 Businesses Who Care is a group of 100 top decision-makers from southeast Michigan who want to make an impact on the local community. The idea is simple. Each member will bring a $500 check to bi-annual meetings for an opportunity to nominate and vote for one lucky 501(c)(3) organization to support. By the end of the one-hour meeting, the $500 donations multiply into an impactful $50,000 donation (assuming 100 members) to the 501(c)(3) charity chosen by the group.

This strategy is efficient and effective. It gives members an opportunity to make a significant impact on the community without taking significant time and resources. It’s so simple; it’s brilliant. It’s so powerful; it can be overwhelming.

100 Businesses Who Care is not a 501(c)(3) or incorporated business. The Founders and Advisory Board are passionate volunteers who are dedicating their time and talents to make a difference in the community. 100% of the donations are steered directly to the winning non-profit at each meeting.