MOVE OVER LADY GAGA, I'M ON THE EDGE OF GLORY NOW.

Well, I may not be as glorious as Lady G, but I am definitely on the edge and going over it.

Welcome to my fundraising page for Over The Edge Buffalo (OTE)! OTE is a peer-to-peer fundraiser that is benefiting United Way of Buffalo & Erie County and John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in their work to improve health equity for moms, babies and children in our community. 

I'll unpack this more later, but I have seen, first-hand, the work that both of these organizations do daily to fight for the health and well-being of those in our community who need it the most. This is not just boilerplate content about these organizations. (Though, I admit I did copy and paste some of it from the OTE home page. ) They are walking their talk and I am honored to be a part of it. 

So please, join my team (don't worry — you don't have to rappel down the building, that's my job) and help me reach my goal of $5,000. Together, we can build a healthier community, one child and mother at a time.

So how exactly did I get to the point of rappeling over the side of a building for these two organizations?
I'm so glad you asked.

“It’s about the people you’re designing for and how your work just might help them live better lives.” - Margaret Gould Steward

The quote above has always been a driving force and mission for my work as a designer and creative leader here in Buffalo, NY. I started my career working for Jericho Road Community Health Center (JRCHC), a nonprofit health network serving primarily low-income, marginalized and refugee populars. It was here that I was introduced to the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County (UWBEC) as they are a supporter of JRCHC. Ever since, I have been very passionate about being involved in the Buffalo community and doing my part to serve and make an impact with organizations that do the same. 

In seeking more tangible ways to do this, I was introduced to UWBEC's young professional network, Next Generation United (NGU). There I found a group of like-minded millennials (YES millennials) that were utilizing their knowledge, skills and creative energy to elevate organizations and groups in our community — it was the perfect match! I quickly became an active member of the group and, before long, was asked to sit on their Advisory Board and eventually selected as the Co-Chair of the Board. 

Flash forward to today: I continue to be involved with UWBEC - leading NGU as Board Co-Chair and working to realize its mission and vision for our community. But that's not where my connection to this event, and cause, end. PLOT TWIST I also now work for Oishei Children's Hospital. What are the chances?! I am truly thankful that I get to live and breathe the quote above everyday that I come into work. And now I get to take that and make it even more real with this event!  

From the minute I saw the very first 'Over The Edge' meeting pop up on my calendar I had a feeling that I would be finding myself on the side of building ... and here we are. 

If you have made it to this point on the page:

First of all, congratulations! Your stamina is impressive; I am anything but brief. Second, thank you. I am grateful for the time you took to read my story and understand my passion for improving the lives of others in my community. I hope you consider joining this cause and partnering with me. And if that's not enough, you get to literally get to watch me shimmy my way down 20 stories of a building! Come on now!