On April 21, The Herald Business Journal will announce the 2016 recipient of the Emerging Leaders Award. This week and next, we are profiling 12 finalists, who were chosen by a panel of judges from among dozens of nominees.
Clothes mean so much to children and teens.
Go to school with tattered clothes or falling apart shoes and there’s a risk the kid feels out of place. And a kid who doesn’t fit in, may fall behind in the classroom or, worse, drop out of school altogether.
Enter Joy Ingram.
She’s the development director for Clothes For Kids, a Lynnwood nonprofit that provides wardrobes for any kid in Snohomish County who needs clothing and whose family qualifies for reduced lunches.
“I believe personally that empowering students is a key ingredient to build self-esteem and confidence so students can find success,” Ingram wrote in her nomination form.
Clothes For Kids intentionally doesn’t have an executive director. Instead, Ingram in her role as development director works directly with the operations manager, Board of Directors, staff and volunteers to help raise funds.
She started in 2010 and in her first year she was able to double revenue for the nonprofit.
Four years ago, Clothes For Kids was successful enough to be able to serve the whole county. Clothes For Kids has provided 15,000 children and teens with wardrobes.
Ingram has also helped the board grow from four to nine members. She created the Transforming Lives Breakfast that has grown from 120 attendees in its first year to 260 in its fifth year.
Her background includes working for the Snohomish County Boys &Girls Clubs and the Northshore Public Education Foundation. She’s active with the Lynnwood Rotary.
And she represents Clothes For Kids as a member of Economic Alliance Snohomish County, and the Edmonds and Lynnwood chambers.
“I believe wholeheartedly in service to others,” Ingram said. “I have committed my career to working with nonprofits that serve children and families and believe strongly that success of the next generation is essential to success of our community.”
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