IMPORTANT UPDATE
2025 brought many changes to Leadership Launch. Excitingly, all four of our 2025 seniors graduated in June and started at their respective universities in the Fall. With a decreased enrollment heading into the fall and unprecedented challenges in the fundraising and granting space, the Leadership Launch Board of directors and Executive Director evaluated our ability to meet our mission and organizational goals and determined that it was best to suspend operations and consider dissolution. The decision to close our doors was a difficult one, and our priority remained to make sure that our currently enrolled students were able to have their needs met and celebrate the amazing community created through Leadership Launch over the past decade.
While we are still going through the finalization process of closing down, we wanted to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Leadership Launch founders, Rachel and Dan Kittle, all of the donors, grantors, and sponsors who have made Leadership Launch possible, our board of directors and past board members, past staff and volunteers, and (maybe most importantly), the Leadership Launch alumni. YOU made Leadership Launch more than a non-profit organization, more than just a club or association, YOU made it a COMMUNITY, a circle of friends—chosen family. YOU made it special and we are so very proud and grateful to each of you.
To our supporters and donors who might now be wondering how to best help out this amazing population of young people and keep the spirit and mission of Leadership Launch alive (we are no longer able to accept donations of any value), here is a short list of community organizations that have similar missions and work in supporting young people furthest away from opportunity as well as economic and social justice. Any one of them would be SO deserving of your generosity during this giving season. And if you don’t have anything to give (we realize and appreciate that this is a difficult time for many), invest your time in a young person. Having a trusted adult and mentor is one of the greatest gifts you can give.
Thank you for everything!
Our Mission
We are a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to empower, equip, and engage student leaders from a place of equity. We work with students in the 9th grade through the first year of college who want to impact the community, grow as leaders, and pursue their dreams.
Leadership Launch is a program dedicated to personal development, servant leadership, mentorship, and community engagement. We primarily work with first-generation college-bound students and students facing hardship.
As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.
- Bill Gates
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