Business Volunteers and Baker Donelson Join Forces to Support Five Nonprofits Focused on Homelessness

Business Volunteers Maryland (BVM) and Baker Donelson came together on July 18, 2024, to host skillCONNECT, a highly structured several hour event to bring the expertise of business professionals to nonprofit leaders facing unique challenges. Twenty-four volunteers from twelve different organizations came together to support five Baltimore-area nonprofits focused on homelessness resulting in close to $16,000 of professional time and talent being infused into these nonprofits.

During skillCONNECT, teams of volunteers from Baker Donelson and their business partners worked with the nonprofits, bringing their expertise and ideas to help the organizations navigate challenges related to strategic planning, finance, fundraising, human resources, marketing, and more.

The five nonprofits selected to participate were:

• Dayspring Programs
• Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP)
• JOY Baltimore Corporation
• Leftover Love, Inc.
• Transforming Youths Into Adults

Business Volunteers has facilitated numerous skillCONNECT events over the years, bringing the expertise of business professionals to nonprofit leaders facing business challenges. “The energy was just incredible: picture a room full of powerful professionals collaborating, diving deep, problem solving and action planning to lift nonprofits tackling homelessness. We are grateful to Baker Donelson for not just hosting this event and engaging their associates but inviting their partners from other companies to join as well,” said Alissa Ganser, President and CEO of Business Volunteers. “It’s a powerful way to give back to the community,” added Ganser.  

Michael A. Schollaert, a Baker Donelson shareholder and a member of the BVM Board of Directors, added, “It was uplifting to bring together my colleagues, our clients, and BVM to support such outstanding organizations. The feedback from both the volunteers and the nonprofits was overwhelmingly positive. I’m thankful for my colleagues and our clients who gave so freely of their time, knowledge, and talents to support the incredible work these organizations are doing to build a path out of homelessness for people in our community. We hope this has been beneficial to these nonprofits, and we look forward to continuing to lend our support by hosting another event in the future.”

One of the nonprofits in attendance at skillCONNECT, Lonnie Walker, Founder and CEO of JOY Baltimore commented, “The wealth of knowledge and insights shared throughout this incredible experience have left a lasting impact on me, and I am deeply appreciative of the privilege to being part of this event.”