StreetWise Partners: Creating Equal Opportunity
By Sherry Li 
June 29, 2010 
9 Comments
Helping people in need is a big theme for Matsuri and its executive chef, Tadashi Ono. In our previous interview with Chef Ono, we discovered his passion for equality. Not only has Chef Ono been a big supporter of City Harvest and the fight against hunger, now he’s also helping low income New Yorkers gain necessary job skills for career advancement by supporting Appetite for Good co-founder Patrick Chang’s fundraising efforts for StreetWise Partners by running the New York City Marathon in November.
StreetWise Partners is a New York based non-profit organization that focuses on mentoring relationships between business professionals and underprivileged individuals in job search, workplace skills, and career development. Hundreds of volunteers spend countless hours every week through a 13-week Career Ventures program helping their mentees through resume writing, interview skills, networking, Microsoft Office computer training, and more.
This year, the StreetWise Partners’ Linking Lives, Forging Futures campaign aims to raise $100,000 from May to June 30th to help fund its 6 programs in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. StreetWise Partners graduated 312 mentees in 2009 along with over 1,600 individuals volunteering their time through the Career Ventures programs and one-off workshops. Some other impressive statistics include:
- 3 months after graduation, over 71% of StreetWise Partners graduates attained a new job, improved their position and responsibilities, achieved higher pay/benefits, or started college/career advancing education
- 100% of graduates expanded their professional networks
- 97% of graduates learned the skills to get a good job, raise in pay, or increased responsibilities
As a StreetWise volunteer of 2 years, I have seen inspiring stories of mentees who, despite having challenges in their lives and being at a disadvantage in the job market due to language, family, and financial impediments, walked away from the Career Ventures program having built more confidence, acquired newly learned computer skills, and gained a network to leverage. One poignant mentee story resonates in my mind. He was formerly incarcerated for drug related problems and decided to turn a new leaf. At StreetWise Partners, he worked with mentors and peers on his public speaking skills and pursued work in education. Now, he gives speeches to troubled youth groups and counsels students at a high school. He is using his past experience to help teens through a tough time in their life where bad decisions are easily made. This is the kind of life-changing experience that I hope inspires you to help in your own way.
From now through June 30th—with an organization-wide goal of raising $100,000—I invite you to join me in helping Appetite for Good raise money for StreetWise Partners to launch new initiatives that will bring job opportunity to low-income job seekers. And if you’re curious about how your funds will be utilized:
- Every $1 donated to StreetWise Partners is multiplied by 4, leveraged by the volunteer hours and in-kind resources mobilized
- $15,000 raised pays for 15-25 mentees in StreetWise Partners flagship 13-week career venture program
- $5,000 pays for 10 mentees in the 3 months adult plus career ventures program for people over 50
- $10,000 pays for 10 mentees in the 3 months disconnected youth career ventures program for youths aged 16-24 without a high school diploma or GED
- $5,000 pays for 30-50 mentees in the computer skills training program
Just like how he believes no one should go hungry, Chef Ono believes no one should go without job opportunity. Matsuri kindly donated $200 worth of gift certificates to help Appetite for Good raise money for StreetWise Partners. $100 worth of which will be awarded to 2 randomly chosen donors of $5 or more at Patrick’s NYC Marathon fundraising campaign in the month of July. Patrick has been a mentor and Officer with the Saturday PriceWaterhouseCoopers program for over 2 years and is running the New York City Marathon in November to raise at least $2,500 for StreetWise Partners.
Rules for the Give Away!
To enter to win one of two $50 gift cards to Matsuri, one of the best Japanese restaurants in New York City, simply support Appetite for Good’s fundraising efforts by doing the following! For each additional task you do, you get 1 extra chance to win!
- Donate $5 or more to Patrick’s NYC Marathon/StreetWise Partners fundraising campaign
- “Fan/like†Appetite for Good’s Facebook page
- Follow @appetiteforgood on Twitter (include your Twitter handle in your comment)
- Tweet the following message: “Win a $50 gift certificate to @matsurinyc if you support @appetiteforgood @swpinfo fundraising campaign! http://bit.ly/9jm0h1â€. (Include a link to the tweet in your comment.)
- Share this post on a social media site like Foodbuzz, Digg, Delicious, etc. (Be sure to include a link in your comment!)
Please be sure to leave a comment with your name, email address, and which entries you’re doing.
This give away ends on July 31st, 2010 at 11:59PM EDT. 2 winners will be selected based on a random number generator. Appetite for Good contributors are not eligible for this give away.
Please help Patrick raise $2,500 for StreetWise Partners for his New York City Marathon fundraising campaign! 26.2 miles goes a long way!
All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. And don’t forget to double the impact of your gift through corporate matching. Be sure to inquire about your company’s matching policy.
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I like you on Facebook
I follow you on Twitter… @missionfood
I just tweeted! http://twitter.com/missionfood
I just shared your original Foodbuzz post with all of my Foodbuzz friends
I liked you on facebook!
also following you on twitter @lookytasty
Just tweeted – http://twitter.com/lookytasty/status/17448481728
Pretty sure I follow you everywhere:) But I find there types of causes to be of utmost importance, and I am impressed that you have been volunteering for so long. I am definitely saving this and will be looking into making donations:)
Thank you very much! It really means a lot to us
I love the Ardent Epicure too 
yall are fantastic.
StreetWise Partners is an organization that Sherry and I have been a part of for a couple of years and we’ve seen the impact that this organization has on motivated individuals. Its extremely time consuming but how much these mentees get out of the program makes it all worth it! Plus without SWP, Appetite for Good would never have started
Great friendships are born out of StreetWise Partners too! the mentors are a tight knit community and thats where I met Sherry!
but this marathon thing is extremely intense! im already nervous about not being able to complete it after all this support from everyone around me! eek
thanks again for reading!