How I Found My Path to Doing Good…
Written by Danielle Bohrer
At some point in my late 20’s I stopped keeping track of how many babies my friends were having or how many of my peers were graduating from med school. Instead, I started contemplating what my 16 year-old-self would think of me today.
Luckily, I didn’t have to dig very deep to find the answer. I managed to unearth an old Google vision board I created sometime in high school. Teenage me had a few notable goals:
- Speak three languages fluently
- Have a job that does not involve a cubicle
- Own my own home
- Do Good.
I have managed to purchase my very own condo recently, and my current job technically doesn’t involve any work in a cubicle. However, unless you count pig-latin and gibberish, I definitely do not speak three languages. Thanks to technology though, I was able to instantly download an app that is currently assisting me with that goal.
Do Good. I had so many passions growing up, why wasn’t I more specific? Can I download an app for this goal too? Adult me started exploring how to make my teenage dreams come true.
Coincidentally, a close friend approached me with an interesting dilemma. Her son would be aging out of a theatre program he had thrived in for years. As a student with special needs, she wanted to know if there were other programs that would be able to include her son.
From there, the ideas started spiraling. There are incredible inclusive organizations in and around the Chicago-land area, but it can be difficult to find the right fit for individuals with special needs. I thought, “I could do good with that idea”.
I applied to a social entrepreneurship program in pursuit of my teenage dream. I had major doubts about my success. Ideas of how to ‘do good’ in the inclusive community popped in and out of my head. I struggled to form a solid thought on what I wanted to accomplish. Thanks to Seed613, I was not alone.
From the start, I was inspired by the highly experienced, successful, business leaders teaching our sessions. I was comforted realizing that while some fellows had a fully flushed out product, others were in the idea stages like me. I was paired with two phenomenal mentors. These two incredible women have helped me bring my ideas down from the clouds and onto paper. These mentors and my fellow fellows are honest, insightful and brilliant.
With their help, I was able to realize that accomplishing my “do good’ goal could be as simple as downloading an app or visiting a website. This website will help families navigate the complicated world of special needs. It can connect them to inclusive programming and support services tailored to their individual interests. A website that I am in the process of creating thanks to the continued support and education provided by the Seed613 Fellowship.