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The LeaderShop Alumni Association, a group of volunteers, previous staff members, former board members, funders, donors, and stakeholders who are community minded and energized by the mission of The LeaderShop, will host a peaceful rally in support of change to current leadership for the nonprofit agency.
The rally will be held during The LeaderShop Board Meeting on Thursday, July 11, at 5:30 p.m. at The LeaderShop parking lot of the LaGrange Park District Building at 4903 Willow Springs Road in LaGrange. The LeaderShop Alumni Association is inviting community members to participate and amplify the ask of their collective voice.
The rally scheduled by LeaderShop Alumni Association is in response to the organization’s ongoing battles related to funding issues, which lead to the recent elimination of several key positions and a restructuring of staff. Funding issues arose last December based on alleged misconduct of the agency’s current Executive Director.
The LeaderShop Alumni Association has worked collectively to appeal to the agency’s board, local officials, and community groups by calling for full transparency for all future transactions, while addressing the mismanagement of fiscal responsibility, as well as the general misalignment to the mission of the organization. The Alumni Association issued a Letter of Demands on July 1, 2024, to the Board of Directors in light of organizational changes, loss of funding, and the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission’s letter dated June 3, 2024, sent to The LeaderShop outlining concerning behavior by the Executive Director.
The Alumni Association offered an alternative plan that was initially denied by the Board of Directors, despite claims the, “entire board sincerely wants to work with your group in collaborative fashion.” As a result, The LeaderShop Alumni Association will host the rally during the Board Meeting, as well as have three representatives addressing the Board at 6 p.m. The LeaderShop Alumni Association is driven to ensure the core mission of the agency continues to empower youth through diverse programs that foster confidence, knowledge, and leadership. The alleged misconduct and lack of transparency during the investigative process has led to a loss of confidence in the credibility of The LeaderShop’s leadership.
Join The LeaderShop Alumni Association at the peaceful rally to ensure that the 34 communities, with over 760 youth participants, over 200 youth volunteers, 130 adult volunteers, and 16,475 hours of program participation by youth can continue to make the impact of lives of local young men and women.
