FY 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05   Project Sparrow Launch (Central Oregon Sparrow Launch)  

Project Sparrow Launch was initially written as a three-year, $351,000 proposal that began in the 2001-02 school year (FY 2001).  The project budget and schedule has since been adjusted to $315,000 with a completion date of September 2005 (FY 2004).  (See Attachments A and B)   The key components of this project include:

• Hiring a Program Manager to launch, service and sustain new Sparrow Clubs
• Hiring an Office Administrator and additional clerical assistance to support Sparrow Projects and Staff
• Securing adequate office space, equipment and travel expenses
• Developing and distributing Service-learning and Curriculum Handbooks for schools
• Enhancing our presentation technology for school assemblies and training
• Becoming increasingly self-sustaining through effective development systems.  
  

The goal for Project Sparrow Launch is to enhance Sparrow Clubs USA infrastructure to most effectively and efficiently maximize opportunities for meeting the pressing needs of kids while minimizing risks of failure.  In short, we must continue to increase our service capacity and improve our program quality so that more kids have the opportunity to become healthy, contributing adults through participation in Sparrow Clubs and Projects.

To date, $191,000 of the $315,000 Project Sparrow Launch (Phase 1) budget has been funded. The two largest contributors have been Murdock Charitable Trust ($105,000) and The Collins Foundation ($30,000).  Several other foundations have also awarded grants ranging from $10,000 to $1,500 toward this project. Our main office is now located in Bend, OR with four employees including the Executive Director, Program Manager, Office Manager (.75 FTE) and Accounting Manager (.5 FTE).  

Project Sparrow Launch has significantly increased our service capacity and dramatically improved the quality and quantity of Sparrow Clubs and projects. In our last 4 years of operation since adding staff and infrastructure, the organization has adopted approximately 200 new Sparrows to clubs (compared to 40 in our first 6 years) and raised $1,034,000 designated for sparrows (compared to $198,000 in our first 6 years).

Along with improving our services overall, we observed how quickly a region like Central Oregon would embrace and support Sparrow Clubs as a local, community-based organization. Out of approximately 50 schools in this small Central Oregon region, we are now sustaining about 30 Sparrow Clubs each year.

In September of 2002, Sparrow Clubs USA launched a satellite Regional Office in Medford, Oregon and hired a regional director, CJ McPhail. The success and enthusiastic response of this new roll-out has been phenomenal! The simple duplication of the regional functions of the Central Oregon office inspires us to consider what possibilities lie ahead for the organization. Within one year, 16 new Sparrow Clubs adopted Sparrows in Southern Oregon and Rogue Valley Medical Center (Asante Health System) donated office space. In 2003, the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce awarded Sparrow Clubs with the Non-Profit Citizen of the Year Award.

Southern Oregon’s Tami Farrell was the Sparrow Club leader at Phoenix High School in 2002-03. Last year, she won the Miss Teen USA pageant and chose Sparrow Clubs to become her national cause. 

The person in charge of the philanthropic involvement with the Miss Universe organization, Susie Dicker,

wanted to learn more about the organization and escorted Tami on a Sparrow Clubs speaking tour in Seattle area schools, hospitals and media.  Shortly thereafter, Sparrow Clubs USA was chosen to be an official charitable alliance with the Miss Universe organization. 

At the 2004 Miss Teen USA pageant in Palm Springs, 50 out of 51 Miss Teen state delegates voluntarily signed-up for future involvement or interest in bringing Sparrow Clubs to their schools.  

Education, Medical and Business Community Endorsements  

Glowing letters of endorsement for Sparrow Clubs have been received from community leaders in the education, medical and business communities in Southern Oregon. Here are a few short excerpts from these leaders …  

• Richard Gregory, Medford Superintendent of Schools (2003-04) “Sparrow Clubs have had a profound, life-changing effect on the students of our schools.  When I reflect on recent Sparrow initiatives to assist children with permanent disabilities or terminal diseases, I am amazed at the total commitment of the school. You can be assured that Sparrow Clubs is making a difference in the lives of kids in Medford School District.”
• Roy Vinyard, President and CEO of Asante Health System (2 hospitals)  “While Asante’s main purpose is quality health care for the communities we serve, a core value for us is service to our community; and Sparrow Clubs fit very well with our mission and values by helping instill in our youth positive values.  Asante has not only been a repeat business sponsor of Sparrow Clubs, but has also provided an office space, a phone and a computer for the regional director as in-kind contributions. I believe Sparrow Clubs are healthy for the community and for children in particular.” 
• Renard Maiuri, General Manager of KDRV 12, ABC Network Affiliate  “It has been my pleasure to be associated with Sparrow Clubs during the past year as the official television sponsor of Sparrow Clubs.  I have been a member of the business community in Medford for nearly 20 years.  I have never seen an organization soar to such a high degree of recognition and success in this community as I have the Sparrow organization.” 

Last year a new Program Coordinator position was added to service expansion of Clubs into Grants Pass and Josephine County. We expect to service 40 to 45 established Sparrow Clubs in the Southern Oregon region by the end of the 2004-05 school year!  

Community leaders and volunteers in key markets in the Pacific Northwest, Texas and Florida are requesting expansion of Sparrow Clubs offices in their regions. Many are catching the vision of how Sparrow Clubs could positively impact their schools and communities. However exciting it would be to expand quickly into these new regions, we must approach growth prudently and realistically.

For this reason, we are optimistically forthright about the opportunity to approach foundations this year to successfully complete Phase 1 of Project Sparrow Launch. We are intent on raising the remaining $124,000 funds so that we can confidently ensure that the Central Oregon Sparrow Clubs office is self-sustainable by the end of FY 2004.

By successfully completing Phase 1 of Project Sparrow Launch we will be in excellent position to begin Phase 2 the three year plan to develop and expand the National Model in three Pacific Northwest markets.