Lost Boyz Inc. Annual Report FY 2013 September 16, 2012 – September 15, 2013 EIN: 26-3317656
EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Table of Contents Letter from the President………………………………………………………………………………………………….....Page 2 History and Mission………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....Page 3 Board of Directors…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....Page 4 Program Sponsors……………………………………………………………………………………...…………………….....Page 6 Program Partners............................................................................................................................................................Page 7 Youth Baseball Program...............................................................................................................................................Page 9 Successful Youth Leaders (SYL) Program..........................................................................................................Page 12 Fundraising Efforts & Results………………............................................................................................................Page 15 Program Revenue & Expenses 2013…………………...........................................................................................Page 17 New Initiatives……………………………………............................................................................................................Page 18 Press Highlights.…………………………………............................................................................................................Page 20
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Letter from the President First and foremost I would like to thank all of our wonderful board members, staff, volunteers, participants, parents, donors, sponsors and supporters for their commitment to the cause and plight of young men struggling throughout the south side of Chicago. 2013 was a year of gain for our organization; we attracted much needed assistance through the installation of new board members, the recruiting of new volunteers, the implementation of new fundraisers, the attraction of new corporate sponsors and the expansion of missionrelated activities. As I look back on the road of how we got to where we are, I am further convinced and inspired as to where we are going. My expectations have never been higher, and my hope is that the expectations of the organization will surpass my own. From Google to Buddy Baseball, our youth were exposed to tremendous cultural and social diversity, and for many of them, it was their escape from the dreary reality of their communities. With that said my vision is for this organization to be a catalyst for these young people to be civically engaged in the redevelopment of their neighborhoods one step, one phase at a time. There is so much potential in the young men we service, but potential is not enough to propel them into a beneficial future. That’s why at Lost Boyz we focus on developing and bringing that potential into full realization and actualization; that’s the real return on our investment, what becomes of these young men. At 38, the harsh reality of being a minority has impacted my thinking in very serious ways; specifically as a black man I can only be perturbed by the emasculation that is self-imposed from the black man to the black boy, and has been so for generations. This postulation further exasperates the challenges and barriers faced already by black boys, and it makes me often wonder then how the rest of society views black boys and men, and their relationships to each other. This is the very essence of why Lost Boyz exists, to strengthen this relationship, to change this societal perspective and to ensure the success of America’s most endangered species. I look forward in 2014 to further taking these challenges head on, constantly reflecting on my own childhood path, and developing an equitable solution for the young men who come after me. As we continue our mission I continue to contemplate on the words of Frederick Douglass 92 years and 3 days before my birth:
“Though the colored man is no longer subject to barter and sale, he is surrounded by an adverse settlement which fetters all his movements. In his downward course he meets with no resistance, but his course upward is resented and resisted at every step of his progress. If he comes in ignorance, rags and wretchedness he conforms to the popular belief of his character, and in that character he is welcome; but if he shall come as a gentleman, a scholar and a statesman, he is hailed as a contradiction to the national faith concerning his race, and his coming is resented as impudence. In one case he may provoke contempt and derision, but in the other he is an affront to pride and provokes malice.” Frederick Douglass September 25, 1883
LaVonté Stewart Sr.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
History & Mission Founded in September of 2008 by LaVonté Stewart Sr., Lost Boyz Inc. is a non-for-profit, grass-roots organization engaged in community development within Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Our organization services youth ages 9 to 17 through our various programs from February until August of every year. Our target population is focused primarily on ultra high-risk youth, incarcerated youth, alienated youth, low income youth, and abused youth. As a result of our efforts since 2008, over 160 children from the South Shore community and 32 children detained in the Illinois Youth Center (IYC) have stayed trouble free for a range of four to nine months while occupied with our athletic and youth leadership activities.
The initial reasons for Lost Boyz Inc. remain constant. School-sponsored sports programs are severely limited in terms of age and range of activities. Based on a recent study, 59% of the people in the Cook County area surveyed believe the public school system fails to meet their sports experience expectations. Driven by economics, most notably with the passage of state legislation limiting school funding, many sports programs have not survived increasing economic pressures on the public school system. Our organization originated in the South Shore neighborhood as a direct response to the need for the revitalization of organized youth baseball in the community. However, an organizational vision and mission greater than providing baseball developed as a result of the spike in adolescent violence, CPS student murders, increased criminal activity, police harassment, and other astonishing deteriorating social conditions of the youth in the community. Our mission is to decrease violence and improve the social conditions among the youth in the South Shore community. Our mission is achieved by providing quality athletic and leadership training, re-entry assistance, and innovative ideas geared for at-risk youth to align income and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Our long-term vision is seeing youth driven economic redevelopment dominate in poor communities. Violent youth would display improved social conditions, scholastic aptitude, and trade skill development as a result of an “earn as you learn” approach. This approach promotes economic reconstitution among younger generations of poor communities by establishing several community-vested, youth-driven venues to attract new external revenue and revive non-residential consumer activity by providing quality service and product.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Board of Directors President & Director - LaVonté Stewart LaVonté Stewart Sr. was born September 28, 1975 on Chicago’s South Side at Jackson Park Hospital. He graduated in the top 5% from Our Lady of Peace Elementary School, Hirsch Metropolitan High school, and Chicago State University, all on Chicago’s South Side. Mr. Stewart Sr. earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2004, and then worked on his Master’s degree until illness struck his family in 2006. Mr. Stewart started working closely with troubled youth through baseball, and formed Lost Boyz Baseball League, which eventually became known simply as Lost Boyz Inc. Recently, LaVonté began working on his Masters in Public Policy at DePaul University while working in the office for a well-known State Senator. He currently resides on the south side with his fiancée and 3 children.
Secretary & Treasurer - Jocelyn Vana Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Jocelyn now resides in the western suburbs with her husband Chris. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Undergraduate Business School in 2009, Jocelyn went on to work in the Corporate Development and Finance industries. Currently, she works as a Financial Analyst at a nonprofit firm located in the Loop. In addition to her role as the Secretary for Lost Boyz Inc., Jocelyn also participates in the overall development of the organization, overseeing the organization’s finances, fundraising efforts, and volunteer recruitment.
Director of Service Learning - Credell Walls A child of the Robert Taylor public housing complex for 19 years, Credell Walls has gone from writing raps, poems and creative short stories to working with youth. During his work life, Cre has worked at the Jane Goodall Institute and the Garfield Park Conservatory. Through both jobs, he has worked with the likes of the world renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall and has done several TV and radio spots promoting service learning and youth development. In 2004 Cre took 10 west Side youth to Peru to visit the rain forest. He created and delivered professional and personal development training workshops to more than 3,000 youth nationally. In addition to working with youth, Cre has studied Improv at Chicago's Second City and has since then performed with his sketch comedy group Soul Fools in different festivals and events such as Harold Washington College, Second City and Stage773 to name a few. Credell Walls earned his BA at DePaul University in Non Profit Management in 2013. Currently, he is the Community Engagement Specialist at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. In addition to his role as
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
the Director of Service Learning for Lost Boyz, Cre is currently on the Board of Directors of Safe Humane Chicago, Chicago Public Allies, and the Chicago Build the Peace Committee. He believes that everyone can make a difference but the first change must come from within. With that change, you can create change around you and in your community.
Board Member - Robert Williams A graduate of Hampton University in 1996, Rob went on to work for the Chicago Police Department. There, he continues to fight violence on the streets of the city as an officer. When not patrolling the neighborhoods of the city, Rob tends to the buildings he owns and its residents. He currently resides on the south side of the city.
Board Member – Omar Heading
Board Member – Nicole Robinson
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Program Sponsors
The Sports Shed is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides sports equipment to under-resourced kids. They collect new and gently used sports equipment and distribute these items to organizations that provide sports programs for kids in need. The Sports Shed provides kids with equipment so that these kids have the opportunity to participate in sports without having to worry about the cost.
Pitch In For Baseball spreads America's favorite pastime to kids all over the world. From getting out and having fun, to learning about sportsmanship and teamwork, baseball is a great activity for all kids. To share our beloved sport, Pitch In For Baseball collects and redistributes new and gently-used youth baseball and softball equipment to underserved communities here in the United States and around the globe. "We're grateful that Pitch In For Baseball will fill this significant need." - Steve Keener, CEO and President, Little League Baseball and Softball
The team members at Experience Baseball are baseball fans, educators, and community volunteers. They believe baseball has the power to transform communities. Founded and led by Tobias Blake, Experience Baseball’s Mission is to improve the quality of life in urban neighborhoods home to professional baseball. Their goal is to provide safe, fun, and educational baseball experiences for all baseball fans and to connect resources with the needs of community development organizations that work to improve access to health, education, and a vibrant economy in urban baseball communities.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
South Shore Hospital is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the highest quality of Healthcare possible to the South Shore community. They are committed to providing appropriate care to each individual patient, regardless of race, color, creed, and financial status. Known for delivering high-quality care since its founding in 1912, South Shore Hospital’s reputation is based on the dedication of its physicians and caring professional and support staff members. They believe that it is their commitment to excellence that enables them to deliver extraordinary care to their patients.
Masterpiece Framing is Chicagoland's premier custom frame gallery and design boutique. They frame pictures, restore photos, print images and place art. In other words, they transform your memories into a Masterpiece!
Program Partners Education First’s (EF) mission and their passion are one and the same. For almost 50 years, they’ve helped millions of people become citizens of the world by breaking down barriers of language, culture and geography. Through cultural exchanges, educational travel, language training and degree programs they are the World Leader in International Education.
Perkle’s mission is twofold. This company wants to make giving back to communities a part of everyday living. They want to empower people to support causes important to them without spending an extra dollar. Second, Perkle wants to create social good by connecting nonprofit organizations with corporate sponsors and enable them to benefit from one another. They want brands to be able to engage customers around causes important to them, while providing support to the organizations that help our community. By shopping through their website, customers are offered “perks” for some of their favorite stores (Macy’s, Amazon, Nordstrom, and more). When a purchase is made, the customer simultaneously contributes to a nonprofit.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Force for Good is a two-year, Chicago Police Department Program that provides 25 community and faithbased organizations with skill development classes, technical assistance and mentorship to increase their capacity to identify, obtain and manage grants and resources. Through this program, Lost Boyz staff was able to gain much needed knowledge about Board Development, applying for grants, partnering with other organizations, and other important topics. We thank CPD for this wonderful program and everything that we in turned gained from participating.
Rosemoor Little League is comprised of 6 Divisions of co-ed baseball ranging from ages 3 through 16. T-Ball Division (Ages 3 - 6); Minor League (Ages 7 - 9); Girls Softball Minor League (Ages 7 - 10); Major League (Ages 10 - 12); Junior League (Ages 13 - 14); Senior League (Ages 15 - 16). Big League (Ages 17 - 18) is offered through the district. Over 200 boys and girls participate in Rosemoor Little League Baseball. The number of teams has grown steadily over the past two years and is expected to continue this season.
campusCATALYST seeks to direct the innovation, ingenuity, and problem solving skills of America’s future leaders towards community development by cultivating a rich academic and social entrepreneurship experience for college students and tangible solutions for nonprofits. For 10 weeks during our Winter Clinic, student consultants from the University of Chicago worked to evaluate the program, increase participant and parental involvement, and generate new avenues for funding.
The mission of Goodcity is to identify and then support high potential community-based entrepreneurs whose goals are to create or enhance neighborhood and faith-based programs that promote self-sufficiency, hope and a sense of purpose in the lives of individuals in under-resourced communities.
Hats Cheap Online Lost Boyz purchased all of our youth baseball hats from this company during our summer season. Hats Cheap Online provided top quality and affordable merchandise for both our Yankees and Patriots teams.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Description of Programs Currently, Lost Boyz offers two different programs, Youth Baseball and the Successful Youth Leaders (SYL) Program. Please continue reading for more information.
Youth Baseball Winter Clinic Description & Summary 

The first phase of the Youth Baseball program, Winter Clinic, is conducted indoors, from February until early April. Participants are taught appropriate behavior and safety on and off the field, the history of baseball, and physical conditioning. Game skills enhancement is the goal, but academic improvement and giving back to the community are both important as well; this is accomplished through Tutoring and Service Learning activities. Past Service Learning activities have included Earth Day and Worm Composting.
During Winter Clinic, a group of student consultants from the University of Chicago Campus Catalyst program evaluated our program by surveying both parents and participants. The consultants wanted to evaluate parental/participant satisfaction and participant academic improvements as a result of participating in Lost Boyz programs. A survey conducted by University of Chicago Campus Catalyst students found that parents reported three main reasons for signing up their children for the program: cultivating self-discipline, improving baseball skills, and developing sportsmanship and teamwork skills. These expectations have been met at a highly satisfying rate, with survey data being presented below. On a scale of 1-5, both parents and participants were asked to rate their satisfaction levels for each category, with 0 being the least satisfied and 5 being the most satisfied.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Improve Baseball Skills Participant
Sportsmanship/Teamwork
Parent Self Discipline 0
1
2
3
4
5
Expectations
Percentage Satisfied
Self-discipline
75%
Sportsmanship/Teamwork
100%
Improve baseball skills
67%
According to the Uof C student consultants, “The high level of parental satisfaction indicates that Lost Boyz has demonstrated its worth to the participants’ parents who, by signing up their children for the program, have essentially entrusted the organization with the present and future well-being of their young people. The data suggests that Lost Boyz has made a certain level of positive impact on the participants, given the nature of the expectations stated and the rate of fulfillment.” Moreover, 86% of parents mentioned that Lost Boyz has helped prevent their children from being influenced by street violence, mostly by keeping them indoors while providing them with motivational guidance. Considering the fact that the founding mission of Lost Boyz is indeed to reduce violence among youth, this data is a very encouraging reflection of our success. Participants of the program also reported their current academic grades in the survey conducted by the student consultants. GPA % of Participants
3.0 and Above 76.9%
2.0 23%
1.0 0%
Aligned with self-reported stories about grade improvements since the time they began attending the Lost Boyz program, it is estimated that participants increase their GPA by 0.58 points on average in the duration of participation. According to research completed by the Uof C group, “While an explicit cause and effect relationship is yet to be established, it can still be inferred that Lost Boyz has at least maintained a positive influence on the participants’ personal development, though not necessarily a direct contribution to the improvement in grades in terms of academic skills. However, success in school is not merely an indicator of intelligence; success in school is also an indication that the student is very likely to be faring well in other aspects of their
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
personal life in order to muster the time and effort for their academic commitments. Participation in youth programs such as that of Lost Boyz has already demonstrated a positive correlation with academic performance in a number of studies (Côté, Deakin & Fraser-Thomas, 2007); coupled with the self-reported grades in this survey, Lost Boyz can demonstrate that they have indeed played a positive role in these young people’s academic life.”
Spring Training/Summer Baseball Description & Summary
The second phase of the program is Spring Training & Summer League, which moves from indoors to outdoors for 12 weeks of training and competitive play. Here, all players are assessed by a series of measures; new players are drafted by an interested team or lottery, and returning players are either traded or returned to their previous team. From May until August, each team plays approximately 30 games in competitive play and faces teams from the Chicagoland area. All teams will make the playoffs, which is a three round, best-of, round-robin tournament. Also, players will again participate in Service Learning activities, but will also participate in fun outings, such as a trip to a White Sox game.
End of Season Statistics # of Youth Served 30 kids served, 2 teams, ages 9-17 Yankees Win/Loss/Tie Record Yankees W-L) 3-7-0 No playoffs Patriots Win/Loss/Tie Record Patriots (W-L) 7-11-0 Playoffs 0-2 # of Hours Spent Practicing per Youth 100 Hours over 18 Week Season Game Participation per Yankee 20 Hours Game Participation per Patriot 36 Hours # of Total Hours Spent Volunteering 168 Hours
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Benefits for the youth participating in the program include: Improved grades Decrease in behavioral issues at school Decrease in peer-to-peer conflict Improvement at home with personal responsibility and discipline (according to parents) Exposure to neighborhoods, activities, and cultures outside those represented in the South Shore area
Successful Youth Leaders (SYL) Service Learning: The Service Learning aspect of the SYL Program combines service objectives with learning objectives, with the intent that the activity changes both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content. Past outings have included trips to the Garfield Conservatory and the Field Museum and a Clean-Up Day at Ashford Park. Please see below for a list of Service Learning activities completed during the 2013 season. Google Tour - Our youth visited the Google office right here in Chicago, courtesy of the Black Google Network (BGN). These Googlers (people who work at Google) showed us their office. Throughout the tour, we saw diverse workplaces with items such as Android toys, game rooms, and even nap rooms. After the tour, our youth went to the conversation room to watch a presentation about what Google does and the many products the company offers. We hope that the Lost Boyz youth will develop their technical knowledge even more and in the future, maybe they will work at Google! Buddy Baseball – Buddy Baseball is a program where children with different disabilities have a chance to play baseball with a person helping them, also known as a buddy. As a major part of the core initiatives of Lost Boyz is to volunteer and help others as you would want to be helped, our players took a Sunday to go and be buddies!
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Earth Day – In April, our youth gathered at Ashe Park, located on Chicago’s far south side, to help clean the park and plant trees in celebration of Earth Day. Tree Tagging at Ashe Park – Our purpose for this event was to acclimate the youth with environmental activities centered on tree care. On a May weekend, our youth returned to Ashe Park to identify the various types of trees located in the park. After identifying the tree types, the trunk diameter was measured; the tree was then labeled with a large tag, and the data recorded for the National Arboretum database.
Group Travel Planners – On the last day of Winter Clinic, our youth were visited by 25 honor society members from Newell-Fonda High School in Iowa. The Iowa students met not only with our youth, but also with youth from the Hip Hop Hello greeting card program. Everyone really enjoyed getting to know each other, sharing stories about their school experiences, and showcasing their acting talents.
University of Chicago Maroons Baseball Game – It’s important for Lost Boyz participants to not only thrive on the field, but to thrive in the classroom as well. To showcase great examples of young men excelling in both arenas, we took our youth to meet members of the University of Chicago Maroons’ baseball team. Before the game, our youth spoke with the college players and even received autographed baseballs. During the game, members of one of the university fraternities treated Lost Boyz youth to free hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Fishing with Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) & Outdoor Extravaganza with IDNR & the Forest Preserve – By partnering with the IDNR and the Illinois Forest Preserve, Lost Boyz youth were able to truly experience an outdoor extravaganza twice this summer! They had the chance to wall climb, learn how to fish, and learn even more about nature.
‘42’ Movie Premiere – Perhaps one of the most exciting events from this year was Lost Boyz’ special invite to see the ‘42’ movie premiere at Chatham Movie Theater, located right off 87th & State Street. The new Jackie Robinson film premiered on Friday, April 12th and Lost Boyz was there to experience it! That’s right, the South Shore Yankees and the South Shore Patriots were both invited to view this new and exciting film! This was a particularly special outing for our youth for many reasons. Not only were our youth interviewed by Hot Rod from Power 92, Darlene Hill from Fox Chicago, and ABC Chicago, but our players also had the chance to learn about the great Jackie Robinson in a new way. As our aspiring athletes sat and watched ‘42’, you could hear the players asking Coach LaVonté historical baseball questions and you could see them staring at the screen waiting to see what Robinson would do next.
Academic Arm: Partnering with the Chicago summer program, One Summer, Lost Boyz hosted 11 youth interns during 2012. Through this program, the interns learned Marketing Research, Social Media Management skills, and how to mentor our youth baseball players. With society ever-increasingly living online, it was important that our interns discovered not only how to market a business, but how to manage social media tools to effectively do so. This past summer, Lost Boyz partnered with EF Chicago to host 3 international interns who not only brought their management and business skills to the table, but they each brought a different perspective and cultural background that could be shared with our youth. As one of the Lost Boyz core initiatives is to expose our participants to other cultures, partnering with EF Chicago was the perfect opportunity to do so. These interns helped build and expand Lost Boyz’ online social presence through websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and more. They were also instrumental in putting together our monthly newsletters and even this very report!
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Fundraising Efforts & Results This year, Lost Boyz recognized that hosting fundraiser events could potentially knock down any financial barriers parents faced when deciding whether or not to sign their child up for our program. Because we want every willing family to be able to participate in our programs, we thought selling candy and tickets to events would be a fun way to not only afford the program fee, but also to meet other parents, participants, staff, and donors. Continue reading to learn more about the fundraisers we held this year.
Family & Friends Bowling Night – In April, Lost Boyz hosted its very first Annual Family and Friends Night at Skyway Bowling Alley, located on 99th & Torrence Ave. Our players, parents, and guests really enjoyed themselves. Several businesses, including Jeffro Furniture, Evolution Wine & Spirits, and the Chicago Fire donated raffle items. Because of the support we received from everyone, Lost Boyz was able to raise $300! This money went towards summer umpire fees, field fees, and insurance costs.
Spring Benefit Concert - Our second fundraiser, the Spring Benefit Concert, was an astounding success as well! We held this fundraiser on Saturday, April 13 th at Our Lady of Peace Church located on 79th & Jeffery. In conjunction with Our Lady of Peace Church, Lost Boyz hosted the Shanley Choir from Shanley High School in Fargo, North Dakota. This 90 member choir was more than amazing! Everyone really enjoyed listening to them sing! The Chicago Fire, the White Sox, and several individuals also contributed items to raffle. Because of the support that we received from everyone with this fundraiser, Lost Boyz and Our Lady of Peace Church were able to raise $1,200!! The portion for Lost Boyz went towards purchasing new uniforms for our teams.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
White Sox Game – Courtesy of the White Sox, tickets were donated to Lost Boyz so that we could raise money to further fund our 2013 summer season. The Take Me Out to the Ball Game fundraiser was a great success! We can’t thank the White Sox and our players who sold tickets to their family and friends enough! One of our parents, Ms. Green also played an instrumental role, as she safely drove our players to and from the stadium.
Experience Baseball White Sox Fundraiser – This year we welcomed a new partner organization, Experience Baseball. On Tuesday, July 2, 2013, Experience Baseball hosted a fun baseball fan experience for 41 baseball fans, educators, and community leaders in order to raise awareness and support the efforts of Lost Boyz Inc. Proceeds raised from this event directly benefited our organization and help further the baseball program for our youth.
Candy Sales – In order to help offset costs for families, the participants and their parents were able to sell boxes of candy this year. Each box sold helped contribute to their child’s program fee and reduce their out-ofpocket contribution. This method was very successful and thus, Lost Boyz will be offering this option again during the 2014 season.
Perkle – During June, Perkle launched its pages for nonprofits. This innovative organization has teamed up with your favorite companies (Macy's, Amazon, and Best Buy to name a few) to offer discounts (or perks) on purchases. Best of all, when you shop through a nonprofit's page, part of the revenue is donated back to that nonprofit! So check out our Perkle page today to help us help the community!
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Financial Results for FY 2013 FY 2013 Revenue Breakdown 15% 11% Corporate Sponsorship 8%
Individual Giving Fundraising Program Fees Board Member Contributions
33% 26%
In-Kind Gifts SYL Program
4%
3%
FY 2013 Expense Breakdown Equipment Inventory
24.7%
27.2% Baseball League Fees
Uniforms, Apparel, & Accessories SYL Program 3.8% Fees & Subscriptions 0.1%
Legal Fees 9.3%
3.8% 2.7%
Printing & Supplies Travel
16.5%
11.9%
Fundraising Costs
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
New Initiatives during FY 2013
New Logo! – Thanks to Matt Puchalski of Masterpiece Framing, a new (and very cool!) logo was created for Lost Boyz. We really love this unique and innovative logo, as it incites conversation behind the meaning of Lost Boyz and all that our organization strives to achieve.
Old Logo
New Logo
New Home Field – During the 2013 season, Lost Boyz moved its baseball program’s home field from the Jesse Owens Park located on 87th & Jeffery to Rosenblum Park, located on 76th& Jeffery. The new field is fantastic! It provides astro turf, meaning inclement weather will not affect the field. This beautiful area behind South Shore High School is also in an open area with lots of light to keep the park well lit when the sun goes down.
Website Launch – Last November, we officially moved from www.LostBoyzInc.com to www.LostBoyzInc.org. Through our ‘We’ve Never Looked Better’ announcement, we let everyone know of the switch. Thanks to Google for Nonprofits and Christopher Vana, our webmaster, we were provided a brand new, redesigned website free of charge. Our website is easier to navigate than ever before and provides a news section, galleries, and more to keep you updated on Lost Boyz activities. Ever since the launch, our website has gotten over 4,000 page views!
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Creation of Monthly Newsletter – During a donor evaluation conducted by the University of Chicago Campus Catalyst student consultants, we discovered that donors wanted to be more connected to Lost Boyz. So what better way to increase donor and participant engagement than by sending a monthly newsletter with updates. Our first newsletter sent in February was met with a 44.4% open rate, more than double the industry average. In the newsletters, we include information on past and upcoming games, fundraisers, service learning events, and recreational activities. We also highlight our donors, youth participants, and staff through the Spotlight section. This section is especially important because it allows donors and others to get to know the people we serve and the people who make Lost Boyz possible.
Chicago Non-Profit Fair – In May, we attended our first nonprofit fair held at the Embassy Suites downtown. Attending the fair not only allowed us to increase our organization’s awareness in the nonprofit and volunteer community, but also to attract potential volunteers and board members.
Expanded Online Presence through Social Media – Thanks to our wonderful interns from EF Chicago, we were able to build on the Twitter and Facebook web pages created by our One Summer interns in 2012. The interns this year further expanded our online presence by creating our Google + page. Because of Lost Boyz Inc.’s presence on Twitter, other organizations were able to connect with us and ultimately provide an important avenue of funding. Through Twitter, The Sports Shed located us and reached out to one of the staff members. The Sports Shed worked diligently with our organization to gather equipment and baseball apparel/accessories needs. Through this partnership, almost $3,000 worth of in-kind donations was provided to the baseball program and participants. These donations included bats, baseballs, gloves, cleats, helmets, a soft toss pitch machine, apparel, and other accessories that otherwise would have either been very difficult for our small organization to provide or impossible for our participants to purchase. However, the benefits of our presence on social media did not end there. Experience Baseball, a nonprofit based out of Indiana, also initially reached out to us through Twitter. Experience Baseball went on to host a fundraiser event this past July to benefit our baseball program. Because of this fundraiser, Lost Boyz was able to promote its organization and brand to a multitude of people, including students, industry professionals, sports legacies and more. We also received funding from Experience Baseball, a thank you letter, and a great start to a long-term partnership.
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
Our social media success is not only measured by the amount of donations provided, but also by the level of donor and participant engagement. Because of social media outlets, Lost Boyz is able to stay connected to its donors and participants both on and off the field. We provide real-time updates about the games and fundraisers that occur. We also make sure to post photos and special articles about the organization, including press highlights, videos, and monthly newsletters. All of these aspects and more allow a 24-7 update for sponsors and even more visibility for their own companies, as Lost Boyz tweets or facebooks about every donation made to our organization or any partnership we develop. Ever since Lost Boyz’ Twitter launch earlier this year, we have connected with over 8 partner organizations and have been retweeted to an audience of over 31,000 people through various organizations such as One Good Deed Chicago, Volunteer Match, Chicago Cares, and other partner organizations.
Press Highlights Chicago Baseball Museum: http://www.chicagobaseballmuseum.org/files/CBM-Experience-Baseball20130627.pdf Fox Chicago Video: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/video?clipId=8771038&topVideoCatNo=230378&autoStart=true ABC Chicago Interview: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=9063516
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EIN: 26-3317656
Website: www.LostBoyzInc.org
Phone: (773) 245-6804
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