October 2018 Est. 1985 Your Community Newspaper
The Northside Chronicle
Volume 34 Issue 10 - FREE -
Photo by Leah Johns of Leah Loves That Photography
Muffy Mendoza (fourth from right) with members of Pittsburgh Brown Mamas (PBM), a support group she founded for Black moms. Mendoza’s “Mastering Motherhood Outdoor Workshop,” which taught parenting skills to new moms, was a project sponsored by PBM and funded by ioby. From left to right: Nichole Bennett Sims, Tamara Butler, Herlana Thompson, Takiya Wormsley, Ayanna Bey, Rochelle Leeper, Muffy Mendoza, Shay Lowry, Yolanda Andrews and Cynthia Levy.
ioby crowdfunds for NS communities
By Nick Eustis In the past 10 years, crowdfunding, or collecting donations from strangers via the internet, has become a nationwide phenomenon. Platforms like Patreon, Kickstarter and GoFundMe have become household names and helped fund thousands of projects. But one crowdfunding platform, ioby, stands out as unique in its field. ioby, which stands for “in our back yard,” is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that helps to bankroll projects benefiting local com-
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munities. It also provides coaching for project managers on community engagement. “We believe that neighbors know what’s best for their neighborhood,” said Miriam Parson, ioby Action Strategist for the Western Pennsylvania region. “You get a web page, as well as one-on-one strategy coaching to reach your goal by activating donors for your community project.” This includes helping to identify potential donor groups and creating messaging tailored toward those groups. ioby strategists are also available anytime to answer
- Fig & Ash, Page 5 STORIES, COLUMNS, - Lance Chimka’s new gig, Page 8 FEATURES & MORE - Community Corner, Page 15
questions about how to improve a campaign. ioby launched in 2009 as a way to make it easier for people to invest in their communities. Since then, ioby has helped successfully fund 1,663 projects, with over five million dollars contributed. They presently do work in five cities: Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, New York and Pittsburgh. ioby also partners with local nonprofits and grant administrators to provide further funding assistance programs. One such program, See ioby, Page 6
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Toastmasters strength is in members By Ashlee Green The Northside Toastmasters Club recently earned the status of “Select Distinguished Club” by Toastmasters International, an educational organization started in the 1920s that promotes communication and leadership skills. The only Toastmasters See Toastmasters, Page 9
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