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Melissa Helmbrecht

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Melissa Helmbrecht
Helmbrecht in 2021
Bornc. 1975 (age 49–50)
Wilmington, Delaware
Alma materAmerican University
University of Denver Law School
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, youth activist
Spouse(s)Walter J. Kappeler, Jr.
Children2
Websitehttps://www.hopeloft.com/

Melissa Helmbrecht (born 1975 in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American social entrepreneur and advocate for young people.[1]

Biography

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During her academic pursuits, Helmbrecht failed her freshman year at Arthur P. Schalick High School in New Jersey before moving to Florida.[2] While a senior in high school, Helmbrecht created a national organization called Youth CAN under the auspices of the Caring Institute.[3]

In 1991, Helmbrecht was appointed to the Orlando Leadership Council, where she promoted youth service. She also participated in a design council for The Walt Disney Company's model town of Celebration, Florida.[4]

In 1991, then-President George H.W. Bush designated Orlando as "America's First City of Light," a pilot project of the Points of Light Foundation aimed at increasing volunteerism. Helmbrecht was appointed to the business leadership council, youth leadership council, and the executive board of the City of Light, where she launched a program called Schools of Light to integrate volunteer services into area schools.[5]

Helmbrecht graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1998 and the University of Denver College of Law in 2001, where she studied child advocacy law.[6] While at the University of Denver Law School, Helmbrecht served as the 15th Circuit Governor for the American Bar Association Law Student Division and on the ABA Committee for the Unmet Legal Needs of Children.[7] In 2000, Helmbrecht was a speaker at the National Association of Independent Schools conference.[8] She also served as a Guardian Ad Litem for abused and neglected children in court while studying at the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center. As president of the Children's Millennium Movement, Helmbrecht was recognized by the American Bar Association in 2001 for her efforts in addressing the needs of foster children.[9]

Following the Columbine High School Massacre and the September 11th terrorist attacks, Helmbrecht founded the Youth Investment Project with a grant from Youth Service America. The project was a mentoring program for middle school students in Denver, Colorado, to encourage participation in peer mediation and conflict resolution activities.[10] The project included a "Day of Hope" on the first anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre that featured two surviving students, with 10,000 young people participating in volunteer service projects.[11][12][13][14][15]

Kelly Clarkson singing at the first United Day of Service on September 11, 2002.

In 2000, Helmbrecht founded Champions of Hope. Her organization, along with Youth Service America, founded the United Day of Service to promote youth-led service learning projects. Over three million volunteers from the U.S. and 150 other countries participated in the United Day of Service, with approximately 650,000 youth registered to organize and participate in service projects.[16] The Verizon Foundation sponsored the activities.[17] Helmbrecht secured Kelly Clarkson's participation in the first celebration of the United Day of Service on September 11, 2002, at the National Mall, alongside actor Sean Astin and former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford.[18][19] That year, she served on the White House's "Youth Service Compact," a committee of nonprofit groups that formulated a strategy to increase the impact of youth service organizations.[20]

In 2008, Helmbrecht served on the Global Ambassadors Committee of Airline Ambassadors International, a project organized by travel commentator Peter Greenberg, the travel editor of NBC's Today Show.[21] In June 2008, she was among the signers of the Youth Entitlements Summit Declaration.[22]

In 2007, Helmbrecht founded Splashlife, Inc., an online company that aimed to empower youth through community and advocacy support, networking, and tools for daily life management.[23] On March 19, 2009, Whoopi Goldberg mentioned Splashlife on The View talk show.[24][25] Through Splashlife, Helmbrecht organized youth-led mobilizations focused on social transformation. In 2011, the company partnered with Team Rubicon to launch a national "Rebuilding from Devastation" campaign to support disaster relief efforts in the Southern and Midwest U.S.[26] Splashlife also launched Generation Innovation, an initiative designed to support and reward young entrepreneurs, as a part of the White House Youth Entrepreneur Summit.[27]

Helmbrecht is the founder and CEO of Hopeloft [1], a nonprofit charity based in New Jersey that provides community services including one-on-one family advocacy and support, trauma-informed work, and educational opportunities, as well as life skills classes.

Political career

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Helmbrecht ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia's Eighth Congressional District in 2003 as a Republican candidate with a campaign focused on education reform, youth empowerment, and improving community services.[28][29][30][31] Lisa Marie Cheney secured the nomination at the district Republican convention.[28][29][30]

Awards and recognition

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Helmbrecht has received the following awards:

  • The White House Building Healthy Communities and Healthy Youth Award
  • The CBS Everyday Hero Award
  • The Walt Disney World Dreamers and Doers Award
  • The National Caring Award[4]

She was also inducted into the Frederick Douglass Museum and Hall of Fame for Caring Americans.[32] She was recognized by Youth Service America for her social entrepreneurship and youth advocacy efforts.[33]

References

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  1. ^ "New wave of social entrepreneurs". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  2. ^ Rogers, Dan. "Newly appointed CASA executive director returns to South Jersey after extensive career", The News of Cumberland County, August 5, 2012, updated January 18, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2021. "She failed nearly every year leading up to high school before flunking ninth grade at Arthur P. Schalick High School in Pittsgrove, and after moving to Florida, failed 10th grade, Kappeler said."
  3. ^ Cumberl, Dan Rogers/The News of; County (2012-08-05). "Newly appointed CASA executive director returns to South Jersey after extensive career". nj. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
  4. ^ a b "Melissa Helmbrecht, Age 18."[usurped] The Caring Institute. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  5. ^ Correspondent, Steven T. Guthrow Sentinel (4 August 1994). "TEEN HELPS HOMELESS, HERSELF TO BETTER LIVES". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Cumberl, Dan Rogers/The News of (5 August 2012). "Newly appointed CASA executive director returns to South Jersey after extensive career". nj.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Melissa Martin" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Mobilize.org. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  8. ^ "2000 NAIS Annual Conference Program - Keynote Speakers." Archived 2008-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, NAIS. Retrieved 3/19/09.
  9. ^ Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children America's Children. (2001) Still at Risk: A Report of the Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children. American Bar Association. p 483.
  10. ^ Division, ABA Law Student. "ABA for Law Students". ABA for Law Students. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  11. ^ April 14, 2000. "'Boy In The Window' Won't Look Back Student Has Turned Tragedy Into 'Personal Triumph'", CBS News.
  12. ^ "IU group plans service-learning conference in Indianapolis: IU News Room: Indiana University". newsinfo.iu.edu. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  13. ^ "The Columbine High School Tragedy: The Denver Post". extras.denverpost.com. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  14. ^ Wolf, M. "Columbine seniors urge hope, healing" Archived 2009-01-25 at the Wayback Machine, The Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 4/20/09.
  15. ^ "The Columbine High School Tragedy: The Denver Post". extras.denverpost.com. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  16. ^ Camden, Follow (24 September 2020). "United Day of Service Calls Millions Of Youth To Volunteer In Their Communities". Follow South Jersey.
  17. ^ "News Release: Verizon Commemorates 9/11 By Supporting The First Annual United Day Of Service", Verizon. August 26, 2002. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  18. ^ September 2, 2002. "American Idol Winner to Sing National Anthem for 9/11 Memorial Service in D.C." Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine, Champions of Hope. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  19. ^ Silverman, S.M. (9/9/02) "Kelly Clarkson Hits Sour Note over 9/11", People (magazine). Retrieved 3/20/09.
  20. ^ December 11, 2002. "Champions of Hope Announces Huge Success in Marketing Global Initiative Using Avalon's Digital Technology and Services," Business Wire. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  21. ^ 10/16/08. "The Airline Ambassadors Global Compassion Ball", KiwiCollection. Retrieved 3/19/09.
  22. ^ "Youth Entitlement Summit Declaration" Archived 2009-03-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  23. ^ Ungar, Rick (April 5, 2011). "Splashlife Debuts To Advocate And Inform America's Young". Forbes.
  24. ^ "Recap: Week of March 16, 2009" Archived May 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, ABC. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  25. ^ "Splashlife on the View" Archived 2009-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, Red Clay Media. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  26. ^ "UniversalGiving and Splashlife have partnered with Team Rubicon to provide relief to Alabama tornado victims". universalgiving.org.
  27. ^ Staff (December 1, 2011). "Splashlife Partners with Lincoln Financial Group to Launch Generation Innovation". www.marketscreener.com.
  28. ^ a b Palmer, Barbara; Dennis Michael Simon (2008). Breaking the political glass ceiling: women and congressional elections (2nd ed.). Routledge. pp. 44, 53. ISBN 9780415964708. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  29. ^ a b "Young women leaders board biographies: Elizabeth Kelly", American University. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  30. ^ a b Palmer, Barbara (March 20, 2004). "Women and the 2004 campaign" (PDF). American University. p. 2. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
  31. ^ Palmer, Barbara; Simon, Dennis Michael (2008). Breaking the Political Glass Ceiling: Women and Congressional Elections. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-96470-8.
  32. ^ "Hall of Fame", Frederick Douglass Museum. Retrieved 3/20/09.
  33. ^ "New wave of social entrepreneurs". Christian Science Monitor. 1999-08-23. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
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