Today we’d like to introduce you to Dina Simon. They and their team shared their story with us below:
At age 7, Founder, Mandi Simon, knew she wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. Most importantly, the lives of other kids! A few months before Mandi’s 8th birthday, she shared her vision to start a company. With the last name Simon, it was pretty easy to come up with Simon Says Give. From that day forward, Simon Says Give was born and has blossomed into a value-oriented kid-led charity.
Simon Says Give is a Minnesota-based non-profit with chapters in Sioux Falls, SD, and Worchester, MA. Providing children with birthday celebrations and during the summer months backpack and school supplies through their High Five for Supplies program. With youth engaged in the organization, there are several leadership opportunities for them to get involved and lead projects.
Over the past 10 years amazing individuals, corporations, and foundations have enthusiastically come together to serve the mission of Simon Says Give with their individual passions and talents. Because of them, over 202,500 children have benefited from Simon Says Give.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Over the past years, just like everyone else, we have had to navigate the pandemic. We have had a significant reduction in funding and we had to pivot from in-person events to ones with limited volunteers. As any non-profit, our challenges are always around funding. There is not a shortage of children to support!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I grow up in the Staffing Industry. When Mandi, my daughter, shared her business plan for starting Simon Says Give, I had just left my corporate career and had gone out on my own. With this, I had space and time to help dedicate to this passion project. For Simon Says Give, I serve as the President in a volunteer role to support Mandi and her mission.
Once we started Simon Says Give, we rebranded my consulting company to dba as Simon Says Lead. I provide leadership coaching and training to individuals and companies through consulting. The relationship we have back to Simon Says Give sets me apart from others in my space. Each year, proceeds from the consulting company go back to support the nonprofit.
What I am most proud of, is Simon Says Give and Simon Says lead has been going strong in Minnesota for over a decade!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
At Simon Says Give, hundreds of non-profit partners have worked with us over the years.
They help distribute backpacks, school supplies, and birthdays to our communities’ kids who need them the most.
We have hundreds of businesses that have given volunteer time or financial support. Over 13,000 volunteers in the past decade have supported our grassroots efforts.
Pricing:
- $50 for a fully loaded backpack
- $150 for a birthday celebration
- $10,000 for Legacy Donor Status
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.simonsaysgive.org/ | https://www.simonsayslead.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimonSaysGive
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simon-says-give/
