News & EventseUPDATE5 in 5ArticlesPresident Obama names Public Allies CEO to White House CouncilPublic Allies board member is a Huffington Post "Greatest Person"Public Allies Funds Three Alumni Engagement InitiativesIn the News: Delaware's Incoming Class FeaturedText of Paul Schmitz's Independent Sector SpeechOn Leadership: New Washington Post Commentary by Public Allies CEO.Family Services Director Welcomes Public AlliesPittsburgh Magazine names site director to "Top 40 Under 40" listPublic Allies Expands to Three More CitiesIndianapolis Graduates Its Inaugural Class of AlliesDavid McKinney Named to FellowshipFamily Services of Metro Orlando Partners with Public AlliesPublic Allies CEO Named to List of Top 50 Nonprofit "Power & Influence" LeadersMacArthur Antigua is named an NGen FellowMilwaukee Ally Spotlighted on Local TV NewsCincinnati Ally Curates "Short Straw" ExhibitPublic Allies CEO Co-Authors Article About Social Innovation FundOn Leadership: Washington Post Commentary by Public Allies CEOMichelle Obama Said:"The happiest time of my life was working to build Public Allies""national service programs will be our own stress test to see if we can handle the growth of The Serve America Act" - Public Allies CEO Paul SchmitzFirst Lady mentions Public Allies, announces social innovation fund to TIME 100Program provides opportunity in challenging job marketSchool of Social Work Announces Partnership with National Leadership Training GroupCompany's Nonprofit Academy Helps Prepare LeadersPublic Allies has stellar record of producing public servantsPublic Allies and Public Allies Alumnus were reconized by President Obama during signing of serviceStatement By The President on the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America ActNike Foundation CEO Nominated as CEO for CNCSNation needs youthful idealism more than everWith Finance Disgraced, Which Career Will Be King?Community Organizing Never Looked So GoodJourney For JusticePublic Allies Alumna is the First Lady of FunnyThe Chronicle of Philanthropy Tells the Story of Public Allies, the Obamas and the ClintonsCEO Featured in National Article on Nonprofit WorkforcePublic Allies Featured in National Study FindingsGeneral InformationReports, Articles and Speeches

The Chronicle of Philanthropy Tells the Story of Public Allies, the Obamas and the Clintons

  

 

Fired Up and Ready to Grow

Youth group's Obama link raises its profile nationwide

By Suzanne Perry

When Vanessa Kirsch was working in the early 1990s to create a new organization to train young people for public service, she recalls, people kept telling her: "There's this guy in Chicago; you've got to meet with him."

That "guy" was a civil-rights lawyer and community organizer named Barack Obama — the future U.S. senator and Democratic presidential contender, who ended up playing a critical role in the group that Ms. Kirsch co-founded, Public Allies.  Read full article....