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Draft:Bricks for Good

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Bricks for Good
FormationAugust 7, 2023; 9 months ago (2023-08-07)
FounderLee Barber
TypeNonprofit organization
93-2842452
Legal statusIncorporation
PurposePublic Charity
Location
Region
Susquehanna Valley
ServicesGift Giving, Community Workshops, Scholarship Funding
Membership
23 active children (2023)
Lee Barber, Alex Piscioneri, Cheyenne Brubaker, Kate Lippincott
Volunteers
13 (2023)
Websitehttps://www.bricksforgood.org

Bricks for Good is a regional nonprofit organization based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that focuses on child protection, social welfare, education, and empowerment through the use of LEGO toys and play experiences that promote STEM.[1]

The organization was incorporated in Pennsylvania in August 2023.[2] Their primary source of funding is received through monetary donations from individuals, businesses, and community partners.[3]

History[edit]

Bricks for Good was created by Lee Barber, president of East Shore Technology, a Harrisburg-based IT consulting company. Lee is a self-proclaimed Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL).[4]

Bricks for Good's first public event was titled "More-than-a-Brick" and held in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The event was hosted by LIV E-town, a partner with the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerce. During the event, a total of $1,026 was raised from community donations in which over 45 LEGO sets were purchased for children in need.[5]

As of December 2023, the organization currently supports 23 underprivileged children by providing LEGO sets for their birthday and Christmas at no cost to the families. The organization's aim is to independently serve over 100 families annually.[6]

Notable Successes[edit]

One of the children served by Bricks for Good is Isaiah Houssou from Camp Hill High School. He was declared one of two Grand Champions at the Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair (CASEF) in March 2023 for his work using RF Convolutional Neural Network and multispectral Lidar to classify tree species.[7]

Structure[edit]

Bricks for Good has pending 501(c)(3) status with the IRS[8] and is governed by a board of directors which includes Lee Barber (Chairman; President, East Shore Technology), Alex Piscioneri (Vice Chair; Head Coach, Girls Varsity Soccer Team, The Harrisburg Academy), Cheyenne Brubaker (Treasurer; Accounting Manager, Faithward Advisors), and Kate Lippincott (Secretary; Buyer, Boeing Global Services).

The organization's Executive Leadership Team includes leaders from central Pennsylvania, including:

  • John Anthony (Branch Manager, Fairway Independent Mortgage)
  • Stephen Hickey, Esq. (Attorney at Law, Griffith, Lerman, Lutz & Scheib)
  • Dr. Anthony Stultz, Ed.D. (Founder and Director, Dragonfly Sangha)[9]

Partnerships[edit]

Bricks for Good has partnered with Hershey Public Library and is scheduled to host their first LEGO building workshop in June 2024.[10]

Media[edit]

Bricks for Good was featured on WGAL News 8 in November 2023 by photojournalist Paul Callender.[11] The segment included an interview with the nonprofit founder, Lee Barber, who described his inspiration behind starting the organization as "I want to be the Mr. Rogers of LEGO."

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. March 9, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  2. ^ "Search | An Official Pennsylvania Government Website". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "About Us - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Barber, Lee (August 14, 2023). "I'm humbled to be here. - Bricks for Good". Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  5. ^ Barber, Lee (November 20, 2023). "Thank you, Elizabethtown! - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "Causes - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. March 9, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. ^ "Grand Champions of the Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair". ABC27 WHTM. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "We're incorporated! - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. August 7, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "About Us - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "Events - Bricks for Good". Bricks for Good. March 9, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  11. ^ Callender, Paul (November 22, 2023). "Susquehanna Valley nonprofit 'Bricks for Good' collects Lego sets for underprivileged children". WGAL News 8. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

Category:Charities based in Pennsylvania Category:Organizations established in 2023 Category:Social welfare charities based in the United States Category:Lego Category:Non-profit organizations