Earlier this summer, we worked with Lead For America (LFA), the nation’s premier service program, to create nearly 100 commemorative awards to honor their Hometown Fellows and American Connection Corps (ACC) Fellows for their service to their hometown. Like AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America or Senior Corps, LFA recruits, trains, and places dynamic young leaders in yearlong fellowships in their communities where they have deep connections.
Why Choose Groover Labs?
LFA, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, had a strong desire to engage a local organization to design and build customized awards for their graudating Fellows, so they reached out to us.
From Prototype to Final Product
Groover Labs Co-founder and Executive Director Curt Gridley and Maker Labs Lead Jeremiah Burian led the collaborative effort by producing a series of prototypes using a cross-section of the Maker Labs equipment to present to the LFA team for review. Once we agreed on the final version, the Maker Labs team went to work crafting around 100 awards for delivery in July at an event in Washington, D.C.
“LFA and Groover Labs share a commitment to place. At the heart of both organizations is a deeply rooted desire to support and improve the communities where we live, and to make them attractive for those native sons and daughters to find rewarding work in their hometowns. We were thrilled to help design and build these awards for the next generation of public servants,” said Groover Labs Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer Tracy Hoover.
LFA’s Mission
LFA’s broader objective is to build a leadership force of moral, dynamic, and locally rooted leaders committed to serving the communities they call home in every corner of the country. Hometown Fellows and ACC Fellows, who come from all parts of the country, work within local governments, nonprofits, and community organizations and receive a living allowance while they serve. After their successful term of service, they are awarded unique benefits as an AmeriCorps, alum, including a sizable scholarship to use toward educational endeavors.
LFA’s Early Successes
Over the past five years, LFA has funded more than 300 paid, full-time fellowships in 42 states nationwide. Fellows have raised more than $145 million for their communities and programs. To learn more about Lead For America and the American Connection Corps, LFA’s premier service program, visit leadforamerica.org.
Congratulations to all of LFA’s 2023 graduates. We hope the awards will serve as lifetime reminders of your service to the nation and your community!