StandUp for Kids – Orange County
The glamorous world of celebrities and social media influencers may seem far from a nonprofit that strives to end youth homelessness. Still, these two worlds can and do connect – in our case, thanks to the tireless efforts of our 17-year-old volunteer, Erin, who attends University High School in Irvine.
Erin first heard about StandUp for Kids in April 2020 through United Way, a nonprofit she had been involved in at school. Erin initially considered volunteering as a youth mentor. Still, her interest in Public Relations and Marketing led her to join the marketing committee and then the Celebrity and Influencer Public Relations team, which she now leads.
Erin (left) with Ambassador Derek Klena and CarMax
Over the past year, Erin and her team have reached out to celebrities and social media influencers, letting them know about the work of StandUp for Kids in hopes of enlisting them to the cause. This outreach has been the spark behind relationships with many celebrities. Including athletes such as figure skater Nathan Chen – inspiring a partnership that brought awareness to the OC-based Olympian’s followers on social media, but also engaged and inspired our youth through an opportunity to get on the ice and skate with the best.
Erin with Nathan Chen
Thanks to her passion for the industry, being able to volunteer in the field of PR “has always been a rewarding experience” for Erin – especially in allowing her to serve a population of youth around her own age. Her most memorable experience as a volunteer was the virtual event “Help Them Home,” where celebrities posted on social media in support of StandUp for Kids. Thanks to Erin and her team’s work enlisting allies to the cause, StandUp for Kids was able to leverage the celebrities’ much-larger social media audiences – ultimately contributing to the fundraiser’s success, and more importantly, amplifying the message of ending youth homelessness.
Erin with other volunteers and Ambassadors Bobby Okereke & Johnny Stanton
StandUp for Kids – Orange County is grateful for Erin’s generosity in sharing her gifts and passions to help guide our youth to a better future. If you’d like to know how you can use your talents to help us impact the lives of Orange County youth, email us at [email protected] today!