Founding a Not-For-Profit

When initially going into founding a Not-For-Profit Jan. 2015, I thought it was as simple as opening a sole proprietorship on Legal Zoom. I quickly found out it was not simple at all. Most endeavors include collaboration. Therefore, I had to build a team of three officers and three board members for the Board of Directors. I also found myself doing paralegal work writing the bylaws. The board eventually approved these bylaws, and then we embarked upon the full development of fundraising. I collaborated with fellow team members to create and approve fundraisers and public education events. As a result, we had some creative and successful fundraisers teaming up with local businesses in our community, like the "It Stinks to be Stigmatized" campaign and fundraiser with Growing Grounds. The campaign involved a smelly rare tropical flower called the Corpse Lily (Amorphophallus Rivieri Var Konjac), drawing thousands of viewers as we educated them about the harms of stigmatizing Neurodiversity. Upper Story promotes the Neurodiversity Paradigm, which states the world consists of Neurotypical and Neurodivergent persons, and none is better than the other, only a difference. Such is one of the most successful and rewarding projects I have ever accomplished. Through many vehicles, such as the Rochester Post news articles, the creation of my art greeting card line,  pop-up art sales, gallery art shows, and art and wine walks provided an avenue to address my social cause. Fundraising included giving a portion of the art sales and art greeting card proceeds to Upper Story. However, the most satisfying charitable experience was supplying homeless Neurodivergent high school students with food cards when the COVID-19 lockdown hit! In addition, it has been a pleasure to donate my art to Easter Seals Grape Soiree' for the art auction, which helps children on the spectrum. These are just a few charitable ways public awareness of ND increased through Upper Story. Consequently, watching societal attitudes improve, job opportunities increase, and stigma decrease has been the greatest joy! Thanks, Jeannine, Margery, Carol J., and Carol C., for caring and understanding the need to increase employment, for good sources of information about Neurodiversity, and for believing in the paradigm!