Elisa Project: A Social Service OrganizationEssay Preview: Elisa Project: A Social Service OrganizationReport this essayRunning Head: The Elisa ProjectThe Elisa Project: A social service organizationCarrie Boyd LutterThe University of Texas at ArlingtonAbstractSocial services are those services provided to individuals or families experiencing difficulty in meeting their basic human needs, and are found at macro, meso, and micro levels. The Elisa Project is an important social service organization, supporting communities and individuals affected by disordered eating and unhealthy body image at all three levels. This manuscript will help the reader become familiar with a local social service organization and the impact it has on its various clients at each level.
The Elisa Project: A social service organizationThe Elisa Projects mission is to promote “healthy living and awareness of the signs of disordered eating through educational programs and resources.” As a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, it strives to be a cohesive resource, supporting and/or sponsoring programs for various clients at many levels. For example, organizing a national initiative to bring awareness to eating disorders and sponsoring an annual symposium for health professionals and educators across the nation, The Elisa Project works at the macro level. At the meso level, The Elisa Project provides assistance to Dallas/Ft. Worth professional organizations and communities in addressing disordered eating conditions related to health and mental health with its project resource center. Another of its current programs, Girls in Motion, is conducted on the Southern Methodist University (SMU) campus in Dallas and is aimed at the community level as well. The Elisa Project also works at the micro level to provide help to individuals and families facing these types of issues to gain access to appropriate services locally and across the nation. These are only a few highlights of this social service organization; the complete Elisa Project story is both a personal and important one to tell.
Leslie and Rick McCall founded The Elisa Project in 1999 in memory of their daughter Elisa to provide individuals with abnormal eating and their loved ones with education and support. Elisa Ruth McCall was a “vibrant, 20-year-old college student who, like many her age, suffered from the pain of an eating disorder throughout her adolescence.” She journaled her personal struggle and reached out for help after several suicide attempts. However, in 1996 Elisa took her own life. Her story was first printed in a local newspaper in 1997 and her journal was eventually published, both at the request of the McCalls. They knew first hand there were no resources in the community and no one was talking about this devastating disorder. They wanted to offer a message of hope to others dealing with this issue, especially after reading a passage in Elisas journal: “Hopefully a message will be sent out to society pleading with it to pay attention.” They believe her great legacy is helping people rally around the cause of combating eating disorders. And since 1999, the McCalls have worked to educate professionals and provide resources for treatment options.
Milestones of the organization include its first board of directors in 2002, a printing of Elisas story in the publication Readers Digest in 2003, and community outreach programming in 2004, with school programs to become a major focus. Four initial projects were begun in 1999 and continue to present: 1) The Elisa Project Resource Center – a local library of hard-copy educational materials on eating disorders, 2) The Web Site Directory – providing online information about The Elisa Project and includes a Resource Guide of eating disorders experts/specialists and nationwide treatment centers, etc., 3) The Annual Professional Symposium – a daylong continuing education program for health professionals and educators, and 4) The annual community dinner – a fundraiser benefiting The Elisa Project. Along the way, several other projects to educate, prevent, share hope and help heal were organized. One example is The Elisa Ruth McCall Memorial Endowment at SMU, providing their Counseling and Testing Center with resources to implement a web site and peer education programs. Mentioned earlier, one such program is the Girls in Motion mentoring program pairing college students with young girls for four years, focusing on building a positive body image and self esteem. Other examples of the range of services include support groups for adolescents and adults, affiliate chapter opportunities to expand and unite efforts, an annual National Community Gathering in which “individuals attend Gathering in coffee shops, university campuses, conference rooms, book stores, and private homes to bring awareness to eating disorders”, and curriculum for schools on teaching eating disorder awareness and prevention. Their no-cost educational programs are presented on the following topics: eating disorder awareness and prevention, signs and symptoms of eating disorders, positive body image, general nutrition, and healthy eating. Programs are presented in a variety of mediums such as interactive games and educational activities, panel discussing of professionals and specialists, personal stories of overcoming eating disorders, PowerPoint presentations, food models representing proper portion sizes and informative videos with question and answer sessions.
The current structure of The Elisa Project includes the founders, Leslie and Rick McCall who remain actively involved by attending monthly meetings with the executive board of directors and with fundraising, respectively. The executive board is comprised of a president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer and meets on its own once a month as well as once a month with the 12 general board members. The daily programming is run by the staffing of the executive, marketing, and programming director as well as an executive assistant. This staff also works diligently on fundraising to support the service organization efforts. It receives funding from the private sector through private grants and donations at the aforementioned events: the Annual
The annual events have been established in a very open and efficient manner, with a view to making The Elisa Projects a top priority for the creative team.
An established public relations operation, The Elisa Project is a nonprofit, educational, and strategic charity, founded in 1973 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation’s founding members include Leslie and Leslie Lee, a member of The Elisa Project’s Board of Directors, and John Schmitt, a member of The Elisa Project’s board of directors. The Foundation has received an education grant program from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Elisa Project is also involved in a large amount of the philanthropic support for The Humanities and is recognized as an international financial supporter of the Humanities. In addition, The Elisa Project also hosts its own private fundraising event, A Gift of Hope, located in New York City, in which $5,000.00 dollars from 1-2 donors is collected and the donors then use that $5,000 for charitable, academic, medical, and research purposes.
The Elisa Project is home to its Board of Directors. It also participates in a number of charitable initiatives related to The Humanities. For example, The Elisa Project encourages people to donate to charities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Latin America. There are nearly 40 humanitarians, psychologists, social scientists, and artists in The Elisa Project’s board of directors. The Elisa Project conducts events in North Africa, Latin America, Japan, and Latin America. The Elisa Project was established in 1973 with a focus on creating more sustainable and ethical living through the promotion of sustainable work in the environment.
A community of over 100 donors is currently in the process of donating $500,000 to the Elisa Project in an effort to help raise funds to fund their personal expenses in the future.
The Elisa Project has a deep understanding of the causes and projects of the Elisa and has been heavily involved in the process of making The Living Project a success.
In addition to philanthropy, The Elisa Project also has a number of social media profiles and has a large following as well as an active Facebook page to give out messages and support. There are currently more than 700 social media accounts with more than 450,000 active monthly users.
In addition to The Elisa Project’s financial support, The Elisa Project contributes to various other charitable and non-profit organizations under a number of different umbrella including: philanthropic advisory committees, local social justice organizations, and other civic organizations, among others.
The Elisa Project receives its primary funding through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NED). The Elisa Project receives funding through a grant