Layoffs!  Business Closures! Families deciding between paying rent, utilities, or food!  Someone must step in to help - I Take The Lead has taken on the challenge!

i Take The Lead  started Lead With Heart, a food basket program, to help bring food on Valentine’s Day to 30 families in need. These families live from the Salem Oregon area all the way to the Ridgefield Washington area.  We started this in 2001 as a way to help those who’d been displaced by layoffs, business closures, etc. 

For 7 years, we have received an overwhelming response from our i Take The Lead Inc members, along with many businesses and individuals in the communities. The members step up and donate food, money, other essential items for families in need.  They even volunteer to go to local grocery stores with a letter, provided by the officers of i Take The Lead, to solicit donations.  Several stores have been very generous in their gifting to these families. 

The ‘baskets’ actually consist of 4 or 5 large cardboard boxes overflowing with food and necessities and is delivered to each family. 

Currently not only do the Portland OR metro area i Take The Lead members participate in this yearly program, but the Seattle WA i Take The Lead members and Denver CO i Take The Lead members also take pride in giving back to the community with the Lead With Heart program. Our goal is to bring this program to every major metropolitan community in the United States.

Additionally, because Lead With Heart is part of the Congressional District Programs, a 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1) public charity, i Take The Lead members had the privilege of having their first annual Golf Tournament in August 2008 and second in August 2009.  We are pleased to announce that these two fundraising events managed to provide donations to the 4 local non-profit foundations in excess of $6500. 

For more information, please contact Gene Hamilton or Becky Tengwall.