b'THE PITTSBURGHREPORT TO THE FOUNDATIONCOMMUNITY Casey Robinson, a member of the Young Professional Advisors Committee, continues to learn Most [clients]more about his own dontknowphilanthropy and how he can help that there ishis clients be more philanthropically a communityminded.foundation a few miles from where they live thatis set up to help Pennsylvania Womens Work was awarded $11,000, plus an additional $1,240 from attendees; Providence them support Connections, $7,500 along with $820; and Jeremiahs local causes Place, $7,500 and $690. Emmie Calland, 34, senior manager for the Center and for strategic intiatives, says they careabout. the spirit of the pitch party is celebration and affirmation with a bit of competition mixed in for fun. The groups Casey Robinson were cheering for one another, she says. Waldron Private Wealth Lee says it was an eye-opening experience to work with other community-minded young professionals and learn about the challenges of single mothers, who represent the overwhelming number of households in poverty in Allegheny County. This was a deeper experience of financial giving and made me think about how to be more effective with my personal resources and in making the case to get others involved.And word is getting around. This years class of New Philanthropic Leaders has been expanded to 18, and the current group of Young Professional Advisors will continue meeting quarterly.Our members are highly competent practitioners with ambitions to be standouts in the field, says Amy Razem, the development officer who manages the Committee. Its a process of continuous learning. They learn from one another and they advise us on how we can be more effective in assisting them and their clients.Robinson says it helps to have information ready when clients respond to the giving-back conversation. Most of them dont know that there is a community the Foundations 100 Percent Pittsburgh organizingfoundation a few miles from where they live that is principle. Three finalists were selected, and a pitchset up to help them support local causes they care party was planned.about, he says.Pitch party attendees each donated $20 to theUranker believes that young professionals going organization they believed had the most compellingthrough the two programs reap career dividends, and the pitch. The events culmination was the counting ofcity reaps significant philanthropic benefit. Philanthropy those contributions and the announcement of theis a mindset as much as a practice, she says. nonprofit with the most audience donations, which then qualified it for the largest share of pooled grant money. Cris Rouvalis is a freelance writer. 37'