Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Major Leaps Forward

We're pleased to announce that Powering Potential, Inc. has made great strides in recent months. In January 2015, we became a New York State Not for Profit Corporation and we are in the process of filing for our 501 (c)3 tax exempt status. This is just one exciting step for Powering Potential as we move onward and upward as an organization.

In March 2015, we held our first official Board meeting at the office of the presitigous law firm, Akin Gump in New York CIty. Supporting Powering Potential on a pro-bono basis, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Field LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Our Board of Directors consists of Milton Finger, Chair; Janice Lathen, President; Denis Petrov, Secretary; and Matt Cohen, Treasurer. Akin Gump was represented by Miriam Foley, Zuza Savoff and Pat Gunn.


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From left: Milton Finger, Miriam Foley, Zuza Savoff, Matt Cohen, Pat Gunn, Denis Petrov
(Janice took the photo)

Powering Potential’s day-to-day operations are now being run by the management team of Albin Mathias, Janice Lathen, V. Ena Haines and Rich Segal.

In April, 2015, we moved into office space at The Yard, New York City’s premier office space and coworking community. With a dedicated desk, 24/7 access and conference rooms, the new office is proving to be the perfect, affordable home base for operations in the United States.

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Janice Lathen at her dedicated desk
at The Yard


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Janice in a conference room at The Yard
with Administrative and Fundraising Consultant
Sarah Benvenuti

Recently, we installed a solar energy system at the office in Karatu! This exciting project will allow our team to continue working even when the electricity goes out which happens too often. This solar expansion will be crucial as we implement the $112,000 grant from the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Segal Family Foundation in support of the installation of 56 Pi-oneer systems in Tanzania.

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Solar panels on
Powering Potential's Karatu Office

With this exciting new growth, Powering Potential is moving onward and upward towards achieving our mission: Use technology to enhance education and stimulate imagination of students in Tanzania while respecting and incorporating values of the local culture cooperation over competition, community over the individual, modesty over pride and spirituality over materiality.