W. Stephen McMahon
"I think it's our responsibility here on earth to serve other people. Who better to serve than kids?" said Steve McMahon, a managing director with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC.
When he first joined the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Manchester (N.H) 25 years ago, it was out of general interest in civic involvement. But over the years, his passion for the organization has grown to hurricane force—in the past four years, he has led a fundraising effort that has raised more than $7 million for the club.
While Manchester is a small city (pop. 110,000), it has an unusual amount of diversity because it is a federally designated refugee resettlement area. " We are loaded with refugees—more than 50 languages are spoken at our club," said McMahon.
About 4,000 children of all ages belong to the club. On a weekly basis, 800 to 1,000 kids attend before- and after-school programs that focus on areas such as tutoring, arts and crafts, cooking and nutrition, leadership training, and at-risk behavior prevention—all for $25 per year.
Mr. McMahon, now serving his second two-year term as club president, has applied his financial background to help the nonprofit with investing, budgeting, and capital campaign financing. He also uses his community contracts for fundraising.
The club's effects on a child can be profound, he said, citing a 2007 nation Harris Interactive, Inc., survey that showed that 57% of club alumni credit Boys and Girls Clubs with saving their lives.
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