Young
professionals association disbands in
Courier
News, February 10, 2008
By MICHAEL DEAK
The Somerset County Association of Young Professionals (SCAYP) might have been
a victim of its own members' successes.
The organization, which was founded in 2001 and once had 450 people on its
e-mail list, dissolved Dec. 31 because participation was dwindling, said Jodi Kastel McCaffrey, chair of the group's professional
development committee and designated spokeswoman.
McCaffrey, who works at
"I didn't know anyone," she said.
She found the SCAYP through a Google search, then joined and was an active
member until the group's dissolution.
As SCAYP's members advanced in their careers and
started families, there were fewer and fewer active members who were involved
in the group's mixture of community service and networking events.
"It was just one of those things," McCaffrey said. "There's not
that much free time that we used to have. Members got married and had
children."
Other members received job promotions and were either transferred or had to
spend more time traveling for their jobs, she said.
At the end, only a handful of people were attending the group's events and were
getting discouraged, she said.
The decision by the group's board to disband was bittersweet, McCaffrey said.
"Some people were very emotional," she said.
Keeping promises
But the group still fulfilled its commitment to work
with the Food Bank of
And some members already have said they will work again at the dinner,
McCaffrey said.
The board also decided the money in SCAYP's bank
account will give "a final helping hand" to several Somerset County
organizations that partnered with the group, including the Children's Museum of
Somerset County, Somerset Treatment Services, the Somerset County Cultural
Diversity Coalition, Somerset County Vocational-Technical Schools, Middle Earth
and the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP).
For example, the Children's Museum will use a $250 grant to buy a miniature
kitchen facility that it would not otherwise be able to afford, McCaffrey said.
"They did a great job," said Tom O'Leary, executive director of SHIP.
SCAYP members helped cook and serve food on SHIP's
mobile kitchen truck.
"It was good food and there was lots of food," O'Leary said.
O'Leary was sad about the group's decision to disband.
"It's unfortunate," he said. "As the need is growing, a lot of
these groups are dissolving."
SCAYP formed in September 2001 as part of the
There were no dues and no age limits if you wanted to join. The only
requirement, McCaffrey said, was to attend two events a year.
The mixture of events included programs on professional development (such as
how to deal with difficult people at work), a seminar for first-time
homebuyers, networking and social events such as bowling and mini-golf,
fundraisers and volunteering for other community organizations, such as Habitat
for Humanity and the Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition.
Facing challenges, competition
But the group, despite three attempts, never achieved its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, which exempts nonprofit organizations from
paying federal taxes and classifies all donations as tax deductible.
That hindered its fundraising ability. And the word "young" in the
organization's name also might have been an obstacle, McCaffrey said, because
some thought it referred to high-school and middle-school students.
One group that is doing well -- and
might have drawn members from SCAYP -- is
"There was a big need out there," she said.
Occhipinti had just moved from
"It was very hard to meet friends," she said.
She founded the group on Yahoo, and at the end of the first year, there were
2,000 registered members.
Two years ago, Occhipinti turned the venture into a limited liability
corporation and it became her full-time job.
"It's doing pretty well," she said.
The company's 9,500 registered members, who range in age from 21 to 39, come
from all parts of
While SCAYP concentrated on community-service events,
Its Web site, njyp.org, has a schedule of events, forums, classified ads and
merchandise for sale, including T-shirts with the group's logo and its motto,
"Get out ... make friends."
Another group that might have drawn interest from SCAYP is Leadership Somerset,
an annual scholarship program that encourages individuals who live or work in
The goal of program, administered by
But McCaffrey remains confident that the members of the SCAYP will remain
active in the county.
"The community is still going to be served," she said.