Penji’s Non-Profit Community Coordinator, Oliver, talks with Maria McRoberts about her journey as Art Director at Think Together, a nonprofit that partners with schools to provide after-school and enrichment programs for underserved youth. Maria shares how Think Together supports kids from their earliest learning years through high school and even college, offering them not just academic help but also creative outlets like music, dance, and arts. She also talks about the challenges of navigating education during the pandemic, the importance of mental health, and how former students often return to give back as mentors, staff, or community leaders—creating a powerful cycle of impact.
Here are three things you’ll learn in this episode:
How Think Together’s programs provide holistic support for kids, from academics to arts.
Maria explains how the organization supports students across their entire education journey—from early learning through high school and college readiness—while also nurturing creativity through music, dance, and art programs alongside academics.
The ways alumni and families give back to the organization, strengthening its mission.
You’ll hear inspiring stories of students who started in Think Together programs as children and later returned as mentors, staff, or parents, creating a powerful “give-back effect” that fuels the nonprofit’s growth.
Why collaboration, creativity, and self-care are vital for sustaining meaningful nonprofit work.
Maria shares how Think Together’s departments collaborate to support kids and communities, the importance of keeping creativity at the center of education, and why maintaining balance and self-care is essential for nonprofit leaders.