Plaid, a financial services company, partnered with LEAP, a nonprofit education organization, to host a SuitUp business competition for students. Volunteers from Plaid coached teams of students from LEAP's afterschool program in creating a teen financial literacy app pitch. The winning team created an app called "TreeHouse". Surveys found that the competition increased students' confidence and interest in careers like business and tech. It also influenced many students' future career choices and educated volunteers about students' capabilities. Both volunteers and students enjoyed the experience and were interested in future partnerships.

1. SuitUp with Plaid
06.14.2022
Opening Doors and Reimagining Pathways for
Students Everywhere…

2. volunteers
& students
engaged
65 About Plaid
Plaid is a financial
services company that
allows platforms to
connect with individuals’
bank accounts. Plaid
serves to protect data and
personal information when
linking banking information
and creates a secure
linkage between banking
information/accounts
and websites or
applications. It’s mission is
to unlock financial freedom
for everyone.
About LEAP at The
Urban Assembly Unison
Afterschool Program
LEAP is a nonprofit
organization committed to
improving the quality of
public education through
a hands-on, arts-based
approach to teaching the
academic curriculum.
LEAP is a leading
innovator in educational
programs and services
and one of the premiere
arts-in-education
programs in New York
City. The Urban
Assembly Unison After
School Program
partners with LEAP in
order to provide a
hands-on education for
students from low-income
families. The school seeks
to provide individualized
support for all students so
that every child’s potential
is unleashed.

3. Volunteers Gender Students
39% Female 33%
61% Male 42%
N/A Non Binary 4%
N/A
Not Listed / Another
Gender Identity 4%
N/A Prefer Not Say 17%
Meet the Participants
Volunteers Race/Ethnicity Students
6% African American 21%
33%
Asian / Pacific
Islander N/A
N/A Black 29%
39% Caucasian N/A
5% Hispanic/Latinx 8%
17% Multi-Racial 21%
N/A Prefer Not Say 21%

4. Business Case Challenge
Through SuitUp, volunteers from Plaid and students from LEAP at The Urban Assembly
Unison Afterschool Program participated in a SuitUp business competition in which they
created a new and innovative teen-friendly financial literacy app. Volunteers coached
students in various departments before helping them pitch to judges for a cash prize.
Winning Team:
TEAM 2 - TreeHouse
Team 1:
Make, Save, Grow
Team 2:
TreeHouse
Team 3:
Capital Authority
SuitUp to the Challenge

5. From Student to CEO…
A look at how we are changing life trajectories
through corporate skills-based volunteering

6. Competitions Make a Difference…
71%
of students feel more confident in school
and preparing for a career after working
with SuitUp and their coaches
100%
of volunteers believe their company
made a positive impact through SuitUp
100%
of volunteers see SuitUp as a way to
encourage more students to explore their
industry or company
AFTER SUITUP...

7. Plaid’s Impact
SuitUp asked students if Plaid’s SuitUp competition made an
impact on their future career choice. 70% of students said that
engaging with the volunteers influenced their career choice and
now they can see themselves using skills such as
communication, teamwork and public speaking.
Students are now interested in exploring the following fields:
Business Administration / Entrepreneurship 17%
Education 13%
Graphic/Web Design 38%
Fashion Design 13%
Financial Services 4%
Marketing 21%
Media/Public Relations 4%
STEM 21%
Other 38%

8. Same time
next week?
100%of volunteers are interested in doing a SuitUp competition again
96% of students enjoyed interacting with the corporate volunteers
78% of students would like to participate in SuitUp again

9. During the competition, we
overheard…
“I learned a lot about business, how to create an app, AND how to
manage my money this week. – SuitUp Student
I loved to see how smart and confident the CEOs were. I could not
imagine designing a presentation at that age. – Plaid Volunteer
This was so much fun! I can't believe I learned how to make a new
app. – SuitUp Student
WOW! I thought these students were in high school and then I
found out they were in middle school and my mind was blown! –
Plaid Volunteer

10. Get Involved
A huge thank you from all of us in the SuitUp family…
JOIN SUITUP’S
CORPORATE
BOARD
VOLUNTEER
AT FUTURE
EVENTS
MAKE AN
INTRO TO
ANOTHER
COMPANY
GIVE
A
GIFT
This board meets 4x a year
and helps SuitUp implement
its strategic plan to scale and
serve more students.
Follow us on social media
and stay engaged in order
to sign up for other
volunteer opportunities in
the future.
SuitUp is always seeking
new corporate partners to
host and sponsor SuitUp
competitions and events.
We work across the US
and even the UK.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit,
SuitUp is always seeking
financial or in-kind support
to continue our work in
communities that need it
most. All gifts are tax
deductible.

11. THANK YOU
www.volunteerSuitUp.org
Hope to see you again soon!