Building Dreams Around the Fire: A Night of Connection at the Speiser Home
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Left to right: Pivotal Dream Maker Circle Donors Leonard and Jessica Speiser, Pivotal Scholar Iris, and Pivotal CEO Matt Bell.
On October 9th, 40 guests gathered at the Los Altos home of Jessica and Leonard Speiser to support Pivotal at a special Dream BIG event. The gathering wasn’t a fundraiser, but a chance to connect, reflect, and spread the word about Pivotal’s mission to help young people from foster care reach their educational and career goals.
Jessica, who serves on the Santa Clara County Board of Education, shared why this work is so personal to her. Having had experience with foster care herself, she knows firsthand how critical it is to have consistent support during formative years, and how much of a difference it can make in a young person’s life.
After introductions by Pivotal’s CEO Matt Bell, Jessica moderated the evening’s fireside chat, leading an inspiring conversation with Pivotal scholar Iris. Guests gathered around the fire as the two spoke candidly about resilience, growth, and the power of having someone in your corner.
Iris’ Story
Iris opened up about her journey, what she’s overcome, what she’s striving toward, and the role Pivotal played in helping her move forward. With encouragement from her coach Brian and the Pivotal community, Iris found the confidence to pursue her goal of working in healthcare.
“I felt overwhelmed and close to giving up,” she shared. “But Pivotal reminded me that I wasn’t alone and that my dreams were worth fighting for.”
Today, Iris is a proud graduate of Cañada College’s Medical Assisting program and now works for the County of San Mateo as the Supported Training and Employment Program (STEP) Coordinator, helping other young people from foster care build their own paths to success.
Pivotal coach Brian with scholar Iris.
Why Dream BIG Matters
Dream BIG events like this are key to expanding Pivotal’s mission and building deeper community engagement. Whether it’s a casual evening with friends, a dinner, or a conversation around the fire, each Dream BIG event creates space for meaningful dialogue and personal connection to our work.
Join the Movement – Host a Dream BIG Event
Hosting a Dream BIG event is simple and meaningful. You open your home or venue, and we help design a short program featuring Pivotal staff, current scholars, or alumni ambassadors who share their journeys and insights to inspire support for youth from foster care.
Whether your gathering includes 10 guests or 50, a Dream BIG event is a powerful way to raise awareness and expand the network that supports our scholars, connecting them to career mentors, internships, and job opportunities. While they are not explicitly fundraisers, these events often inspire guests to support Pivotal through charitable giving when the time feels right. Most importantly, they create space for authentic conversation and a shared belief in what’s possible for youth from foster care.
Interested in hosting your own Dream BIG event? Visit this page to learn more and get started. Together, we can keep building awareness about the challenges our scholars face, and inspiring change one connection at a time.
