MPIGNY is continuing to closely monitor all city, state and federal updates regarding the COVID-19 virus. The health and safety of our members are our top priorities. While we realize this situation is fluid, we are moving ahead with our scheduled events. As updates continue to evolve, we will keep our members abreast of any changes that may affect our chapter. 

While Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center made the difficult decision to cancel last weekend's Cycle For Survival event, MPIGNY did a tremendous job raising over $9,300 for rare cancer research. I especially want to recognize our entire team as they did an outstanding job over the last several months in helping us exceed our goal not once but twice in this incredibly important CSR event. While we were all disappointed that we didn't get the chance to ride in honor of all of those who have been affected by cancer, rest assured, MPIGNY will be participating in Cycle for Survival once again in 2021!

Yesterday we hosted our fifth Education event of the year, and it was truly one of the best programs MPIGNY has ever conducted. In recognition of Women in Leadership month, our Education Committee orchestrated a fabulous opportunity to hear from Michele Rigby Assad, a former undercover agent with the Central Intelligence Agency. She provided incredible perspective into her unique experiences within the CIA, while also providing insights on how we can identify and harness our personality traits to achieve our goals. Thank you to everyone who came out. We appreciate your continued support of our industry! 

The last Education program of the year will be our Global Meetings Industry Day event taking place on Monday, April 13. More to come on this next month, but please register early. We are producing this event in conjunction with NYPCMA and SITE Northeast and expect very strong attendance.

Best,

Patrick Colomer
President
MPI Greater New York Chapter

Due to COVID-19, God's Love We Deliver is seeing a decrease in volunteer participation, and they especially need our help next week. Please consider joining us to pack meals, chop vegetables and prepare soups on March 19 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

MPI’s CSR team is dedicated to creating engagement and meaningful opportunities for our members to convene collectively with the purpose of networking while proactively creating change in the local community.

When people meet with purpose, we increase the opportunity for change and authentic relationships.

Our mission and objectives are:

• To create meaningful, community-based volunteer activities for our members to be engaged
• To foster an ecosystem of local community partners
• To connect member partners with our ecosystem

Please join MPIGNY at God's Love We Deliver. We'll need your help in the kitchen!

Kitchen prep 
(10 to 12 volunteers) 
Work as a group in the kitchen on a variety of tasks with guidance from their on-staff chefs.

Tasks may include packaging meals, chopping onions, ladling soup, peeling potatoes or making meatballs. Volunteers can also package meal bundles for clients and assemble children's meal kits.

Clothes must cover your shoulders, underarms, knees and toes (with closed-toe shoes). Watches, bracelets and dangling earrings must be removed. You can bring your own hat!

We ask all volunteers to arrive 15 minutes prior to their shift for self-check-in and a quick orientation.  
*** Each volunteer MUST sign up for this event. *** 

REGISTER NOW TO SIGN UP

Venue details:
Group volunteering at God’s Love We Deliver: Without the help of our amazing volunteers — more than 10,000 strong every year — we simply would not be able to cook and deliver more than 7,000 delicious and nutritious meals each weekday to our neighbors in need. Outnumbering our staff by a ratio of more than 100 to 1, volunteers work in the kitchen, deliver and package meals and work in our office.

Learn more about God's Love We Deliver by viewing this video!

Great things happen when people come together. Face-to-face interaction is the platform where deals are struck, relationships are forged and ideas are generated. That’s what Meetings Mean Business is all about: showing the real power of what business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions collectively do for people, businesses and communities. We need to come together now more than ever to help move our industry forward. 

Join us for a joint celebration of Global Meetings Industry Day with MPIGNY, NYPCMA and SITE and expect a very strong turnout.

Date:
Monday, April 13

Time:
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Venue:
etc. venues 360 Madison
360 Madison Avenue
New York, NY

REGISTER HERE

Thank you to everyone who attended the Second Annual MPIGNY Town Hall, which took place on Monday, Feb. 24 at Meet on Broadway in Midtown Manhattan. We appreciate the opportunity to share with you our board of directors' vision and to hear from you directly how we can collaborate on new chapter experiences moving forward. Below are some photos from the evening.

Second Annual Town Hall Photos

Are you interested in getting more involved with MPIGNY? Volunteering with a committee is a great way to meet new clients and industry partners! Visit our website or click the link for more information on how to get involved: MPIGNY - Join a Committee

We added a new campaign this year called "People of MPIGNY" and want to learn more about our incredible members! If you are interested in being featured, click the links below to read about some of our members and to complete the handful of questions to be considered for our next issue!

People of MPIGNY
People of MPIGNY Application

A key focus for the board moving forward is going to be the engagement of the meeting planner professional. We consider sustained planner participation to be a vital part of this chapter’s success. So, with that in mind, we’re rolling out the red carpet this year with the objective of increasing our planner engagement at all of our events.

Many thanks to the London Convention Bureau for graciously sponsoring several one-year planner scholarship opportunities that will increase our planner base and enhance overall engagement. Interested planners can apply here: London Convention Bureau Planner Scholarship 

Learn how to be better at what you do — and further your career. Earn contact hours for the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) application or recertification.

This intensive, extensive, interactive class utilizes the CMP – International Standards as the base for the areas of learning. Joanne is an educator. Because of that, the first and foremost purpose of the class is about learning to be a better professional in the meeting and events industry (planner or supplier) and applying it when you go to work the next day. Yes, people have even taken the class who were not sitting for the exam just for the learning experience! Class hours count toward the CMP CE application hours.

LEARN MORE HERE

The Power of Two was created to provide a vehicle for enhanced chapter engagement with both new members (and/or new to industry members) as well as longtime members/industry veterans. MPIGNY is committed to supporting our members' career development and has designed this program to provide growth for experienced chapter members in the development of other members and vice versa. 

Happy to share that two of our mentors/mentees are seeing the value of this program!

"Lemi and I have been in touch and [met] at last week’s event in NY! We are continuing to stay in touch and are enjoying the program! Thanks!" - Susanna

"It has been a great experience and we were able to meet in person at the last event. Susanna has been very generous in giving of her time and provides helpful insight. I am grateful to [be] part of this program and am looking forward to what the future of my career will hold." - Leametrice

Did you know that MPI can help you cover costs for a preferred MPI membership and help fund your MPI Academy courses (including CMM, HMCC, Experiential Event Series, Meetings Essentials, Basics Boot Camp and more)?

Yes, it’s possible. The MPI Foundation provides MPI members professional development and career opportunities through grants and scholarships. MPI Foundation scholarships are awarded on an ongoing basis. Applications received by the end of the month will receive notification by the end of the following month. Conference scholarships do not typically follow the normal application cycle but will be reviewed each month. 

More information can be found here: MPI Foundation Scholarships