Bigger, Better, Bolder

A Decade of Impact: A Lifetime of Change

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Why We're Raising $1 Million in 2026

DMF Youth began with an idea: What if we combined healthy movement, artistic expression, and academic success to holistically serve students?

Founder Lindi Duesenberg realized this approach had enormous promise while volunteering with NYC youth in 2015. Not only did NYC public schools lack after-school programs, but also lacked arts integration and social emotional learning – both well-documented influences of academic success.

Lindi launched DMF Youth soon after, using dance to teach students life skills like goal setting, emotion management, conflict resolution, and empathy. Thus began the journey to growing DMF Youth’s one-of-a-kind curriculum that now reaches thousands of NYC students. By collaborating with principals, teachers, and psychologists and implementing the five competencies of Social Emotional Learning, Lindi built a program that helps each student tap their own unique potential.

Our programs are unique, the demand is high, and the need is overwhelming. So, we’re taking the next step on our journey with a campaign to create a Bigger, Better, and Bolder DMF Youth. Learn how your gift will help us build the future.

Funding Areas

BIGGER

We will recruit talented experts to ensure operational and philanthropic success in and out of the classroom.

Goal: $200,000

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BETTER

We will help build world-class research to ensure our curriculum helps today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders.

Goal: $20,000

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BOLDER

We will implement greater wrap-around support for caregivers, public teachers, and corporate leaders.

Goal: $30,000

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ANNUAL OPERATIONS

We will strengthen our foundation of support, ensuring our ability to build a bigger, better, and bolder DMF Youth.

Goal: $750,000

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DMF YOUTH SUPPORTERS

Annual Donors

Institutional Funders

DMF Youth Marathon Runners

Every Gift Matters

Whether your renew your annual gift or increase your gift in honor of our milestone. That’s why we are including our 2026 annual fund in this big goal – so that we can continue to serve students today even as we build bigger, better, and bolder pathways to tomorrow.

Renew your annual gift today, and consider an additional campaign gift so we can build a bigger, better ,and bolder future for all of our awesome humans.

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