One Parent Scholar House
One Parent Scholar House is a nonprofit in Lexington, KY, supporting single parents pursuing degrees through housing, childcare, and life-skills programming.
AUDIENCE: 500 business leaders, educators, and community supporters
LOCATION: Virtual (Lexington, Kentucky)
CHALLENGE: To headline a virtual fundraiser and inspire generosity through a powerful message of transformation.
CARA BROOKINS’ SOLUTION:
Delivered a 45-minute virtual keynote: “Rise & Resilience: The True Story”
Partnered with event team through multiple pivots to accommodate a changing format
Crafted an uplifting, professional message suited for virtual delivery
When the Don & Mira Ball Education Builds Hope Luncheon was reimagined as a virtual event in 2020, One Parent Scholar House needed a speaker who could both adapt to the digital stage and still move an audience of over 500 donors and supporters.
Cara Brookins was invited to deliver the keynote presentation, “Rise & Resilience: The True Story,” offering a deeply personal narrative that echoed the mission of the organization: to empower single parents in pursuit of higher education.
Despite the challenges of remote planning and shifting schedules, Cara remained flexible, working closely with the planning team to ensure technical quality and thematic alignment. Her message, centered on rebuilding a life, one brick at a time, served as both a metaphor and a roadmap for families in the program and the donors supporting them.
Cara’s presentation helped drive emotional connection through a screen, reaffirming the importance of One Parent Scholar House’s work and setting a high bar for virtual engagement.
“Cara was great. We all wish we could’ve met her in person. Her story was great and she came across really well on the virtual platform.”
— One Parent Scholar House
