PSA: A Good Reason to Watch the NYSE Closing Bell Today

One of my favorite charities, StreetwisePartners, is ringing the closing bell.

For those who aren’t loyal watchers of business news channels, you can watch the event live via this link.

Those who live or work in or near one of the city’s where the program is offered (currently, NYC; Jersey City, NJ; and Washington, DC) could find much worse uses of their time. Those in other Major Metropolitan areas, feel free to contact them about starting a branch Where You Are.

Their Press Release, in toto, is below the fold.

StreetWise Partners rings the closing bell to announce upcoming
Christie’s Auction House benefit for low-income career seekers

NEW YORK, April 13, 2009 – RBC Capital Markets and StreetWise Partners today announced they are launching an auction in New York City to raise funds to advance job-seekers in the economy. The non-profit organization, StreetWise Partners, links volunteer business professionals with low-income adults to achieve good jobs and life-long employability. The 2nd annual auction will be held on April 20, 2009 at Christie’s Auction House in New York’s Rockefeller Center. In advance of the event and to raise awareness about StreetWise Partners’ unconventional solutions for moving the economy forward, a variety of executives and StreetWise Partners volunteers from firms such as RBC Capital Markets, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bloomberg, The Bank Street Group, Pfizer, and General Electric, along with low-income program mentees, will join StreetWise Partners to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange today, Monday, April 13, 2009 at 3:59 p.m.

Tying in with the theme of the event, Unleashing Talent to Accelerate Economic Change, StreetWise Partners will auction off donated time, meet and greets, and exclusive business leadership coaching with C-suite executives, academics, media personalities, and others, while also offering getaway experiences. In addition, the event will offer opportunities for attendees to volunteer mentor or donate suits and computers to job-seekers. The event will be emceed by honorary guests Betsy Stark, business correspondent for ABC News, and Robert C. Lieber, New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development.

The live auction will feature one-of-a-kind experiences and items, including a private tour of the MSNBC studios and the chance to meet with the anchors of Fast Money; MBA and career counseling from executives; New York Giants Youth Football experience; VIP golf package at the RBC Canadian Open; expedition to the Galapagos Islands; exclusive Big Apple helicopter tour experience; tickets to an evening with management consultant guru and author of Good to Great, Jim Collins; lunch with Clay Christensen – renowned Harvard Business Professor and author and much more.

Funds raised from this event will support critical StreetWise Partners career venture training and mentoring programs, hosted at leading partner organizations like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Corporate Executive Board, which provide adults struggling in the job-market with high-impact employability mentoring, access to critical job search networks, and advanced employment opportunities.

More than 500 executives from the business and philanthropic communities are expected to attend this year’s event. For more information, please contact Emilee Ballaro at emilee@streetwisepartners.org or 212.253.6965.