Giving Back, Building Partnerships, and Expanding Opportunities

July 23, 2026•3 min read

At American Access Institute (AAI), our work goes beyond career readiness. We believe stronger communities and stronger partnerships create more opportunities for young people to build stable, successful futures.

Two recent experiences the Feed the Funnel community event and the JAG EDGE Conference highlighted the importance of giving back, building relationships, and working together toward that goal.

AAI Gives Back at Feed the Funnel

The AAI team had the opportunity to volunteer at Feed the Funnel, a community event benefiting Three Square Food Bank. Held at the Wynn Resort, the event brought together hundreds of volunteers to package meal kits for local nonprofits and families experiencing food insecurity across Clark County.

During our volunteer shift, the AAI team packaged more than 500 meal kits, contributing to the incredible effort of assembling more than 450,000 meal kits throughout the three-day event.

Being part of an event that brought so many people together around a common purpose was a powerful reminder that creating stronger communities starts with showing up and helping where we can.

Turning Trauma Into Trajectory

We were also proud to represent AAI in our new logo aprons, generously donated by Aim High Marketing & Apparel.

The aprons feature AAI's message:

"Turning Trauma into Trajectory."

The phrase reflects our commitment to helping foster, unhoused, and other youth navigating adversity discover pathways toward career readiness, stability, and brighter futures.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Wynn Resorts Foundation for hosting this impactful event and creating an opportunity for nonprofits and volunteers to make a difference in the community.

Building Partnerships at the JAG EDGE Conference

The JAG EDGE Conference in Long Beach provided another opportunity for AAI to connect with leaders and organizations working to prepare young people for successful futures.

For AAI Founder Dr. Pamela Donnelly, the conference also marked a meaningful full-circle moment. She reunited with Janelle Duray, President and CEO of Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), continuing a professional relationship that began in 2016 when Dr. Donnelly's previous technology company partnered with JAG on a pilot program across seven states.

During the conference, Dr. Donnelly, Janelle Duray, and Dr. Bill Swartout, AAI Board Member and a pioneer in artificial intelligence, discussed the future of workforce readiness and how ethical AI can help young people prepare for meaningful careers.

The conversation explored opportunities for continued collaboration and innovative approaches to helping youth navigate career pathways.

Connecting Innovation With Workforce Readiness

Following their presentation, Dr. Donnelly and Dr. Swartout connected with JAG specialists, educators, and nonprofit leaders from across the country.

The conversations reinforced the growing interest in technology-driven approaches to career exploration and workforce readiness. They also highlighted the importance of partnerships in creating solutions that can reach more young people and better support the organizations serving them.

At AAI, we believe technology opens the door, but partnership transforms outcomes.

Whether we're volunteering in our local community or connecting with workforce development leaders across the country, we're continuing to build relationships that help create more pathways to opportunity for the youth we serve.