A Front-Row Seat to Ignite’s Growth
Meet Lindsay Mullen | Board of Directors- Ignite, Co-Founder & CEO, Prosper Strategies
When Lindsay Mullen describes Ignite in one word, she chooses community—a value she has experienced deeply both as a board member and as a witness to the organization’s impact.
One word Lindsay Mullen uses to describe Ignite is community and for her, it’s more than a value, it’s something you can feel. For Lindsay, community isn’t just a guiding principle, it’s something that shows up everywhere. Whether in the milieu kitchen at Belfort house, the annual gala, or Thanks4Giving, Ignite’s community is visible in the way people come together with care, consistency, and purpose.
It’s a place where youth feel supported and staff, supporters, and partners can be united around a shared commitment to young people.
As a member of Ignite’s Board of Directors, Lindsay has had a unique vantage point. She sees both the front-end impact on youth and the back-end growth that makes that impact possible. Over the years, she has watched Ignite evolve into a stronger, more sustainable organization, with increased capacity, clearer systems, and a sharpened focus on long-term stability. From strategic planning and organizational infrastructure to data, staffing, and program investment, Lindsay has seen how thoughtful growth behind the scenes directly translates into stronger outcomes for the young people Ignite serves.
That growth is evident on the front end as well. In just the past year, Ignite has expanded its reach significantly serving hundreds more young people than before. Lindsay has seen how the rebrand to Ignite helped clarify the organization’s identity and mission, allowing it to better connect with partners, supporters, and the broader community, and ultimately serve more youth. She has also witnessed the success of Ignite’s workforce development efforts, particularly through the SPARKS program, which provides young people with real pathways to employment, stability, and independence. Through every phase of growth, Ignite has remained committed to serving youth in a holistic and comprehensive way—meeting immediate needs while also supporting long-term success.
Looking toward the future, Lindsay hopes Ignite continues on this trajectory of growth and impact over the next 50 years. She envisions an organization that not only expands its programs and reach across Chicago, but also strengthens its role as an advocate for youth, using its voice in public spaces at the city, state, and federal levels. For Lindsay, Ignite’s future is rooted in the same sense of community that first drew her in: a community that continues to grow, evolve, and stand alongside young people as they build brighter futures.
About Ignite Ignite is Chicago’s leading nonprofit dedicated exclusively to young people, ages 10-26, experiencing homelessness or at the greatest risk of harm. For 50 years, Ignite has provided housing, expansive supportive services, and advocacy; empowering youth to build safe, stable lives and futures. We’ve grown from a grassroots collective into a citywide force for change, advocating for the needs of youth as they navigate some of life’s toughest challenges. This year, Ignite will enroll more than 850 young people across its programs. Join us and “ignite” the next 50 years of impact, community, and unwavering support for youth at the greatest risk of harm. Learn more at www.ignitepromise.org.
Contact: Janessa Baker, Manager of Advancement & Strategic Projects, jbaker@ignitepromise.org