Be a part of the solution

There are so many things to write about that I am almost overwhelmed. However, there is a certain theme running through the subjects I am interested in today, and that is--get involved. I don't care how or why, but don't wait for someone else to do it.

First, I DID pick up "How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist" (by Nicole Bouchard Boles) (click here to read an excerpt) and I highly recommend it. It is full of easy ways to make a difference and has some good ideas for kids, too.

Second, I attended the "A Community Responds: Cuts, Closures and Access" program sponsored by Crossroads Charlotte last week. I was very impressed by the amount of structure that Crossroads Charlotte provides--there was a slam poet (Q) to kick us off, great speakers, discussion time and wrap-up. I was distinctly UN-impressed by the turnout. A lot of the usual suspects were there, and I think I was the only one in my group who was there to learn more who didn't have a clue--my group included a County Commissioner, a well-known social services activist, a person who works for BofA in community relations, a co-president of the PTA of a CMS high school, and a woman who works for the county directing "non-essential" services like veterans affairs and domestic abuse services. Where was everyone else? Where were all of the other people who don't know what's going on?

I encourage you to click here to view the Powerpoint presentations given by Hyong Yi, Mecklenburg County Budget Director; Ann Clark, Chief Academic Officer of CMS; and Charles Brown, Director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. I found Mr. Yi's presentation particularly powerful--call me naive, but I had not realized quite how dramatically the county's revenue has fallen over the past 18 months. Take a look at those graphs.

Third, I am once again impressed by the clever folks at Pat's Place. This nonprofit was founded in 2004 and is a Child Advocacy Center for child abuse--one of only 700 in the country. In just six short years, they have done a brilliant job getting the word out to the community--at least my community of Myers Park. After all, Pat's Place is right on East Boulevard--it's part of our community, too. Every fall I see the signs up in yards for the annual BBQ and Blue Jeans fundraiser. The list of underwriters for the fundraiser is long and includes many, many familiar names of young-ish Myers Park couples.

Last year, I asked a friend who was an underwriter if she had a particular passion for child abuse prevention. She said, "No, a friend asked me to give." I think that this is the real secret of Pat's Place's fundraising. They have tapped the right people to make the ask, and have made it easy (and dare I say popular?) to participate in this event. Once they get people in the door, they can work on getting people more involved in the programs themselves. It's the old Matthew 6: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So it did not surprise me in the least to get a personal letter asking me and my husband to give $300 towards the 2010 BBQ and Blue Jeans fundraiser. We have never even attended the event, but somebody involved with Pat's Place knew us well enough to put our names on the list for the ask. And it is a concrete, manageable sum. And everyone will know we gave because our names go on the invitation. Brilliant. It arrived on the same weekend as a very attractive, simple, informative mailing piece about Pat's Place, which included lots of helpful information on what Pat's Place does AND included pictures of people we know enjoying the fundraiser last year.

I mention all of this to point out that if you are involved with another organization and you are looking to increase your giver base, there are some lessons to be learned here... Also, as we all manage our philanthropic dollars more carefully, think about why you are giving to certain organizations.

To do: Get involved. Don't wait to be asked.