I am practically the definition of jaded. Seriously. Tell me your sob story. I won’t cry. After years in this business, I feel like I’ve heard it all. There’s no end to the wanting.
But yesterday i got a notification that someone had signed up for my newsletter, and as usual, I went to check out their website before writing back. The woman’s name was Helen. And her charity, Michigan Aids Coalition, or MAC. I loved the poignant yet not cloying quotes on top of some beautiful pictures on her website.
I started to read her blog. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that she could really write. It was so beautiful, and compelling that I kept reading, long after I should have stopped, and started my email to her. So while I was in the middle of the email, I remembered I had an extra three dollars left in my paypal account, and I clicked the donate button on her website, and I gave.
I do have friends living with HIV. I do believe in her mission to educate people and to give grants to AIDS organizations. But more than her mission, I believed in her blog posts, one of which talked about the importance of collaboration to keeping her nonprofit afloat.
“Wow” I thought. “Here’s a leader who really gets it. I bet she writes a killer appeal letter too.” So I gave. I gave out of admiration. I gave because her staff looked happy in their pictures. I gave because she seemed like “one of us.”
Do you know what I mean? Have you ever given to a nonprofit for this reason too?
I’d love to get your comment.
I just checked out the MAC website. I am so impressed by the ED’s blog, by her obvious capabilities and by the diversity and compassion of the staff. Wow. The site seems to strike the perfect balance between transparency and professionalism. I think I’m going to donate a little something too!
Wow Esther! Right on! Thank you!