My family was in Disney World recently on vacation. As Disney fanatics, we decided to do some behind the scenes activities on this trip beyond the theme parks. One of things impressed upon me as we learned more about the life of Walt Disney was his incredible rags to riches story.
What influence someone of his stature could have on the world around him. It made me wonder if you have to have such a position to lead a charge and nourish a cause. My conclusion is while it can't hurt, anyone is in a position to nourish a cause if you just open your eyes to the world around you. In our own individual spheres of influence, we can make a difference.
I keep a quote on my desk someone gave to me several years ago. It essentially says that when you pray for more influence and reponsibility to honor God, he will bring opportunities and people into your path...you can trust that God will never send someone that you cannot help without His leadership and strength.
With the summer stretched out ahead of me, I have my eyes open to new opportunities to nourish a cause. My name may not be Disney, but I hope to find fresh ways to connect for-profit and non-profit organizations to make this part of the world a better place.
Showing posts with label non-profit causes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label non-profit causes. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Use Creativity to Successfully Nourish a Cause
In serving as a volunteer for non-profit organizations and working for non-profit clients, I have found that one of the biggest challenges is for any organization to try and be all things to all audiences on a shoestring budget. It simply cannot be done as effectively as you would like.
That's where creativity comes in. And that's where nourishing a cause can give an organization a lot of bang for the buck. By partnering with a for-profit company or another partner, you can tap into resources you may not have considered and expand your horizons into markets you may not have been able to access on your own. Tying into a cause that matches your organization's mission statement can breathe new life into your marketing efforts and extend your public relations reach. You move toward meeting "the all things to all people" challenge.
One recent example that comes to mind is Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois. Illinois pork producers are donating 100,000 pounds of pork for Second Harvest Food Banks across Illinois. Through Pork Power, up to 400,000 servings of pork are being made available to those in need of food assistance. Meat processors throughout the state accept donated hogs to process into two-pound packages of ground pork for distribution at the food banks.
Those in need are fed, food banks get access to protein they might not otherwise have been able to supply to their clients and pork producers get the satisfaction of helping meet the needs of those less fortunate with a safe, healthy product from their farms. Pork producers are giving back to their local communities and are able to reach consumers that they may not have reached in other ways. Consumers have the chance to assess the benefits of pork in their diets, and, down the road, perhaps change their opinion of pork or even become more regular customers.
Everyone wins.
I've found through my experiences that the sky is the limit in matching causes with creativity. Let's discuss ways to make it happen.
That's where creativity comes in. And that's where nourishing a cause can give an organization a lot of bang for the buck. By partnering with a for-profit company or another partner, you can tap into resources you may not have considered and expand your horizons into markets you may not have been able to access on your own. Tying into a cause that matches your organization's mission statement can breathe new life into your marketing efforts and extend your public relations reach. You move toward meeting "the all things to all people" challenge.
One recent example that comes to mind is Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois. Illinois pork producers are donating 100,000 pounds of pork for Second Harvest Food Banks across Illinois. Through Pork Power, up to 400,000 servings of pork are being made available to those in need of food assistance. Meat processors throughout the state accept donated hogs to process into two-pound packages of ground pork for distribution at the food banks.
Those in need are fed, food banks get access to protein they might not otherwise have been able to supply to their clients and pork producers get the satisfaction of helping meet the needs of those less fortunate with a safe, healthy product from their farms. Pork producers are giving back to their local communities and are able to reach consumers that they may not have reached in other ways. Consumers have the chance to assess the benefits of pork in their diets, and, down the road, perhaps change their opinion of pork or even become more regular customers.
Everyone wins.
I've found through my experiences that the sky is the limit in matching causes with creativity. Let's discuss ways to make it happen.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Get Out of the Boat to Walk on the Water
I took a class during Lent this year that focused on getting out of the boat to walk on water. I wanted to learn more about how to take a leap of faith to get things done without the fear of failure and the ability to address the challenges of being willing to get your feet wet. The lessons focused on those in Biblical history, like Peter, who stepped out of the boat and into the storm while keeping their eyes on Jesus; relying on their faith to not sink into the water.
In the book we used for the lessons, the author, John Ortberg, notes that there is something, Someone, inside of us that tells us there is more to life than sitting in the boat. Something inside of all of us wants us to leave the comfort of routine existence and abandon ourselves to the high adventure of following God. My hope is that the next time I feel called to participate in a cause that may be outside my comfort zone, that I can take the leap of faith and do it.
One cause that I believe in that many might consider to be out of their comfort zone to visit is the Christian Activity Center (CAC) in East St. Louis. The center provides recreation, education and life enhancement activities for at-risk children in one of the most depressed neighborhoods of the community, and the results of the program are incredible.
If you visit the site at http://www.cacesl.org,/ you can see these children receive care and guidance from the time they leave school until close to bedtime. Since the program began, participation in gang activity and juvenile crime in the neighborhood has dropped dramatically, 90 percent of participants graduate from high school and many have gone on to and completed college degrees. The program is having a dramatic impact. And the program has many needs that we can each help fulfill. It's a cause to nourish. Check it out! It's worth stepping out of the boat.
In the book we used for the lessons, the author, John Ortberg, notes that there is something, Someone, inside of us that tells us there is more to life than sitting in the boat. Something inside of all of us wants us to leave the comfort of routine existence and abandon ourselves to the high adventure of following God. My hope is that the next time I feel called to participate in a cause that may be outside my comfort zone, that I can take the leap of faith and do it.
One cause that I believe in that many might consider to be out of their comfort zone to visit is the Christian Activity Center (CAC) in East St. Louis. The center provides recreation, education and life enhancement activities for at-risk children in one of the most depressed neighborhoods of the community, and the results of the program are incredible.
If you visit the site at http://www.cacesl.org,/ you can see these children receive care and guidance from the time they leave school until close to bedtime. Since the program began, participation in gang activity and juvenile crime in the neighborhood has dropped dramatically, 90 percent of participants graduate from high school and many have gone on to and completed college degrees. The program is having a dramatic impact. And the program has many needs that we can each help fulfill. It's a cause to nourish. Check it out! It's worth stepping out of the boat.
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