Finding Meaning; Kate Black

I met Kate Black when we were thirteen years old. Ever since I have known her she has been outgoing and participated in all activities. Throughout high school she was the first one to volunteer for any type of fundraising event. Nine years later Kate continues to work with continued enthusiasm in everything she does.

Here is Kate’s story:

What drove you to choose a career in philanthropy?

“I have always been heavily involved in the nonprofit and volunteer sector. Ever since I was a little kid, i have wanted to feel like I am a part of something that is just a little bit bigger, and that I am making a positive difference in someone’s life. Moreover, my whole life I have been teased by my family  for always wanting to know the answer to the question “why?”. “Why do we do what we do?”, “why does it matter?”, “what difference does it make?”. For a while there, I was obsessed with the “real meaning” and the “bigger picture” of literally everything – I’m not sure much has changed in that sense. Needless to say, I have known my whole life that my future was going to be in the nonprofit sector, I just didn’t always know in what capacity.

After a couple of program changes in my first year at Wilfrid Laurier University, I landed myself in the Global Studies program, and although I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to move forward with it, I knew I was in the right place. Upon looking a little more critically at my volunteer experiences as an Executive Member on Laurier’s Charity Council, as well as my volunteer experience in Central America for a summer, I really focused on zeroing in on my passions and the things that were important to me; I was led straight to philanthropy and eventually Humber College’s Fundraising program.”

Why is your work important? How does it fulfill you?

“Like I said, I have always been obsessed with finding the meaning in everything; this includes everything from what is going on around me in the world, to my everyday actions. Working in the health care sector, and raising money for stem cell research, I love what I do – it is innovative and bold, and I truly believe that one day soon, it will change the future of medicine.  At the end of the day, as long as what I am doing is making a difference to someone, somewhere, whether directly or indirectly, then I will be happy. As long as my work fits into the “bigger picture” and creates a positive change, then it is important.”

What else would you be doing to make you happy?

“While I really enjoy the work I do, I would really like to be able to travel a bit more. I enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people, as well as learning about different cultures and really trying to immerse myself in them. I don’t think the answers lay in North American nonprofits programming for individuals across the world; I think we really need to take the time to listen and learn first-hand, and use the tools and resources we have here in order to enable these individuals to create their own change, in a way that fits for them. “

How have your travel experiences effected the way you view the world, the way you view philanthropy?

“After having spent a summer abroad, working in schools, refugee camps and orphanages in Costa Rica, my perspective on just about everything has changed completely. This being said, with regards to philanthropy, I have learned that our participation is crucial, but that rather than deciding what other cultures and societies need, we really need to step back and let them decide. Like I said, we have the tools and resources to be in a position to make tremendous contributions, but at the end of the day, the work being done needs to work for those who are directly affected.”

What is your dream for your children’s world?

“Although it would be ideal, it would be naive to dream that the world will be a perfect place by the time my children step into the picture. All I can really dream for the coming generation is that they will be given the same opportunities to learn and to dream, as many of us have been given. My dream is for them to be able to be innovative and collaborative, and with open minds, hopefully they will find some more answers to many of life’s problems that we face today.”

Kate’s story is one that everyone can relate to. Her regular day-to-day activities were more than just day-to-day for her; she knew there was more and she had a compulsion , commitment and confidence to do something about it!

 

Reconfirming Philanthropy; Adele Wang

Adele Wang wants to change the world. She gets excited at opportunities that are innovative and helpful to our society. She has always had a passion for travelling, meeting new people and learning anything and everything at once. She is a social butterfly who demands presence when she enters a room; which is hard to do when one is so short. Adele gains respect from her peers and colleagues through her intelligent analysis and ability to listen.

Here are some questions I asked Adele.

What are some of your passion when is comes to fundraising and philanthropy?

“I’ve always loved learning about people. There’s that curiosity about where someone’s from, what they do, what shapes what they believe in without fail and what drives the changes in opinions over the difference courses of their lives. I was lucky as a kid, I had a mentor who really instilled this in me.

As I got older, I became interested in issues beyond Canadian borders. This led me to my studies in Political Science with an emphasis on international relations, and drove me to take a life-changing volunteer trip to a small rural community in Guatemala before my fourth year. That was my first taste of meeting people from different places in Canada, and really the entire world. I got to observe different ways of life firsthand. From there I never really looked back – I knew that I wanted to do SOMETHING to connect with other people and help them.”

Do you feel like philanthropy gives meaning to other areas in your life?

“Working alongside and seeking people who see a different picture and potential of what could be, and wholeheartedly believe in their own personal power to change what they envision and see differently is important to me. The sense of community I have found at Evergreen Brickworks and among my friends from the Humber Fundraising and Volunteer Management program can really amplify the moments of empowerment in my daily life.

Anyone who knows me might complain that I go into too much detail about my love for travelling. I think it’s because I consider some of those trips as my most defining experiences to date. I spent two years travelling on and off, trying to figure out what direction I was moving in. I had a strong feeling I wanted to work in the non-profit sector but I wasn’t sure what my game plan was. Watching people connect from different parts of the world; it fascinated me and moves me. I really do think this is where I realized my love of local community development. I brought home the realization that I wanted to invest in my own city and community. Funny enough, it all came full circle. I fell in love with a lot of places where seeing that close sense of community, getting my food at a local market where I got to see and speak with others. This drew me to my internship at Evergreen Brickworks. Evergreen transformed an abandoned brick factory into a beautiful green space for the community to share with while still integrating it’s history.

Also, I have a deep passion for the arts and culture sector in Toronto. Personally, I equate it with quality family time. Growing up, my sister and I would get swept to museums, art shows and the symphony on weekends. Investing in a city that I live in, that’s special and it’s become a passion in my life.”

I think that some people have multiple passions, others have one. I have a few, and with fundraising and philanthropy I can explore them all.

Why do you feel like philanthropy is the right career path for you?

“Right now, I truly believe everyone has a dream, even if it’s not obvious to them, I think people feel strong emotions when something triggers it and they know that what they believe is that something should be different; that something should be changed. Something can be changed and it takes action and guts to do that. People want to be moved and if you can provide them with the moment where they feel it, it makes you feel amazing. I’m at such an early stage in my career that I’m not sure I have been able to do that yet, but I have been lucky enough to be around people who do, see and hear the stories of those affected, and where I have experiences a “wow, I want to be part of that” moment. I want to connect people to organizations that they either don’t know about or have always been connected with.

The thing that attracts me most to philanthropy is being in a position to be a part of helping others be more philanthropic. I want to be an enabler and connect people to opportunities.

Meeting my friends at Humber, experiencing the open culture of fundraising and philanthropy professionals in the non-profit community and the people I have met thus far in my internship have all reconfirmed why I feel as though this is the right place for me to be right now. We have to spend so much time at work that to have a moment of inspiration makes a difference in your productivity and day-to-day life. There is something to be said about finding and connecting with people who get just as passioned as you do about a cause. Imagine what it must be like to mobilize them and then you can’t wait to see what happens!”

Food for Thought; Noah Kravitz

Speaking with for the first time Noah you realize he is on of the most animated speakers you will ever meet, using gestures and genuine excitement in his facial expressions you can feel the energy radiating off of him. This is what pushes you to feel and believe in Noah’s passions; making the world a better place. After spending a year with Noah while completing our post-graduate certifications in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from Humber College I learned that Noah really wants to make a difference in this world. He fearlessly experiences new adventures from new foods, travelling to volunteering at a new organization.

I asked Noah a few questions about what he does; these were some of his answers:

What drove you to choose a career in philanthropy?

“I always knew that I wanted to enter a profession that worked to assist those who are less fortunate. Both my parents are social workers and have worked their entire careers in social services. Being exposed to the nonprofit landscape at a young age, I pursued employment and volunteer opportunities facilitating child/youth programs and assisting in community development initiatives. Ultimately, it was my experience on the programming side that drove me to pursue a career in philanthropy. I strongly believe in the value of social service programs serving disadvantaged populations, and the lack of available funding coupled with continuous cuts, motivates me to do all that I can to ensure that they remain sustainable.”

Why is your work important?

“I have had the opportunity to see first-hand the impact that the programs my colleagues and I raise funds for have on its participants. Whether it be seniors from different cultural backgrounds coming together over a game of bingo or men and women experiencing homelessness socializing over a meal, it gives me great sense of accomplishment knowing that the work I embark on is making a difference in other people’s lives.”

How does your work fulfill you?

“It fulfills me to know that I am in a profession that works towards helping others and part of an overall community of like minded individuals. Getting involved in various community building projects, sharing stories with my peers and advocating for social change is what fulfills me on a day to day basis.”

What else makes you really happy?

“Besides my work I love exploring Toronto’s thriving food scene. My friend and I are currently on a mission to expose Torontonians to the best quality meals for $10 or less (before taxes). Currently we are working on a twitter movement #Food4ten, to start a community network for those in search of the best spots to dine on a budget throughout the city.”

Noah’s varying interests have led him to this career. Through his experiences and genuine passion he will surely help change the world. Follow Noah on Twitter!!

A “Nudge” Into Philanthropy

I met Kaitlin Nelson when we were both completing post-graduate certifications in Fundraising and Volunteer Management at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario.

Throughout the program Kaitlin was my colleague who always re-evaluated what was being taught with the thought of others in mind. When discussing how to gain new donors, find prospects and the best way to “hook” them, Kaitlin would be the first to ask why someone might be interested in a cause, what their story is, why are we doing what we are doing. Kaitlin always brought the conversation back to philanthropy and our mission as fundraisers and philanthropists. What was the bigger picture.

I asked Kaitlin a few questions, and here were her responses:

What drove you to choose a career in philanthropy?

“After several extended internships at small shop charities, I decided that my ideas to support change were inadequate unless I had the skills to back them up. Humber, it turned out, offered the kind of training I was looking for. I was really drawn to the notion of linking volunteerism with fundraising, ‘telling the story’ — your story, mine — and galvanizing support among a community that cares.”

Was there some sort of injustice? Or was it just that you love to help people?

“I feel so strongly that our mere existence is something of a miracle! Big and small, there are things that nudge us toward that reality until we can do nothing else but lend a hand, a dollar, and compel our hearts to experience the hope that always exists. I think these are ‘holy’ moments that disrupt our ordinary lives, stripping us of our self-worth based on achievement and instead join ‘us’ and ‘them’ with the gift of love and the gift of gratitude. That convinces me that we can all be philanthropic and it’s also what drew me to a career in philanthropy.”

Why is your work important? How does it fulfill you?

“Fundraising is important because is provides the opportunity for someone to become a better neighbour. It’s probably best described as a tool of philanthropy because it doesn’t quite capture the big vision contained in philanthropy: The love of human kind.

Some people think ‘Oh my donations can’t be philanthropic. I’d have to be much wealthier for that to happen!’ Except it’s not about the money, it’s about the people we serve! I recently overhead someone say it differently, ‘The flipside of Calgary’s prosperity is reflected in the poor and vulnerable.’ It’s about recognizing the humanity instead of the problem.

I think my work is important because I get to share that message and link it to the everyday impact of how someone’s donation is changing lives — donor and beneficiary alike!”

What else would you be doing to make you happy?

“My heart is full when I come across donors and volunteer donors and volunteers face-to-face. As of right now I haven’t had as many of those visits as I’d like – so more of that. It also makes me wonder if I should delve more into the links between volunteerism and fundraising.”

Kaitlin is truly a philanthropic being. She has already begun her #mevolution.

Have you?