Thank you.
My regular readers (whom I appreciate!) will know that on Thursdays, I’ve been giving advice to nonprofits on how to express their “attitude of gratitude” to their donors. Thank-yous can go far beyond a letter. They can include videos, gifts, and even acts of kindness that make the donor feel you are truly grateful and truly friends.
You can see all those TY Thursday posts by clicking on the link.
Today, I’d like to turn it around. Instead of advising you on how to thank your donors, I want to send you my thanks.
I’m Grateful to You, Nonprofits
Thank you to the nonprofits that help my neighbors meet basic human needs.
Thank you to the nonprofits that help people worldwide appreciate art and literature.
Thank you to the nonprofits that give free legal advice to people in a jam.
Thank you to the nonprofits that work to change policy so people won’t need legal advice so often.
Thank you to the grassroots groups that are mainly friends and neighbors with a 501(c)(3).
Thank you to the huge corporations with big budgets and complex organizational structures who don’t forget that they’re there on a mission.
Thank you to the nonprofit organizations (called synagogues) that gave me my Jewish education, a place to worship in community, and a way to continue the 4,000-year-old tradition that has shaped my life.
Thank you to the nonprofit organizations (called universities) that changed the way I think and taught me life lessons, inside and outside the classroom.
To the people who spend their days working hard for these agencies, way beyond what nonprofits can ever afford to pay them to do, thanks!
To the people who spend their evenings and weekends volunteering for these agencies, whether they lick envelopes, serve meals, or serve on the Board, thanks!
To the receptionists, the face of each organization…
the frontline staff, who see the faces of the people they serve…
the interns passing through, who may remember their time there life long…
the Executive Directors, carrying too much weight on their own shoulders…
and especially, to the fundraisers and communicators who make sure that donors hear about the great difference the work of your organization makes (as I did), and become grateful (as I have), so they continue to support you with their creativity, time, and money…THANK YOU.
I know for many of you, life is about to get harder–again–as it did during the Great Recession only eight years ago. Please know that every day, I will be thinking of you.
It’s your job to thank the donors, and I will keep on sending you tips on how to do it well. But once in a while, you deserve some appreciation too. Thank you. And you’re welcome.
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