Last week I was on vacation in Michigan, and I decided to test a theory that I’ve had for a long time. I believe that philanthropy is something that occurs all around us every day, and we’re usually way too busy to notice it.
Sometimes, it is hard to put it in words, which makes it difficult to blog about. So, I decide that I would try to take pictures of “every day” philanthropy while I was on vacation and share it with you this week.
Today’s picture is obviously of a flower bed. While many municipalities ask their public works department to plant and maintain flower beds, some communities partner with non-profit organizations to get the job done.
How many times have you busily zipped by such a public garden and didn’t take the time to appreciate the non-profit work put into its creation? I know that I have done so way too many times.
I wonder how much money it took to plant and maintain those flower beds? Hmmm . . . how many volunteers were recruited? How much enjoyment do residents reap from those efforts? Is there an impact on tourism and economic development?
As you have probably guessed, this week’s series of philanthropy pictures will lead up to an announcement on Thursday. Yes, it probably has something to do with something called a “phlog”. Stay tuned and please take a brief moment to enjoy what I consider the “every day pictures of philanthropy” this week.
Here’s to your health!
Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
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Thank you for the ping back. I am very excited about launching the philanthropy phlog. I hope you will follow it as well as submit photos, too. Thanks!
Erik, I hope you have a plan to measure the enjoyment factor. Counting volunteer hours is difficult if the volunteers aren’t required to count them and report them. (We have a few of our valued volunteers who just don’t see the need to scan in and out – we are working on them, but I digress…) I am very interested in this topic. 😀
Thanks for weighing in. I always appreciate your input. As for volunteer management, there a organizations that dabble with a volunteer program and there are others that invest in it. In my experience, those organizations that hire a full-time volunteer coordinator, write a recruitment & retention plan, and have tools (e.g. written volunteer descriptions, orientations, trainings, evaluations, etc) are much more successful than those who don’t. And to your point, tracking hours becomes part of the organized program and engrained.
There are far too many non-profits who I’ve seen that don’t put these things in place and end up exactly where you describe. Oh well!
I hope all is well in Richmond, IN. Please keep weighing in . . . I love your perspective!