Be True To Your School

Sigh.  This is a tough one to write.  I saw the 617 number coming in on my cell phone and thought... "hm...617?! .. Boston...   now who from my past has tracked me down?"
When I said hello, I heard the sweetest young lady's voice who announced... "Hello! Is this Toby Sweeney??? I am so glad I finally could reach you... this is .... ... calling to.... fill you in on what's new on campus.... and .... update you on.... the ahem... ...the....
A N N U A L   F U N D".

They Found Me.
Not the Student Loan People... The Annual Fund People!
Good for them! They found me! (I actually found them first, in an effort to have them mobilize...but that is a whole other story, and this blog is not about plugging MobileCause, the nonprofit industry leader for mobile giving, engagement and communication! Ya hear?!)  So, after a nice conversation with a senior communications major, I happily gave $48.  I did this because I am grateful.
But I also did it...  because, it felt good.
I am proud to say I am a college grad! I usually exclaim this fact in an effort to show I can handle the Home Depot self check-out, when I am really in need of assistance from the clerk.   Either way, I do recall receiving a scholarship my senior year that basically paid for ALL of my classes.  And I also have a foggy memory of learning to program a state of the art lighting board at one of the most beautiful theatres in Boston.  And here I am, confidently giving $48 a month to this nonprofit and that nonprofit.  And all the while, my alma mater, who helped shape the 18-21 year old me, was being ignored.
You caught me on a good night, Phone-a-thon!  You do good things, Emerson College Annual Fund!

Tonight I felt like I was able to enter the circle of higher education giving, gratefully, and with immense pride.  I am an alum, who has become, a first-time donor.

Tough post to write.  Not the great equalizing post.  But a 48 Club post, nonetheless. 

If you loved your educational experience, be true to your school.  Trust me, this is not a student loan!  Student loans are owned by the government and by private banks.  Both of whom do not keep your school shiny and new... nor do they seek out students for scholarship opportunities.
A Student Loan is the scratchy old mean reminder that you are in debt.
The Annual Fund is a sweet voice of friendship, legacy and support.

If you can, give a few beans back to The Annual Fund of your school.  $48 to be exact.

Yours in giving,
The 48 Club

PS... if you want to nominate a nonprofit to be featured, feel free to post a nomination comment, and thanks!

BARK! MEOW! GIVE!

When you purchase anything, you pretty much are comfortable that the money is going in some way shape or form ... somewhere.  You have no idea where, when...how.  You just know that the money leaves your hands...and something then comes home with you in return.  The exchange.  The barter.
When you give to a nonprofit, you are exchanging money for trust and goodwill.  You are entrusting the recipient of that money to do with it what you had intended.  You want that money to be spent...
ON THE CAUSE! But, what does that mean? Surely some of the money a nonprofit uses is for the people whose ideas help to fulfill the mission of the organization.  And of course some of that money goes to the literature that is printed to spread the word about the cause.  And advertising, marketing, merchandising, a physical office, phones, paper, supplies for everything you can imagine... anything a FOR PROFIT company would need, a NONPROFIT company needs as well.

But the nonprofit needs you to give them money in exchange for no tangible barter.  This puts them in the position to be Responsible! They need to be more responsible than your average retailer.  Luckily there are some great resources out there that will help you understand how those hard earned donated dollars are spent.  Charity Navigator  (clue: this link will clue you into the organization I want you to donate to this month)

Through my research, I have happened upon an animal advocacy organization who puts the "Giving" in "Giving".  They put the MONEY into the CAUSE, and they don't aim to increase revenue, only to continue to spend your donations wisely.  The President of the org makes pennies compared to what they raise.  Compare her earnings to the President of any other animal welfare organization you know of.  Please take a moment to check Charity Navigator for the salary of the CEO and President of any animal nonprofit you donate money to.  Then, please take a look at Animal Welfare Institute! 
Donate your $48 this month to AWI because you love animals...but more importantly because you love your money! Put it in the hands of the organization doing the most good with it, and using the MOST OF IT!

Animal Welfare Institute

Bark, Meow, Roar, Chirp.... McCawwww.

Thanks for letting me steer you in the right giving direction,
The 48 Club

$48 you didn't know you had...

Ever look in your closet full of clothes and think "Dang! I have nothing to wear!!" ME TOO!
Where the heck do all these clothes come from??  Wherever or whenever they came, they did so with enthusiasm and emotion.  They were welcomed that day, they were enjoyed (perhaps momentarily) and they have had a small (or massively and unhealthily large) emotional connection to you ever since.

It is time to let go. Clean out your closet.  Take the things you once loved, (or never really fell for) but have not even thought about wearing in years and let them go.  Let them go somewhere amazing.  Donate them! You don't even have to put them in your car and take them anywhere.  The Vietnam Veterans of America will come to your house tomorrow and pick them up.  The items you donate will benefit the families of Vietnam Veterans.  Schedule a pick up today.
  http://www.pickupplease.org/Donation-Program

The money you spent on the clothing you no longer wear can make a difference in someones life.  There is no reason NOT to do this.

I am sure your bags of household items, clothing, shoes and toys will add up to much more than $48, but for the sake of this blog, give your "$48" to the VVA this month.
The 48 Club needs you to pay attention to your community, have a sense of social responsibility, bag it up and schedule the pick up.  Do the right thing.



If you can't part with things that are collecting dust in your home, please watch just one episode of Hoarders on A&E immediately. http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/video/
A little perspective, people.

Happy September!

$48 = $144 or, The Pink Stand Mixer

Have you bought something pink recently? Have you seen something pink for sale? Seen a little pink ribbon on something at the supermarket, at the store...?  This is called CAUSE MARKETING.  It is a way for a huge branded nonprofit to partner with products and help them sell those products in exchange for a large donation from a major company.  The donation is only being made so that the product can use the nonprofit logo.  The feel good brand is selling the regular old brand.  It is brilliant.

Is it giving back? Kind of.  Is it making an educated and informed choice on where your generous donation is going?  Unlikely.  

The big nonprofit is passing off the feeling of "giving back" by asking you to purchase a certain brand of crackers, or a athletic jersey, or a pink stand mixer.  And in a small way, you are helping, you really are.  But do you know the name of the person in your town who is suffering with cancer today? Suffering with the financial and emotional burden? Do you know their family? If you DID, would you take that money, ear-marked for the pink stand mixer and instead hand it to the family, personally?  You should.  I am telling you right now, that you absolutely should do this.  If you can't do this.  If you do not have the time or do not even know who needs you to do this...don't be thwarted.  There is an organization in the Philadelphia area who has found an incredible way to help, at home, where it counts.

The 48 Club proudly announces the featured nonprofit for July 2011. 

For every dollar raised by Great Guys Group, they are able to pay down almost $3 of a nominated patient's medical bills.  They are businesspeople, and they know how to negotiate.  They negotiate the bills, then they pay them off.  The more they raise, the more people they can help.  They don't have a billboard on the Ben Franklin Bridge, and they don't give pink cleats to players in the NFL.  They help sick people in our area live better lives.  They bring hope.

If you want to feel good today, if you want to bring hope, give $48 to The Great Guys Group.   

This is an organization you can trust.

Make a difference with just a few clicks.   Do it now.  Then talk about it.  Tell everyone you know about The Great Guys Group.

www.greatguys.org/donate

They are an extraordinary resource, serving patients and their families, connecting donors and benefactors to improve lives that have been burdened by the cancer experience in our area.
Learn more about them, visit them online:  www.greatguys.org or, if you know someone who is in need, nominate them to become a recipient: http://www.greatguys.org/nominate
Be sure to "like" them on The Book,
http://www.facebook.com/#!/greatguysgroup . 
(You'll wish you could "love" them on the book, trust me.)

They need your help.  Share this post with your friends and family.
Let's all do our part.  


Yours in giving,
The 48 Club

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now.

Friends, Countrymen... I ask you to ask yourselves... when was the last time you really did something good?  Today I donated to a nonprofit.  I took $48 that was earmarked for monthly membership club dues, and I gave it away.  Instead of networking in my club and self-promoting, I handed off the $48 to a well deserving nonprofit who does good!

Gildasclubsouthjersey.org

Stay tuned for more reasons why giving it away is the only way to keep it coming....