Small Nonprofits May Mean More Value for Your Ten Bucks

Did you know that there are 6,000 nonprofits incorporated in Delaware? Believe it or not, in a state with a population of less than 900,000 people, the nonprofit field represents an enormous percentage of our workforce. More than likely, your life has been touched in major ways by the efforts of nonprofits and you may not even know it. Nonprofits are so deeply ingrained in our current world culture that many operate under our very noses, completely undetected by their own constituents.

According to the Nonprofit Career Guide, http://www.nonprofitcareerguide.org/fact_sheet-scope.php, "The [nonprofit] sector accounts for 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) of the U.S. economy, 8 percent of wages and salaries, and 10 percent of employment. In addition, 29 percent of Americans volunteer through formal organizations." That means that 1 in 10 individuals are employed by, and therefore depend on, the public's continued support of their local nonprofits.

I myself am employed by a nonprofit. As the Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD), my job depends on the contributions of our valuable members, individual contributions, and sponsorships. Check us out at http://www.biade.org/. I'm very lucky that my salary is my family's secondary source of income, but I'm sure that my case is not typical.

There's a reason why people work in nonprofits. Their reward is not just monetary, it is based on knowing they are part of something greater than themselves. Many of them are operating their own lives at or below the poverty level. Imagine the personal sacrifices they have made to serve others.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, such as the $531,924 salary paid to Halla G. Modelmog, CEO of Susan G. Komen, and then of course, the other 17 executives who are paid six figures, some up to $400,000 per year. Check out their 2009 990 - or IRS tax statement - page 41 - at http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments//2009/751/835/2009-751835298-05c074f1-9A.pdf. This particular nonprofit has come under fire recently for filing lawsuits against people using the term "the cure" in their fundraising efforts. Talk about losing your focus. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/komen-foundation-charities-cure_n_793176.html?view=print.

I am passionate about supporting small, local nonprofits because I have found that they are small enough to be more closely connected to the population they serve. For example, I am one of just two people responsible for handling calls from people who need help. Personally handling a phone call from someone who can't afford to stock his own fridge discourages me from spending the organization's money frivolously. Being connected to my own cause is the greatest possible strength I can cultivate. I never want to lose sight of that goal.

In no way am I inferring that larger nonprofits can't do good in our communities. In fact, I find that Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, and Goodwill have their priorities in order. They show ingenuity in programs and are constantly changing and shifting their purpose within the community. They also provide many different ways for people to contribute to their missions.

Consider your donations as investments in your local community, rather than just a tax write-off. Not only does your donation make a positive impact on your neighborhood, but it may keep your own neighbor employed, thus building your own local economy. It's a win-win-win-win situation.

I'm challenging you to look up your own state's listing of nonprofits and find one that you can support with your ten bucks. The IRS has a nonprofit search engine at http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/ and you can select your state on the "Location" drop down box. (The lists have been substantially narrowed due to the IRS's 2009 decision to cut nonprofits that weren't filing regular 990s.)

And if you can't donate, volunteer! Did you know the IRS values volunteer time at $20.85 an hour? Check out this article from the Independent Sector. http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time

Whatever you do, do something to support your local nonprofits. Because whether you know it or not, they are supporting you.

Blast Off!

The response I have gotten to this idea over the past few days has been unbelievable. I've had phone calls and emails - steadily - since Monday. Last night, one more person pledged to match my ten bucks. His reaction was, "Sure, why not?"

Help me spread the word about My Ten Bucks by following this blog or passing it on to your friends and family.

I'm now researching my next charity. I can't wait... it's going to be a good one!

Another "Wow" Morning

It's Tuesday morning. I'm swamped with work, the sky is dreary, it's cold, and it's raining. But I don't care. I have my own little patch of sunshine right in the middle of my chest.

Yesterday, just before I interviewed Melinda, I received a phone call from another matching pledge. This morning, two more people jumped on board. These people have promised to match my ten bucks dollar for dollar. That means every charity I feature will receive $60.00 in support! See how quickly this could grow?

Let me make this clear: I'm not asking you to match my giving; that's something some people chose to do. I am asking you to pass the idea of My Ten Bucks on to your friends. You can help this seed of an idea take root and grow into something larger than all of us.

Help this blog grow by becoming a follower. Click "Follow" on the left side of this page. You'll get email updates on blog activity, but more importantly, the blog will impact more charities as it gains a larger following.

Technical Support is Redefined at KINfolk

Melinda shows a touch computer screen.

Melinda McGuigan is a firecracker. From the moment I met her, I knew that she was passionate and personally connected to the mission of her organization, KINfolk. I just had to interview her. She's a tiny lady who closely resembles Sarah Palin, a fact she embraces and thinks is riotously funny. After hearing about My Ten Bucks, Melinda was excited to be a part of it.

Melinda nearly ran to meet me in the lobby of A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, with a great big smile on her face. She enthusiastically shook my hand, then led me through a dizzying maze of hallways and elevators to her tiny office. Far from the grandeur of the main hospital, the KINfolk office is in the original duPont hospital buidling, which I have never seen. Melinda unlocked a gargantuan wooden door and led me into her warm, cozy office, filled with neatly stacked "gently used" laptops, computer parts, touch screens, and donated furniture. Pictures of children, including Melinda's two sons, are tacked and taped all over the walls. Many of them have obviously undergone some form of chemotherapy.

I asked Melinda to describe the purpose of KINfolk, in a meat and potatoes nutshell, so to speak. She said that KINfolk helps to alleviate the boredom and frustration of children in poor health by lending them safeguarded laptop computers (with internet filters). It seems so simple, really, but imagine you're a child who is bound to a bed while in recovery, detached and isolated from the friends that keep you sane. KINfolk helps kids remain connected to the people - and even pets - that matter so much to them. I had to laugh when Melinda told me that some kids would rather Skype their dog than their grandma.

Then, I sobbed. Melinda's compassion for the kids that she described was awe-inspiring. I listened and grabbed for tissues as she told me about Trevaine, a girl from Jamaica, who is featured in KINfolk's brochure. Trevaine was a beauty with dark brown skin, gleaming eyes, and a gorgeous white smile. Melinda told me that Trevaine's only communication with her family in Jamaica had been done using a KINfolk computer. Trevaine passed away in June 2010 after losing her fight with cancer. KINfolk had been able to help Trevaine maintain communication with her family despite the distance. When asked how this affected her, she said, "Although the sorrow is there, so is the reward." At that, I sobbed again.

Melinda knows firsthand the fear and frustration that goes along with a long recovery. Her son was diagnosed with cancer and treated at A.I. duPont several years ago. He survived, and in 2010 he graduated from the University of Delaware. Her son borrowed a KINfolk laptop while he was in recovery, and Melinda never forgot the program. A few years later, she found herself wanting to give back to her community. By a twist of fate, the position of Executive Director at KINfolk had opened up, and Melinda saw the job posting. Despite her lack of experience, her passion landed her the job.


A KINfolk computer console
in a hospital common area

KINfolk has partnerships at local hospitals throughout the nation. The nonprofit lends laptops directly to kids with a referral from a medical provider, child life specialist, or social worker. KINfolk ships laptops nationwide, and even provides travel bags, which protect the laptops as the children transport them from place to place. Many of their users are confined to hospital rooms, but just as many are homebound. KINfolk has an array of clients, but all of them have similar needs. The patients aren't the only ones who can borrow a computer; KINfolk regularly lends laptops to parents, clergy, doctors and family members.

I asked Melinda how my ten bucks would be used to directly impact KINfolk clients She said, "That's easy!" She held up a power cord adapter. "This is $90.00. You could pay for 1/9th of this. The power cords separate and get left plugged in in hospital rooms, then the cleaning people throw them out, and I have to replace them." Then she held up a surge protector. "This is $40.00. You could buy 1/4th of this." She waved a hand around her small office. "Then there's the things you don't see. Stamps. Postage. Shipping. Licenses." In other words, operating costs. As is the case with many nonprofits, as KINfolk's only paid employee, Melinda's salary is the largest chunk of KINfolk's operating budget. She receives funding from different sources, but many provide only direct cost reimbursement, meaning they don't often cover operating costs. Melinda cuts corners wherever she can, by reusing packaging, retrofitting damaged equipment, and finding sustainable sources for her equipment. She doesn't cut corners on software licenses, though, and says they are one of her highest expenses. She depends on her expert volunteers to help her maintain the equipment.

Melinda depends on individual contributions like my ten bucks because she can't always pay for these smaller items - and her own salary - from foundations or corporate sponsors. But she's getting inventive. When she buys laptops with grant money, she asks the laptop companies to send her a few more. "They find ways to give."

I asked Melinda how KINfolk's services could be improved if more people donated ten bucks. She said the money would be used to get the best equipment available for KINfolk clients. Kids who are already stressed out don't need a license or update reminder in the middle of a conversation. Knowing how much KINfolk kids depend on communication, Melinda lends only the most tried-and-true equipment. "I'm not in the business of frustrating sick kids," she says.

Melinda's closing thought was one of gratitude. "Every day, I am humbled by the contributions of our volunteers. They are professional, highly-trained people who donate [very valuable services]. Even the volunteers who deliver the computers [are amazing]. They may walk in on a "code blue" or a kid who is not doing well. And still, they stay on. As an Executive Director, I get to see the best of people - as volunteers." I could not agree more.

If you want to contribute to KINfolk, the best way to make your tax-deductible donation count is by mailing a check. You can also donate online, but credit card companies take a percentage of each donation. It may be convenient, but KINfolk has to eat the charges. Send your check to KINfolk, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. Check out KINfolk, Melinda, and their clients at http://www.kinfolknet.org/.

My ten bucks matters, and so does yours.

Now I'm really inspired!

Before I even conducted my first interview (which is scheduled for today), I received not one but two commitments of matching gifts for every charity I feature. This means that every charity that I feature will receive my ten bucks and two more donations, for a total of $30 every two weeks! I am so inspired - and amazed - at what the smallest contribution can do.

I am doing my first interview today, and will post it as quickly as I can get it written. In every feature, I will make sure I include a link or address for ways you can give!

Thank you, S & K. You have made me so happy!