Thursday, June 21, 2012

Selling Service and Volunteerism to Busy Nation

This article from The NonProfit Times features Points of Light Institute CEO Michelle Nunn.

If focuses on the challenges volunteer-based organizations have in attracting busy people to volunteer and donate in the nation's social sector. The 1994 Chicago Tribune story shows that this has been my focus since creating the Tutor/Mentor Connection. Click here to see many stories created as a result of this strategy.



I'm in Chicago. My voice is small. My total budget for Tutor/Mentor Connection has never been larger than $150,000 in a single year. That does not include many dollars for advertising and public awareness.

Yet, I fully agree with Michelle Nunn. We must find ways to tell stories on a daily basis the same way advertisers promote fast food, financial services, Viagra, etc. To do this we need many people in business, schools, faith groups, etc. writing and sharing stories that mobilize volunteers and donors to support tutor/mentor programs in every part of the Chicago region where they are needed.

I've posted numerous articles to show how this might be done. Browse the leadership and collaboration sections of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC.

Form a group and begin learning about these strategies and ways they can be adopted in your own organization. Visit this site to see how interns have been involved in this work for many years.

Anyone can adopt these ideas and provide as much leadership as they want. They don't need to tell me that they are doing this. However, if you appreciate the ideas and want to help me keep sharing this information, or do it even better, I'd appreciate your help, involvement and partnership. Read more.



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