We’ve been sharing a lot of information on our Facebook page recently – because we read EVERYTHING and love to let people know about all the great info out there. 
 
Here’s a recap of the articles we read in May…
 
5/9 – “Why do nonprofits matter?” from joangarry.com
Using a story about a group of citizens who came together (Families for Safe Streets) to affect change and make streets safer for pedestrians in New York City, Joan Garry reminds us how a small group of people can come together and change the world.
 
5/11 – “Why some people are more altruistic than others” from collective-evolution.com
This article explores how one researcher is trying to better understand the human capacity to care for others, where it comes from, and how it develops (and, also, how it sometimes doesn’t).
 
5/13 – “Black people are the most philanthropic people in the world” from thegrio.com
This interview with Susan Taylor Batten, President and CEO of the Association of Black Foundation Executives, discussed black-led social change, the use of the term “philanthropy”, and community giving circles.
 
5/15 – “Regions What a Difference a Day Makes” from regions.com
As a prominent philanthropic company based in Birmingham, this article highlights how Regions supports different organizations in the communities they serve.
 
5/17 – “The problem with modern philanthropy” from theatlantic.com
Read about the role of philanthropic dollars and the foundations that control them have an effect on democracies and the power of wealthy donors in society.
 
5/19 – “Most millennials would take a pay cut to work at an environmentally responsible company” from fastcompany.com
So many employees want to know that their employers are responsible to their communities, and some consider taking it to what many would consider “extreme”, reducing their pay.
 
5/21 – “Sometimes the best thing we donors can do to advance social justice is to just write the check and get out of the way” from nonprofitaf.com
Donor engagement is important, but how does it affect the work nonprofits are doing?
 
5/23 – “Tracking volunteer time to boost your bottom line” from blueavocado.org
Should you track employee volunteer time? Does it matter? What do you do with that information after you have it?
 
5/25 – “A coalition of giant brands is about to change how we shop forever with new zero-waste platform” from fastcompany.com
Environmentalism is important to many consumers, take a look at how some major brands are looking back to the concepts of milk delivery to update their packaging options.
 
5/27 – “The power of giving circles” from huffpost.com
See how giving circles are changing modern philanthropy despite the fact that fewer Americans give charitably than did a decade ago.
 
5/29 – “Millennials are the most generous and the most careful when donating to charity” from globalcitizen.org
So many of us have pre-conceived notions on how millennials are acting when it comes to charitable giving. The results of this 2017 study may surprise you.
 
5/31 – “We need to stop treating nonprofits the way society treats poor people” from nonprofitaf.com
Paternalism continues to be rampant in our society and nonprofits are not exempt from it. Read about why we need to trust the people who run nonprofits to be the experts they are.

Have you ever heard the Asian parable about the invisible red thread?
 
As it goes, a little boy is playing on a riverbank and sees an elderly man with a broken red string tied around his ankle. Being the curious sort, the boy asks the man about it. Having recently lost his wife, he explains that this thread previously connected he and his wife before she died. He explains that each of us are connected to everyone we are ever going to meet by thousands of invisible red threads and when we need someone they feel a tug on their end of the thread. In fact, he says to the boy, you’re even connected to that little girl on the other side of the river. The boy gestures in disbelief, picks up another rock to throw into the river, tosses it, and runs away. Years later, on his wedding night, he lifts his bride’s veil to see she is wearing a jewel on her forehead. Still being the curious sort, the young man asks her about the jewel. She explains that it covers a scar from a wound she received as a child when a boy threw a rock at the river and it hit her instead.
 
It’s a rather poetic way to simply say we are all connected to each other.
 
Birmingham is often ranked as one of the top philanthropic cities per capita in the United States. Which means many of us are giving something – whether it is to a religious organization, membership to a professional organization, sponsorship of an event, or another worthwhile cause.
 
And once you get a reputation for being engaged, EVERYONE wants you to help support their worthwhile cause. From letters and phone calls to emails and coffee meetings, there is always an organization in need with an important request. You do your best to give organizations your attention, but you’ve got a business to run as well.
 
It takes a lot of work to be a good community steward. But…it’s not quite enough work to justify the expense of a new employee. Yet…it’s still too much to add on to a staff person who is already doing the work of at least two people.
 
And yet, you continue to give because you understand the need and the importance for your company to be engaged and connected to the community.
 
Connected, as if by an invisible red thread...