Join Me in Supporting #GivingTuesday!

After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, there's an opportunity to make a difference either by volunteering or by donating to a favorite cause.

According to Kathy Calvin, former CEO of the United Nations Foundation, "GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday season should be about community and not just consumerism. The most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends, and neighbors is the commitment to work together to help build a better world. Long associated with millionaires, philanthropy now belongs to everyone. Through technology and digital communications, people of all ages and all backgrounds can get involved in an issue, whether it’s making an online donation to a group on the other side of the planet or starting a petition to mobilize a community of advocates to push for change. The belief that anyone can make a difference is at the core of the United Nations Foundation’s work."

Here are the nonprofits I'm supporting this year on Giving Tuesday:

GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND (GDB) (San Rafael, CA)

"With world-class client services and a robust network of instructors, puppy raisers, donors, and volunteers, we prepare highly qualified guide dogs and K9 Buddy dogs, provide guide dog readiness skills, and offer youth programs to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired. GDB not only improves mobility for our clients, we further inclusion. As the largest guide dog school in North America, more than 16,000 guide dog teams have graduated from GDB from across the U.S. and Canada since our founding in 1942. All of our services are provided free of charge, including personalized training and ongoing support, plus financial assistance for veterinary care, if needed. Our work is made possible by the generous support of our donors and volunteers; we receive no government funding."

CANINE COMPANIONS (Santa Rosa, CA)

"Canine Companions provides service dogs to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice, and educational settings. Since our founding in 1975, our dogs and all follow-up services are provided at no cost to our clients. Independence shouldn’t be limited to those who look or live a certain way. Disability reaches all races, classes, and backgrounds, and Canine Companions will too. Here are some numbers showcasing our growth:

* 8,000+ graduate teams placed since our founding in 1975

* 450 working dog teams placed in 2023

* 2,700+ active graduate teams nationwide

* 4,300+ active volunteers nationwide

* 1,100+ puppies being raised by volunteers

* Several hundred Canine Companions release dogs currently functioning in such human services roles as bomb searching, border patrol, customs, and therapy and guide dogs."

CAT NOIR RESCUE (Los Angeles, CA)

"At Cat Noir Rescue, we believe every cat deserves a chance at love, safety, and a forever home. We shine a light on the most overlooked felines - black cats. Based in Los Angeles, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and foster-based rescue dedicated to saving stray, abandoned, and at-risk cats, with a special focus on those passed over due to superstition or stigma.

SHARE THIS: A black cat appearing at your doorstep is a sign of coming wealth and prosperity. ~Cat Noir Rescue #FunFact #blackcatsbringgoodluck #GivingTuesday #DebbieLaskeysBlog

What brands with important missions will you support today? Chime in and share.

SHARE THIS: You do not have to be a world leader – or even a billionaire – to make an impact. If we are going to turn things around, we all need to do our part to make it happen. Change starts with you. ~Ted Turner #DebbieLaskeysBlog #GivingTuesday

Image Credits: Guide Dogs for the Blind, Canine Companions, and Cat Noir Rescue.

Check out the nonprofits mentioned above:

Guide Dogs for the Blind: https://www.guidedogs.com

and

Canine Companions: https://canine.org/service-dogs

and

Cat Noir Rescue: https://www.catnoirrescue.org

Learn fun facts and the history of black cats: 

https://www.catnoirrescue.org/black-cat-facts

Check out Cat Noir Rescue's Wish List on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/28RQB8M19XEC0/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Leadership Insights from the Nonprofit Sector

I would like to introduce Scott Bowling, Psy.D., to my blog. Since 1999, Scott has been President and CEO of the Exceptional Children's Foundation (ECF), a nonprofit based in Culver City (California) with 15 service sites throughout Los Angeles County. ECF provides services for young children, students, and adults with special needs. Scott leads a staff of over 350 employees, a budget of $25 million, and for the last year, I’m honored to say I've been a member of Scott's team as Marketing Director. Recently, Scott and I discussed leadership, and highlights from our conversation follow.

QUESTION: How is the process of leading different when leading a nonprofit versus a for-profit business?

SCOTT BOWLING: The leadership process and principles applied to nonprofit vs. for-profit businesses are more alike than dissimilar. The employees of any business must be prioritized as the organization's greatest asset. Motivating staff to the mission of the business and ensuring each employee understands his/her role and value to achieving desired outcomes are paramount. Acknowledging performance excellence while keeping everyone invested in the company's direction is what achieves the best (mission and financial) results.

QUESTION: What three qualities are most important for employees to be successful in the nonprofit sector?

SCOTT BOWLING: I believe in these three: shared company values, communication flow, and positive attitude/energy. 

QUESTION: How can a President/CEO set the direction for his/her company's or nonprofit's culture?

SCOTT BOWLING: The CEO sets the tone for the company's day-to-day operations and therefore creates its culture through consistency of actions, applied policy, and communications. S/He must live and breathe the company's values (integrity, service excellence, fiscal responsibility, people first, for instance), and attract and retain the human resources (staff) who share these values and facilitate the tone (culture) established by the CEO.

QUESTION: In the nonprofit sector, employees wear many hats, so how can an individual gain respect without a leadership title?

SCOTT BOWLING: Respect is earned by individuals with and without a leadership title. When individuals maintain a positive attitude, perform duties with consistent quality, and can be relied upon to reflect the company's values, trust and respect will follow.

QUESTION: How can a leader inspire his/her employees to become brand ambassadors?

SCOTT BOWLING: Once a clear branding plan is established and communicated, follow the plan – consistently. Branding is seen in the way leaders dress, how s/he speaks to others inside and outside the business, the messages sent in writing and orally (how s/he represents the company), and in actions taken.

With Scott Bowling at ECF Event.

QUESTION: One of my favorite quotes about leadership is from author and consultant Mark Herbert: “Leadership is a gift, not a position. It doesn’t require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to trust and be trusted – and block and tackle for others.” What does this quote mean to you?

SCOTT BOWLING: It means that everyone has the opportunity to lead. Seize the opportunities that inevitably become available to demonstrate your belief in the whole, and those who comprise the oneness of the company. Defend what's right (through consistent actions and words), and stand firm in the values that advance the company forward.

My thanks to Scott Bowling for sharing his leadership insights. Learn more about ECF at www.ECF.net and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConnectwithECF.

Image Credit (Leadership): Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net.