(Ellie Haga is FLOC’s Executive Assistant and Development Associate.)
Before I started working at FLOC three years ago, I admit, fundraising was a foreign concept to me. I was a teacher and the only fundraising I did was soliciting my own parents for help with the cost of grad school on a teacher’s salary!
When I began working at FLOC, part of my job was to be a member of the fundraising team. Truth be told, I was terrified. When I thought about fundraising, all I could think of was hours of phone calls, knocking on people’s doors, and generally “bugging’ people for money.
Fast forward to today, and I see a very different picture. Fundraising is more about “friend raising” at FLOC. It’s about telling stories about the impact FLOC is having and then having people who genuinely want to give money, resources, or time do so.
FLOC just held its 5th Annual Fundraising event, “Beyond the Classroom: Redefining How Today’s Kids Become Tomorrow’s Leaders.” Yes, it was a fundraiser, but it was also so much more than that. It was the gathering of nearly 200 caring partners, donors, parents, volunteers, and families that listened to stories of inspiration and success. It was about inspiring people to be their best selves in their own communities, but mostly it was about FLOC’s kids. The event was truly inspirational, and I walked away more committed to FLOC’s mission than ever before.
Because of FLOC’s approach to telling stories and rousing action, I continue to come to work every day knowing I’m not going to have to convince people to donate money, but rather, just tell them what we’re doing to make a difference. People will choose the ways they want to get involved, and we’ll be there to make it happen.
While many other nonprofits continue to take a different approach to fundraising, at FLOC we’re content to continue in the tradition that Fred Taylor began more than 45 years ago. We’ll continue to tell our story and know that people will continue to feel inspired and find a way to give back.
To learn more about FLOC and our friendraising efforts – check out a FLOC 101 session! http://www.floc.org/get-involved/floc-101
