By Rick Burns, ABLE2 Board Member
On an unseasonably warm morning in September, members of ABLE2’s Board of Directors gathered at the Stittsville Public Library for a welcome and orientation for new members and to discuss our collective roles and responsibilities for the coming year.
To open the session, we were welcomed by the recently appointed Chair of the Board, Adrian Raghunandan. As both a long-term volunteer ally and board member, Adrian has extensive experience with the organization and has shown over the years how committed he is to its mission– so in other words – great choice!
We then proceeded to roundtable introductions. It was great to see both new and familiar faces around the table. One thing that struck me as we introduced ourselves was that the driving force for so many of us getting involved with ABLE2 was a direct connection with someone who has a disability.
We then heard from Heather Lacey, the Executive Director of ABLE2, about plans and priorities for the coming year, as well as an overview of the duties and expectations of board members. Thony Jean-Baptiste, a long-time employee and now Director of Programs, then provided an overview of all of the services offered by ABLE2. I am always struck by ABLE2’s range of programming, from its flagship Matching Program, the Fetal Alcohol Resource Program, the Funding Brokerage program, the Reach Legal Referral Services – the organization has come a long way since its humble beginnings some 50 years ago.
We then received a “Finance 101” tutorial from ABLE2’s Treasurer (and professional finance guy) – Nick Korpikoski. A key duty of board members is financial oversight, so while we do not all need degrees in accounting or finance, it is important that we all have a basic, common understanding of things like cash flows, balance sheets, assets, liabilities, and more.
We then went on to perhaps the most important part of the meeting – fundraising. Led by a fundraising strategist, Margaret Miller, Board members were challenged to think of various ways they could support these efforts with view to ensuring ABLE2 remains strong and viable, now and in the years to come. During this discussion, it struck me that many of these ideas and recommendations for the Board could apply equally to all supporters ABLE2.
I heard once that delegation is the key to empowering those around you. With that in mind, here are some basic ideas on how you, dear reader, can help:
1. Give. Life-long donors are the lifeblood of community-based organizations – ABLE2 simply cannot operate with the generosity of others. For those of you lucky enough to live with financial security, even a small monthly donation can make such a difference. And if you do not have extra money laying around, of course – fully understandable – but keep ABLE2 in mind should your financial situation improve.
2. Donate time. We know that life has been financially difficult for so many, especially in the last few years. But for those of you with more time than money, there are so many non-financial ways you could contribute to ABLE’s mission. If you have read any stories or testimonials or stories from ABLE2’s current crew of volunteers, you will learn quickly that you can get as much out of these experiences as the people you are helping.
3. Ambassador. So, you have no extra money and no time? No problem! You can be a champion and advocate of ABLE2’s mission in your everyday life. What does this mean in practice? Get to know the programs and services that ABLE2 offers and take advantage of any opportunity to promote its mission in your personal and/or professional networks. Amplify social media messages and be ready to tell your friends and family about what a great organization it is. Be a “friend raiser” – point people in the direction if ABLE2 if they are looking to make a real difference in their community. And of course, if you have any uber-wealthy friends or family – be sure to tell them what a great cause this is (and then ever-so casually direct them to Donate | ABLE2)
And there it is.
If you have managed to read this far, you are obviously committed and believe in ABLE2’s mission, so consider yourself a new recruit – congratulations! We thank you in advance for your efforts.
By Rick Burns, ABLE2 Board Member