WE CAN HELP

Susan and Jordan Jameson are like a lot of people. They have a mortgage they worry about. They have a family they love. And they have a dog. Like a lot of people, they want to give something back. But like a lot of people, they won’t give to just anyone for just anything. They don’t want to just donate. They want to belong. They want to be part of a community that shares their passion. They want to see the impact of their contributions on other people’s lives. They want to make a difference to someone. MagnifyGood talked to a lot of people like the Jamesons. Then they talked to board members of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. They discovered that the key word for both is “someone.” Emphasis on one. So MagnifyGood helped the foundation connect emotionally with people who share their passion for making a difference. One on one. Community platforms were used to connect the “giving one-on-one” community members with each other. And then to connect them with the foundation as leader. The foundation shared stories of how one person and their generosity gave another person a chance. Those stories spread. And a movement began. Because It Only Takes One.

Sam grew up watching Perry Mason and Judd, For the Defense on television. That’s when his passion for justice began. A passion that drove him to graduate from the University of Chicago Law School and begin a successful law career in New York. Now, after 30 years, it was time to retire to Florida for an encore. Ethan’s life was different. His family didn’t have a television. His education consisted of following the harvest from one end of the country to another. And when trouble found him, justice seemed more like a dream than a right. Legal Aid of Manasota tries to bring people like Sam to the defense of people in Ethan’s situation. But there was a problem. There simply weren’t enough Sams. In fact, for every person who received legal help in Sarasota County another one was turned away. All because of a lack of pro bono lawyers available. So the question became, “How do you fill that void from the abundance of retired attorneys in Sarasota County?” The answer began with empathy research to understand the worldview of this generation of lawyers. And to explore their passion for justice. In the process, MagnifyGood discovered four criteria that need to be met before they’ll participate. Armed with these insights, the Beacon Society was created. Its purpose is to emotionally connect with these seasoned professionals. And then connect them together into a community. A community that will do three things. First, recognize their lifelong achievements. And then leverage their time flexibility into action. And do it by tapping into their emotional need for justice for all. Legal Aid became the leader. With the help of MagnifyGood, they created a website that connects members of the Beacon Society community. It focuses their actions and experiences. They’re creating events to bring community members together to share their ideas. They’re helping them reach out to share their stories and bring in new members. In short, they are igniting a movement. But even more important, they are creating a way for Ethan to find Sam. And Sam to find Ethan. So that they can both can make a difference for each other.

What did you do in the Great Recession? Florida imploded. The tourism and real estate industries it so depended upon collapsed. Businesses closed. People lost their jobs. Families struggled. But in the midst of crisis a dream was born. It was a dream to diversify the economy. To bring local business leaders, government officials, and everyday citizens together. And to create an environment where businesses could start, restart, and relocate. But the big question was how to assemble and connect these diverse groups into an empowered tribe. MagnifyGood found the answers in empathy research with local business leaders and the people of Sarasota County. With that insight, they began connecting with people. Building the tribe. And then connecting tribe members to the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce to lead the way. Connected together they found their voice. Together they moved the cause forward. Together they created a movement. Together they built momentum. And together they returned $416 to the greater Sarasota economy for every dollar invested. All under the rallying cry of “I’m In.”

Exhausted and Afraid They Came. Forced to flee their homes in terror, they came. With nothing but the clothes they were wearing and what they could carry in one small bag, they came. Abandoning their schools, their jobs, their dreams, they came. They were doctors and lawyers, public servants and Nobel laureates. They were teachers and homemakers, students and poets and artists. Having lost everything, they came. The United Nations Human Rights Council estimated that there were 8 million displaced people. More than 4.7 million refugees walked and boated into neighboring countries. And the flood of people, mainly living in camps in surrounding countries, created a refugee crisis in every nation. Fleeing a war they had no hand in creating, they came. Trying to escape tyranny and hunger, they came. With tears in their eyes, but hope in their hearts, they came. But we were not ready to help them. At least, that’s how the folks at the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) felt. CDP was established for donors to disaster relief. It gives them the information they need to make more thoughtful decisions and maximize the impact of their gifts. But when the immense challenge of the Syrian refugee crisis hit, they realized they had a problem. Not enough donors were familiar enough with them to feel comfortable committing funds to them. And that greatly limited the amount of help they could give. They needed a way to build a well-connected community quickly. But they were their own worst enemy. Communications and donor development were siloed. Each worked in their own little vacuum. So MagnifyGood helped them reengineer their organizational approach. They developed new processes and procedures. Each one leveraged the efforts both groups already had in place. They integrated technology into their communications platforms and automated many functions. That saved a lot time and provided robust data to donor development. Most important, they brought communications and development people together. Both groups understood their community members’ worldview in the same way. With that common bond in place, MagnifyGood developed a connection strategy that took advantage of the content CDP had already created. As a result of this unity, they were able to position CDP as the thought leader in disaster philanthropy.

Our children are our treasure. Each one deserves every chance to reach their promise. But some, like Megan, struggle before they even get started. Like 80% of low-income children, Megan can’t read well enough to keep up with the other kids her age. And the statistics say that if she can’t somehow learn to read at her grade level by the time she’s finished third grade her chance of graduating from high school is extremely low. Many people from all over the country have joined together in the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to help Megan. But how can they all possibly work together to make a real difference for her? Enter The Huddle. The Huddle is a social platform that connects people in foundations, nonprofits, businesses, government agencies, states, and communities. It does this by creating a flexible, engaging environment where they can collaborate on ways to help Megan and her parents and teachers close the gap that threatens her future. And inhibits her promise. Huddle members share best practices, ask questions, get direction and suggestions from others, and find research and tools. They can join webinars, blog about their experiences, watch videos, attend events, and find help and advice. When MagnifyGood launched The Huddle we expected 25 communities to take part. But the movement spread and 300 communities from 42 states are using it to connect and collaborate. That’s thousands of people connected together. Working together. All to help Megan, and children like her from all over the country, reach their promise.