It was a beautiful early summer day a few weeks ago. We were on the campaign trail – the United Way campaign. We had just finished presenting to 70 or 80 employees of a great local company that has supported our United Way and the community for more than 100 years.
A few people approached; they had a few questions. Really good questions. The kind of questions we relish receiving, because it gives us the opportunity to deepen our story and connect on a more personal way with possible contributors.
One person asked a leading question: “Who is your most important donor?” They may have been looking for me to answer, “MacKenzie Scott.” Certainly Ms. Scott was and is important.
Her financial support and the awareness and credibility that came with it is a beautiful testament to the value of our work in Central Massachusetts. But my answer was simpler: “Every donor is our ‘most important’ donor.” Every donor makes a choice and says yes.
Yes to our United Way and yes to our community. Seven thousand donors. The $5 donor, the $52 donor, the $500 donor, the $10,000 donor – especially when they give every year, they drive our campaign, they enable us to invest in the community.
The second question was equally wonderful: “If I give to the United Way, where does the money go? What good does it do?” I smiled. I asked if they had an hour. I was excited to share highlights of community investments and community accomplishments of the past year.
The United Way and stat.
