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Start Here — Hello, my name is …
Introduce yourself to the community. Where are you from? What gets you up and out of bed every morning? What’re you working on that inspires you?
Click the blue button that says REPLY over there on the right hand side. Once you’re done, scroll down and find another person’s reply to … reply to! Hover over their post and click the reply arrow to write a response.
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48 Replies
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Hello, Friends!
Marti Thomas here (2023 NPSC Leader Board #6!😜). I am a Friendraiser for people with disabilities, empty nester, an AZ snowbird of sorts, and dork at heart! I’m officially the Director of Development at Work Opportunities, just north of Seattle. We support close to 500 adults with disabilities on their employment paths across four counties.
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@MartiThomas you’re the best. I had no idea you spent time in AZ!
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Hello Marti, I greatly appreciate all who work in the developmental disability field. My hometown has an excellent service provider, The Occupational Center of Central Kansas which offers a wide range of services and has been a great resource partner to our department.
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Whoop!! Number 6 on the leaderboard! Way to go Marti!!
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Hi, My name is Jenny. I am the Executive Director of Music in the Mountains. We are a music organization that provides music education programs in and after school, community chorus, and professional concerts to a community of 60K in the Northern California Sierra Nevada foothills.
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Oh hey @jenny-darlington-person! So glad you are here. You’ll see a LOT from me about music. 🙂
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Hi Jenny — I love what you do! Music and the arts are so important! I love to sing — no one loves to hear me, not even me! But I still crank up the songs and belt them out!!
I’m excited to hear more about your work!
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Hi Jenny! It was so great to spend time with you at the farmhouse and learn about you all! It did give me a new appreciation for classical music!
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Hi, Jenny! My FIRST fundraising gigs were in arts/music education – keep doing that great, important work!!
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Hey, friends! Matt here with C You In The Major Leagues, an organization in Kansas City that focuses on mentoring (and all that comes with that) for high school students — largely from under-resourced areas — of the city. Two things get me out of bed every day: wanting to be an example of consistency and hard work for my kids (even though I’m an “empty nester”) and wanting to do all I can for the kids and families we serve.
Looking forward to getting more involved with this nonprofit community!
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Brother @matt, thank you! Folks, did you know Matt’s got a podcast? Check it out: https://cyouinthemajorleagues.org/blog
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Thanks, @Josh-Alcorn! I never really mention the C-10 Podcast in this type of setting, but since you did, I’ll throw in a shameless plug for one episode in particular: Episode 142 with our friend @ChrisDavenport. It was such a fun chat, and I think all of you will enjoy it. You can listen wherever you get your pods, or, as Josh mentioned, directly on our website: C-10 Podcast: Chris Davenport, Ep. 142 | C You In The Major Leagues.
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I have to agree. It is a very fun podcast. But I may be a little biased. 😜
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Oh, I didn’t know that! Definitely going to check it out!
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hey Matt — your work sounds amazing. I was a ED for CASA program in my area. It was the hardest work but I loved it!
Look forward to hearing more and off to check out your podcast!
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Love your what gets you out of bed—I’m an empty nester too and not sure that I like it! LOL Cant wait to give your podcast a listen!
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Wait, we’re supposed to get OUT of bed? I’ve been doing this work-from-home thing all wrong, then. (Or maybe very, very right?)
Can’t wait to tune into the podcast @matt-fulks
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oh Clay … your humor gets me every time!
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Hello everyone! I am the Executive Director of Arts & Humanities for the City of Salina, KS. I’ve been to the NPSC twice and sent our operations and development manager in 2023. We really appreciate the excellent resources and connections provided through NPSC.
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Oh hi @lawrence-anderson! Every time I hear someone is from Salinas, I think about Steinbeck. So glad you’re here.
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Hi Lawrence,
I have some potent memories of Salina as my grandparents used to live there! Ask me about the time I was falsely accused of shoplifting at ALCO!
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I guess at some point I deleted my introduction! So here we go again …
I’m Josh Alcorn, co-producer of the Conference and @shanon-doolittle‘s partner in crime over at Tactical Thursdays. I’m a reformed political fundraiser whose life was changed when I attended the NPSC in 2018.
My wife, two kids and I live in Kennett Square, PA. They’re the reason I get out of bed every morning. I’m a competitive distance runner training for my 3rd Boston Marathon (which is what I do when I get out of bed every morning). I’m an avid reader and music nut.
I love sharing and teaching and learning. I start each work day by writing down 3 things I’m grateful for. You can join me in this practice over here in the Daily Gratitude thread.
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Hello ALL! I’m Mary from Alabama. I use Mary R because you’d be stunned at just how many Mary
Snyders there are in this world!
I’m a strategic storytelling coach and event guru. I left a mega nonprofit to do my own thing and serve nonprofits around the globe. I LOVE what I get to do.
I’m a true Southerner who knows that everyone has a story and every story is important. I can’t give you directions to my house without telling you a few stories about the people and the region.
I love travel and reading! And I like to speak in movie quotes – and have been known to break out into 70/80s music lyrics as needed.
I can’t wait to get to know all of you!
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Nice to meet you! What book are you reading right now?
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the Gap & the Gain (nonfiction) – great book on walking in your success instead of focusing on the negative
The Vanishing Half (fiction) – ooh, so good!
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Friends, @mary-r is one the best storytellers around. Listen to what she says! 🙂
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aww, you’re the BEST!!
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Hi everyone, Happy to be here! My name is Michele Marchetti and I’m the Deputy Director of The Cornucopia Institute. We do a lot of things, and some of it is very wonky, but we also help you survive the grocery store. We help you look beyond the labels to find the best organic food from farms and brands that help heal, rather than harm, the Earth. (Find our Organic Scorecards and Independent Organic Brand List at cornucopia.org.)
I spend a lot of time thinking about our food system. I’m lucky enough to spend part of my year visiting the best grocery stores and learning from some of the most resilient, dedicated farmers in our country.
I attended last year’s conference for the first time and loved it. I’ve already learned so much, including how to up my game on LinkedIn. (That platform has propelled my relationships with lapsed, current, and new donors.)
Thanks for creating this new opportunity to share and grow.
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Welcome @Michele Marchetti! Thank you for the important work you do. I was just talking to my wife about labeling on supplements for my kids the other day. There’s an industry that’s decades behind the organic industry…
And it’s great to hear you found the Conference helpful! Tania’s LinkedIn session was one of my favorites as well.
Glad you’re here!
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Yes, I feel so lost when I buy supplements!
Thanks for the warm welcome. Hope to meet you in NM.
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Hi Michele, your work sounds fascinating. Last year was my first time at NPSC – and I LOVED it!
Let’s make sure we meet up in NM!!
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Ooohhh, now I know which video from last year to go watch! Love that you use LI to connect to donors! I’m going to dive into your website later too – I need to learn more!
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Hi, Ben here. I grew up in the town that invented the roundabout / traffic circle / Gyratory(?)… So you are welcome for that.
I’ve been in Philadelphia since just before the pandemic writing ghost stories and now Helping a storytelling organization (First Person Arts) get more support. So naturally we use stories in our fundraising, walk the walk right?
But as to how, when, and which story, form whom in what format… I need help! Which is why I’ll be in NM For the NPSTC later this year.
– Reading: The Stories We live by – Dan P. McAdams
– Listening: Thandiswa Mazawi – (Thanks NPR tiny Desk for the recco).
Looking forward to ingesting some inspiration!
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Hey Ben! I’m just down the road in Kennett Square, PA. Philly is such a great town. I think we should petition the NPSC powers that be to host a future conference in Philly.
And ghost stories? LOVE IT.
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And yes. Let’s get a conference in Philly!
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Ben! Great name, that’s my oldest’s. Love the Tiny Desk reference – they are so fun. Tobe Nwigwe is a favorite of mine. So much joy.
I’m in South Philly, always down to connect and chat fundraising! Let me know!
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Hi Everyone! My name is Grace and I am a Donor Engagement Assistant at Vision House by day, and Fundraising and Communications Assistant at Camas Meadows Bible Camp by night!
I’m a busy bee and not a morning person, so my alarm and a fear of being late to work get me out of bed! Okay, not just that. My driving passion is to help others, especially teens because I remember how hard those years were. I live in the greater Seattle area, so of course hiking is a must, as well as being a lover of reading, crochet, and writing. And if those don’t get me out of bed, the hungry cat sure does!
Right now I’m revamping the thanking process for my Camp job, which has been so much fun! Before I came on board, the organization was stretched thin, so it’s been cool to put together a donor engagement program and get on top of communications and building connections. I’ve taken advice from lots of the old TT videos as I work to catch up on ones I haven’t seen yet!
So happy to join this community of fundraisers!
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Ah @grace-crawford it’s so great you’re here. Thanks for introducing yourself — and thanks for the double duty you’re pulling!
@shanon‘s TT in January was one of the best things I’ve ever seen on Thanking. Such an important skill that too many people take for granted. What’s your favorite camper story to tell donors when you’re thanking them?
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Right now the favorite is about our mashed potato duck! It’s a running joke up at camp and we’ve included pictures before so donors can share in the silly fun. As things warm up and we get more outdoor activities going we’re going to be sending personalized TY cards with photos from our site too, which we’re really hyped for.
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Hey folks 🙂
I’m Cody, the development specialist at Public Media Network in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I’m new to both public media and fundraising, so I’m learning all I can! I’m very passionate about the arts and storytelling in general.
In my free time I enjoy acting, singing, horseback riding, and cosplaying. I’ve been in WLRM for about a month but realized I never introduced myself – looking forward to getting to know you all better.
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Hey there Cody! So glad you’re here. We’re big public media fans in the Alcorn Household!
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Hello! My name is Monica, I work for H.O.M.E. DuPage and live in Illinois! I am a Certified Housing Counselor and love helping our community being informed and prepared when they buy a home. We also help clients come up with successful outcomes in case they are at risk of losing their homes.
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Wonderful, Monica! So glad you’re here!
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Hi all!
Griff Price here, Donor Relations Specialist at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation outside of Philadelphia. Go Birds! 🦅 My organization provides counseling services, literature, training, events, digital resources, and more to help people find hope amidst life’s troubles. We have had a decades long regional reach, and have been seeing national impact over the last 5-10 years. We are just starting to see global impact. It is an exciting time here!
Dad of four, husband of one, crossword puzzler, enjoyer of cheesesteaks, and did I mention the Eagles?
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Go Birds!
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Hi, I’m Monique. Recently left the world of senior living and am at the Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem, NC. The second largest opera company in the state. I already forgot the prompts so I’ll just say that I love my chosen profession, I love my dog, and I love to travel. Currently reading At the Wolf’s Table and listening to yacht rock because it brings me joy.
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Hello!
My name is Carrie Purkeypile. I’m a story finder and donor-centric copywriter. I specialize in appeal letters, donor newsletters, email campaigns, and more. I worked as an employee of different nonprofits for years. Now I freelance and write donor communications for a few different nonprofits.
I’m originally from Kansas, and visit “home” as often as possible. But I’ve been living in Sacramento, California for many moons now.
This will be my first storytelling conference and I’m very excited. Storytelling is my passion. So I can’t wait to find out what new things I’ll learn, and what amazing creative people I will meet!
IN SEARCH OF: I’d like to find a roommate (or multiple!) to split the cost of a room at the conference! I also find that room sharing forges great connections and friendships!
http://www.fundraisingwriter.life
fundraisingwriter.life
Nonprofit Direct Mail | Fundraising Writer Carrie Purkeypile
Professional nonprofit writer creates donor-centric appeals and newsletters that your supporters will respond to. Earn more with each mailing with Carrie Purkeypile—Fundraising Writer.
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Hi everyone! My name is Nevada 🙂 Yes like the state… No I was not born there (lol).
I am a development coordinator at a nonprofit in Northern Santa Barbara County in California. I have been working in nonprofit for just a mere year and a half so I am still a noob, but I catch on really quickly. This is my second time at the NPST Conference! I was there at San Diego last year and learned so much, I’m so excited to be back and get to learn more!
Something about me: I LOVE traveling, this is my first time in NM, I am a big foodie, love yoga and I’m trying to be better at self-care because I can be a little bit of a work-a-holic!
I would love to meet yall and look forward to seeing you in the sessions!
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