Page 6 - 2019 Delegate Assembly Conference

CEO COMMA CLUB
Goodwill Boards Can Pack a
Powerful Punch in Philanthropy
Facilitator: Marjory Pizzuti CEO, Goodwill Columbus
(Columbus, OH)
Panelists: Tara Branscom, Board Chair, Goodwill
Industries of the Valleys (Roanoke, VA); Grace Harrison,
Board Vice Chair, Discover Goodwill of Southern and
Western Colorado (Colorado Springs, CO); and Susan
Kitchen, Board Vice Chair, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
(Rochester, NY)
Board leaders at several U.S. Goodwills are
deeply engaged in identifying alternative streams
of revenue for their programs and are dedicated
to building the necessary infrastructure to
cultivate donors over the long term. This
panel discussion gave an overview of where
three Goodwill members stand in tapping the
$427 billion in U.S. philanthropic dollars that
were distributed last year alone. Engaging in
philanthropic endeavors, Marjory Pizzuti said,
helps Goodwill strengthen the brand.
“Through philanthropy, you’re telling your story,
changing perspectives and dispelling myths that
Goodwill only does retail,” she said. “If you want
to deepen your brand and help people know
what we truly do, philanthropy is one tool.”
Tara Branscom, board chair of Goodwill
Industries of the Valleys, said that in her
largely poor, rural community, Goodwill is in
the beginning stages of trying to create more
awareness for the mission, getting the board
more engaged and becoming more embedded
in the community.
The Goodwill has started inviting members of
the community to breakfasts and providing tours
of its campus so that people can learn about
what Goodwill does. They also host an annual
breakfast, inviting all the people who have gone
on tours to attend and ask them to donate to
Goodwill.
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“Over four to five years, we’ve raised more than
$400,000,” Branscom said. “We’re really in the early
stages of trying to get people to understand what
we do and why we need their dollars.”
Susan Kitchen, board vice chair of Goodwill
Industries of the Finger Lakes, dreams of
something specific: enough funding for her
Goodwill to build an Excel Center . The Goodwill
®
has raised $1.6 million for the proposed venture
through a combination of annual galas and home-
based events where donors are cultivated in
intimate settings. Kitchen spoke about the power
of Goodwill’s social enterprise model that leverages
donors’ dollars to reinvest in mission services.
“Philanthropy can help us spread the word about
what we’re doing and have a greater impact, all
while inviting donors to share in the satisfaction of
that rewarding work we’re doing,” Kitchen said.
Meanwhile, Discover Goodwill of Southern and
Western Colorado (Colorado Springs) is gaining a
foothold in the coveted millennial market through
its Enchanted Weekend annual fundraising event.
The weekend offers a number of philanthropic
events, including golf, a Chic Boutique, a dinner
and auction, and an On the Mesa evening. On the
Mesa brings together 17 area restaurants and other
vendors that prepare tapas-style small plates,
serve boutique beverages and provide live music
for an evening of cozy mingling.
“Even though we raise a smaller amount of money
at On the Mesa as part of our Enchanted Weekend,
we’re laying the foundation for our next generation
of donors,” said Board Vice Chair Grace Harrison.
The Goodwill also has a Young Professionals Task
Force, which targets the cultivation of young adults
as supporters of and donors to Goodwill through
networking events and CEO dinners.
Watch, Read, Learn | Curated Resources
1. Access handouts, external resources and
infographics related to philanthropy.