Page 13 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - November 2013 Edition

Would You Know An Angel If You Saw One? Would You Know An how to organize for success and raise money to go wanting because they can’t afford consulting Angel If You Saw One? support their work – at no charge. help? I’ve coached many and seen them thrive “I’m excited about this project,” Shimer using the knowledge you’ll receive on this site. says. “We’re all capable of doing terrible things, But I’m not just an expert on major gift but we’re also capable of doing wonderful fundraising, I’m also a philanthropist. And the As a longtime fundraising consultant for things. Imagine what will transpire if we see secrets I’m sharing here are my final gifts to charities and civic-minded organizations, John more examples of the good in the media than men and women pursuing-higher purpose Shimer says he’s witnessed firsthand the work the bad.” projects. of countless “human angels on Earth.” Wouldn’t we be better off if we saw About John Shimer What You’ll Learn on The Angels Among Us more about them in the media than the enraged, Author, Philanthropist, Fundraising Coach... Project at angelsamongusproject.org crazed, and depraved among us, he asks. “If you want people to be their best, or 1. You’ll learn about my recent book, Turn just better than they are, you need to shine a Right At The Dancing Cow and how I’ve light on what that looks like. People tend to revealed there the ten relationship principles become what they see,” says Shimer, a director that can guide you to success with your own of Fortune Family Foundation, a charitable higher purpose project. corporation, and author of “Turn Right at the Dancing Cow,” (www.dancingcowbook.com), 2. You’ll discover how to transfer your white- the story of a human angel from Seattle who hot passion for your project into the hearts and launched a vocational school in the bush of minds of others who can write checks to support Uganda. that project by using a donor engagement “More and more, our news is about process I call “The Farmer’s Paradigm.” people doing horrible things. What does that teach our society? Our children? I believe we’ve 3. You’ll learn about the Angels Among Us reached a critical point – we need to address this Project, inspired by the example of one human now! We need a counter-punch campaign that angel from Seattle whose story is revealed in can help us to believe in ourselves again.” Turn Right At The Dancing Cow. And so Shimer has created one. The new Angels Among Us Project 4. You’ll be invited to become an “Angel (angelsamongusproject.org) will honor Seeker” and help seek out human angels across “hometown human angels” across the United In The Words of John Shimer: America and tell their stories. States and Canada by sharing their stories through TV and other media. O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-T-Y-I-S-N-O-W-H-E-R-E In one of the Part 2 of the project is to recognize darkest, most select non-profit organizations and provide What do you see when you scan the jumble of hurting, and often them with the tools they need to fundraise more letters above? overlooked corners effectively. Your answer is either: Opportunity is no of the world, one “Fundraising is what I know and where! Or, Opportunity is now here! woman is showing a way out of misery, charitable organizations are struggling,” Shimer I am a fundraising teacher and coach. poverty, and pain. says. “The best way I can be an After thirty-three years of fundraising Holding up a angel myself is to donate my time to teach some management and consulting and ten years beacon of light, of them how to organize for success and raise giving away money as a philanthropist, I can Maggie Josiah money.” say with certainty that the way you interpret this offers an all-too- There are two ways to become involved jumble of letters determines whether this day rare ray of hope to in Angels Among Us: will be a good day or a bad day. Ugandans grasping Attitude is super-important to your tenuously at the subsistence level. Carrying her • Nominate someone for an Angel on Earth success in anything you do. But attitude is NOT own scars, Maggie knows suffering but also award. Human angels are everywhere, but we everything. Knowledge counts, too knows, regardless of one's past or current circumstances, anyone can transform his or her usually don’t see them -- 99 percent of them are You can improve your chances of life. What she and her students do every day invisible to us, Shimer says. They’re the tutors having a good fundraising day if you have real bears brave testament to her unwavering belief in disadvantaged schools; the people delivering knowledge about what you are doing. That’s in the power we each hold. Meals on Wheels to the elderly; the teams of why I’m sharing my fundraising secrets with Through a chance encounter, John workers retro-fitting homes for war veterans anyone visiting this site. I want to give you the Shimer learned of Maggie's struggles, returning home with disabilities. “Individuals or best possible chance of making everyday a good recovery, and fierce determination to help groups can nominate an angel simply by visiting day if you have fundraising responsibilities. others. With her vision always before her, after the Angels Among Us Project website and visits to Africa and mentoring in fund-raising telling their stories,” Shimer says. The project Why Knowledge Makes a Difference from John, Maggie made her dream a reality. will produce professional video packages about If you are responsible for serious She established African Hospitality Institute, or some of these “higher purpose heroes” for fundraising of between $200,000 and AHI, in Uganda to teach young people the skills needed to succeed in the hospitality distribution online and to local media. $20,000,000, how will you succeed without real industry. knowledge? This kind of money is only Continuing his support and remaining • Enlist your organization to become an Angel available to those who know what they’re in touch with Maggie, John finally visited AHI. Seeker. Shimer hopes to ally with non-profits doing. This kind of money comes only from Turn Right at the Dancing Cow record's John's around the country to raise awareness about “major gift fundraising” using the secrets of two-week visit to AHI, looking back at how it Angels Among Us. “In order to make it truly human motivation and community organization came about as well as revealing incredible effective – to get the kind of attention that known to professionals who practice these transformations--in Maggie, the students, the makes people notice – it needs to be a grassroots secrets everyday. country, and even himself. campaign,” Shimer says. “We want to celebrate the angels already among us and inspire others Why I’m Telling What I know www.dancingcowbook.com with their example, so the idea needs to catch Fundraising consultants are expensive. and fire.” For the first 10 non-profit groups that Most receive $1,000 to $2,000 a day (plus embrace this campaign in their own community, expenses) to help organize fundraising Amazon.com Shimer will volunteer his time to teach them campaigns. How many higher-purpose projects