Thank You for Choosing Us
Saturday, December 01, 2018
Photo credit: Molly Haley, mollyhaley.com
by Maggie Doyne
To the woman who just gave us a portion of her first paycheck from her very first job and sent us a contribution, to the couple that plans for their annual giving to BlinkNow in addition to saving for retirement, to the young girl who asked for donations to our organization for her Bat Mitzvah, to the boy who encouraged us to apply for a grant for our new science lab for his high school philanthropy class, to the many of you who have believed and invested in our new green school and campus, to the Nepali families living overseas who want to send something meaningful back to their home country and choose us for your donations, to the monthly supporters who save a little money each month to pay forward our work: I think of you all every single day.
Photo credit: Molly Haley, mollyhaley.com
I know how hard you work, how valuable your dollars are, and I can imagine the other financial burdens you have between college loans, monthly bills to pay, and looking after your family. Reading the notes you send with your donations is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes they start with things like, “I wish I could do more but I’m a single mom,” or “I’ll try to give more when my business is doing a little better,” or “I just overcame cancer and this is the best gift I could have ever given to myself.” My eyes often well up with tears. I understand what it’s like to worry about the world and want to feel like you are doing what you can to make an impact, but also the overwhelming feeling you feel when you look at the many causes that need your help. Thank you for choosing us as one of the causes you love and support.
I look with admiration at the peer-to-peer fundraisers who set up a page on our website and ask their network to give. This year alone, we had someone run the NYC marathon in our honor, others who donated their birthdays to us, someone who hosted an after work party for us, and a whole team of triathletes who ran, biked, and swam for us. I know how hard it can be to reach out to your friends and ask them for support. The vulnerability that comes with having to ask for money -- it’s something I’ve personally really really struggled with in this line of work. In those moments of discomfort, I try to picture the girls in our safe home, the faces of my children, the bamboo school that was built with so much love. I shift my perspective, from asking for help, to providing an opportunity for someone to make an impact for our children and women.
Photo credit: Jeremy Power Regimbal/MPWR
There has to be something metaphysical about a project built brick by brick, bamboo by bamboo, rammed earth block by rammed earth block by people with the intention of love, generosity, care, and making the world a better place for children.
Thank you for being a community of people wanting to make an impact with me, for my children, for our organization and for making it easier for me to sleep at night. I love you, even those of you I’ve never met. In this season of gratitude, know how grateful I am to each of you, near and far, for the change we are bringing here in Nepal.