The Fundraising Factory

Can Sir

October 6th, 2011

Steve Jobs- February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011. A man of true genius.  Our lives will be forever changed because of him.  The Mac, IPod, IPhone, IPad…  If these words are foreign to you, then you must be living under a massive boulder.  Mr. Jobs revolutionized how we listen to music, communicate, entertain and even find happiness in our lives.  We celebrate his intellect, passion and the technology that he put forth. But we also must reflect on his battle with cancer.  A diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer in 2004 followed by a liver transplant.  The selfish side of us may have worried about the next generation IPhone and our investment in Apple but the compassionate side feared for his life.  So although we cannot forget  to appreciate one man’s talent, we must not forget our part in supporting a cure for all types of cancer.

In summary, if you see someone wearing a black turtleneck, blue jeans talking on their IPhone, they too may be paying tribute to Mr. Jobs.  But the real tribute is supporting and believing that we will identify a cure for Pancreatic, Breast, Ovarian , Prostate and the other cancers that strip the lives that add meaning and compassion in our lives.  Use your Iphone and make a donation to cure cancer on his behalf.

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Connecting People through Design

August 12th, 2011

Why, allow me to introduce myself; my name is Jessica.  I am a jack of all trades here at Designs by Lucinda but where I shine the most is creating all of our custom designs.  I have been working here for nearly 7 years.  I’ve had my hand in almost everything we do here; from assembling to shipping.  While working hard on new designs to add to the line up I have been going to college for Arts and Entrepreneurial Studies, with a concentration in Sculpture and Jewelry Design.  I love working with my hands and taking separate entities and working with them so they become a single union; whether that be soldering a band and stone setting to form a ring or combining a square and a triangle and watching it evolve into a house pin!  To me jewelry is not just a way for people to adorn themselves (sure, that’s a perk) but what truly excites me about jewelry is the human connections that are linked because of it.  I am about to enter a new frontier with my family and become an aunt. My bother and sister in law are expecting a little boy and the little guy is due on my birthday!  To celebrate and commemorate the date I am designing a pendant for my brother with the baby’s name and its actual birth date.  It’s these moments that give my art life. We don’t know the name of the baby just yet; right now we fondly refer to him as alien.  Don’t fret, Alien will not be the name on the pendant!  When I’m not out and about creating and melting metals with my torch I spend my time supporting other local artists by going to music shows and exploring northern Maine on a whitewater raft with my boyfriend who is a licensed guide at Crab Apple White Water.

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Peanut Butter Please?

August 4th, 2011

July 31, 2011 wasn’t designated as a day to collect food for the South Portland Food Cupboard.  But it was the day that I felt compelled to give back to my community.  Something you would think would come quite easily for me since I have spent over 25 years helping non profits through my company, Designs By Lucinda.  There was uneasiness about approaching strangers and asking for a food donation…  How would I be received and what if they said no?   There’s safety in numbers so I decided to recruit my Mother and 2 sisters to join me.  My Mom, has cared for my sister Kim who has been confined to a wheelchair since birth due to Cerebral Palsy and my youngest sister Jane, happens to live on the same street as my Mother so it was a perfect location to go door to door.  The game plan was for Jane and me to approach the homes while Kim, in her electric wheelchair and Mother waited at the end of the driveways.  With my family beside me my nerves were calmed.  The first doorbell was rung and the door opened.  With a warm hello, a brief introduction of my family and an explanation for our calling it was without hesitation that the individual rushed off to their kitchen and returned with an armful of canned goods.  All remaining nervousness vanished and replaced with excitement and pure joy.  Doorbell after doorbell I introduced my family, collected food and laughed with my sisters and Mother as we reminisced growing up on that very street.  As Kim wheeled the box of items from home to home it continued to fill. Not one person said they could not donate.  Even a single Mother searched her cupboards for something she could part with.  As she handed me organic baby food she said that she hoped it would be able to help another Mother with a young child.

At the end of the day I reflected on this entire experience.  What started out as wanting to do a little something for a local food cupboard turned into an overwhelmingly satisfying experience.  I was able to enjoy meaningful time with my family.  I was able to see the faces of the people as they were asked to help and I witnessed that people really do want to help one another and were grateful that we had made it so easy for them to do that.  My original purpose of  providing the Food Cupboard with much needed food was accomplished.  In hindsight, I could have easily gone to the local market to purchase all the items, but I wouldn’t trade my experience for all the convenience in world or anything else for that matter. It was a day full of grace!

Here’s to peanut butter!
Lucinda

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Coloring Our World

July 29th, 2011

“The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color” –Hans Hofmann

Hey there, I’m Rebecca… I’ve been the Color Gal here at DBL for nearly a decade. My job is to choose the right medley of colors for each pin, as well as create the backgrounds, glitters and patterns. I’ve always been fascinated with the transformative power of color. When used in different combinations various moods can be created…I love the high contrast of black and white, the sweetness of pastels and the subtlety of somber muted tones. I’ve never met a color I didn’t like. When I’m not here at the shop working my magic, you are likely to find me swimming with my boyfriend in the frigid waters of the Atlantic or lounging about at home reading a really good novel. A cause that is important to me is the welfare of animals. I have been a strict vegetarian for over twenty years and I have adopted many cats at the local shelter. I even had the amazing experience of raising an orphaned baby squirrel last year! My other passions are creating art, exploring nature and challenging my mind. Someday I might like to try my hand at writing, or perhaps illustrate a children’s book.

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Posted in Pins, The Staff | 1 Comment »

Social Networking 150

June 30th, 2011
To find someone who doesn’t participate in social networking on some level is highly unusual.  Facebook and Twitter alone have over 1 billion users.  People are constantly checking the latest news feed or punching out a Twitter post on their iphone.  It seems that people have more friends now than at any other time in their life.  Do you every look at the list of friends or fans on Facebook?  These numbers are mind boggling to me. How can one be friends with over 1,000 people?  Or how can one Tweeter have so many followers?  I don’t ask these questions in envy, as I can barely find time to call or spend time with a dozen close friends.    But I have wondered-what is the point in having such a far reaching network?   Well, my question has been answered.  At least to some degree…An article written by Chris Taylor, Social Networking ‘Utopia” Isn’t Coming looked at how many real connections Twitter users have.  A study was conducted to determine how many people you can maintain contact with online before you are overwhelmed.
The study showed that we are hardwired to network in tight groups of 150.  This has been the magic number in communities, tribes and successful corporations.  We can comfortably manage 150 friends, business associates, connections and peers.   Rather than targeting 1,000 friends or followers with social interaction that is oftentimes meaningless to most, we can develop stronger relationships and messaging if we focus on a smaller group of people who share our interests, desires and business sense.  What the article does point out is that social networking allows us to select the 150 people we want as part of our virtual tribe.  It has broken down the barriers of proximity.
With this knowledge, I wonder if it makes sense to friend and tweet those that care about your cause and maximize the 150. Will we find that meaningful interactions with a smaller group of passionate followers generate deeper results?  I don’t know but I’ll bet someone is tweeting about it right now.

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An epidemic worth catching

June 22nd, 2011

Have you heard of the latest epidemic?  It’s infecting a large number of people over an even larger area.  Word has it that it has spread to 90 countries.  Luckily, they have identified the source; it’s called Positivity Nation™.  A Maine based non-profit, Positivity Nation™ was established just over a year ago by Lanette Pottle.  The mission of the non-profit is to create a world-wide epidemic of positivity…one small act at a time.

For Lanette, positive action takes many forms.  She shares positive thoughts on her website (http://www.positivity-nation.com) and Facebook page but she is also very active in her community.  She has a particular passion for working with youth and has taken Positivity Nation™ into her local elementary school.  In 2011, in celebration of the one year anniversary of Positivity Nation™, Lanette announced the creation of The HAPPY Grant (Helping & Acknowledging Positive, Purpose-led Youth) a funding program for youth ages 12-17 in Washington County, Maine who desire to make a difference in their communities.

To kick start The HAPPY Grant program, Lanette turned to Designs By Lucinda.  She discovered Designs By Lucinda while visiting a local business that had the pins on display.  She was quickly drawn to the beauty of the pins but more so, she was moved by the story included on the pin card.  She thought it was brilliant marketing to attach the pin to a card that shares Lucinda’s story from homelessness to successful entrepreneur, helping thousands of non-profits worldwide.  After reading the story, Lanette thought that the pins were a perfect fit for her cause – the same values and a very similar mission to make a change, one small act or pin at a time.  She placed an order for 40 Butterfly Pins to help raise money and credibility for Positivity Nation™ and specifically The HAPPY Grant program.

The HAPPY Grant was launched following a pilot classroom program where students were asked how they would use $10 to make the world a better place. With financial help from her facebook friends, she facilitated the execution of 15 student-led projects  that helped veteran homes, nursing homes, food banks, animal shelters and the Special Olympics fund for The Beckett Center , a day program in a neighboring city. (…a must read article on two passionate 8th grade boys who developed a basketball event to raise money for the Special Olympics Beckett Bombers Link).

Lanette relies not only on monies raised through pin sales to support this program, but from donations that are made to Positivity Nation™.  She receives a great deal of exposure through her website, word of mouth and her Facebook page.  In a year’s time she has over 4700 fans!  We asked Lanette if she had ever thought about what would happen to Positivity Nation™ and The HAPPY Grant if every Facebook fan purchased just 1 pin to support her program.  There was a pause on the other end of the phone and then she replied “that’s an interesting thought”.  Perhaps in the moment of hesitation, she was processing what over $75,000 would do to create Positivity….

How you can help.
The beneficiary of Fundraising Friday on June 24th is Positivity Nation™ and The HAPPY Grant.  Positivity Nation™ will receive 30% of all individual sales placed on Designs By Lucinda’s website this Friday.  Please share this with everyone you know.  Let’s all do our part to help!  Together we can Change the World One Pin At A Time!  Please Share, Care & Give!

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Posted in Fundraising, Giving, Non Profit Profiles, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Touching Lives Goes Full Circle

June 2nd, 2011

Changing lives through education and housing…concepts that we often don’t think twice about.   We take for granted a high school education.  We can find ourselves being less than content with the place we call home.  Oftentimes it takes a tragedy like the overflowing Mississippi to remind us just how precious our home is in its current condition.  The Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) never needs to be reminded of the things that we take for granted.  It is their daily mission to offer transitional housing and learning services to those in need.  They have been helping people since 1989 and partnered with us shortly thereafter in 1993.   They have raised over $100,000 in profits from pin sales that have helped support the center’s Transitional Housing for Women and Adult Basic Education programs.  Like many of our customers, CMC loves the money that is raised from the pins, but is quick to note that the pins have greatly increased awareness of the Catherine McAuley Center which no price can be attached.

Catherine McAuley's Custom Pin

CMC’s success with Designs By Lucinda pins is the result of tapping into several outlets.  Sure, they use the good ol’ standby- wear one and carry a handful in your purse so that you are ready to sell when someone comments. But they also utilize space in their lobby for all to see upon entering the building, a website store  Catherine’s Comfortable Tea.  They maximize their staff including board members and the executive director.  CMC attends fundraising events, craft shows and farmers markets in order to target different customer bases.   We asked for advice on not only where but how to sell the pins.  They noted that it is critical to connect the pin to your organization.  If you are a shelter, house pins are a must.  Education groups should certainly have read pins in stock.  They also pointed out that it is important to brand your organization with Lucinda pins.  CMC ensures that their organizations mission/story is given to everyone that purchases a pin along with how they can be reached.  They have printed stickers that they affix to the Lucinda card, as well as print their own cards.  Another bit of advice is to switch things up.  Customers love a new look.  If you have promoted the same types of pins for a long period, the market will saturate.  They experienced first hand how a new fresh look will increase the number of pins purchased by individuals who had purchased in the past.

We ended our interview with a feel good story.  Here is what Andrea of CMC shared:  “Perhaps the most memorable pin story occurred while selling pins and gifts at a women’s conference in 2010.  A woman stopped at our table and immediately was drawn to the Fourth of July pins.  She got tears in her eyes and proceeded to tell me how one son had shipped over to Afghanistan the day before and another son and son-in-law were shipping out together the next week.  She wanted to buy a pin for each daughter-in-law and her daughter.  We talked for quite some time and we were both crying by the end of her visit.  Later in the afternoon she returned to purchase several more, one for herself and to give as gifts to others.  I’m used to touching other people with the story of the Center and Lucinda.  This time, I was the one touched.”

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Can You Get Your Donors to Ride a Harley?

May 23rd, 2011

I love having breakfast with inspiring people.  It starts the day off on the right foot.  Ken Schmidt former director of communications at Harley Davidson, national best selling author and public speaker shared his thoughts on the American and European consumer while I ate my cheerios.   He described us (consumers) that would be you too, as faceless, nameless, and invisible.  We have all had the experience with the automated phone system when what we really want is a person on the other end.  We shop online without a second thought as to giving our money and financial information over to a machine without a bit of human contact and think nothing of it.  We click and consume with no interaction to become only a transaction.

He suggested that we are numb to marketing messages.  They are all the same and have been for years so we know what to expect and ignore them.  We also know we can buy what we want; when we want it and have a certain price in mind about what we expect to pay.  What it all seemed to boil down to is we buy from companies we like. 

When we make it a point to humanize the individual we create an instant millisecond of trust.  If we trust, we like, and as said before we buy from people we like.  He turned Harley Davidson around with the simple observation that human behavior is the key to business.  So have you asked yourself, do your donors trust and like you?

Here is a great read if your interested in finding out how Ken helped kick start the  Harley Davidson come back.

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Posted in Donor, Fundraising Tips, Marketing, Personal | No Comments »

It’s Easy As ABC!

May 11th, 2011

It hump day so let’s get over the hill with a true feel good story.  The story comes from the ABC Project (Abundant Books for Children) based in Turlock, California.  The ABC Project, in conjunction with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, distributes books to children from birth to age 5.  ABC Project was organized less than 10 years ago and since that time they have provided over 30,000 books to over 3,000 children.
Now the story… Dr. Susan Neufield, the Director of the ABC Project was participating in a local farmer’s market fundraiser, selling our pins and sharing the organization’s mission.  A little girl around the age of 11 approaches Susan’s table with her Mother and says, “These books are mine!  They’re the same ones I got.”  The little girl was in the ABC Program over 6 years ago.  When the little girl saw the pins she turned to her Mom and said, “I want to buy a pin so I can help give someone books.”  The Program had left a lasting impression on such a young person.  It had taught her the power of reading and the importance of ‘paying it forward.’  Both the little girl and her Mom purchased a pin that day.
The ABC Project began using Designs By Lucinda pins in 2009 to raise money and awareness for their program.  They have ordered 320 pins including Read, Heart, and Inspirational Window pins.  The sale of just 2 pins results in the organization being able to offer books to a children for a year.  When you break it down, 320 pins provides 160 children with books for an entire year!  As with the majority of our fundraising customers, the money that is raised is only a portion of the positive impact of the pins. It’s the story behind the pins that is as important to spreading recognition of the organization.  Susan noted that she oftentimes hears people talking at the table about the program and how the pins came about.  She witnesses firsthand how individuals that have purchased a pin, become the voice of the Program.
As we typically do, we asked Susan to wrap up the interview by sharing her experiences and what have been successful methods in her fundraising undertakings.  She said she relies on the Turlock Farmer’s Market, a regular venue from August to November.  She also attends area reading council conferences.  In the spring of 2010, she also participated in the Children’s Book Tea event.  It was such a huge success that they posted a YouTube video ABC Project: Turlock Spring Tea 2010 and plan on doing it again in 2011.  A great video…check it out and pump up the volume!
If you would like to know that you are helping a child learn to read and appreciate books, place an order this Friday 5/13. Your purchase will be a go directly to the ABC project.

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One Year Later the Results are In

May 2nd, 2011

It is always prudent to research the topic you are writing about.  So I went to the Harbor House Crisis Shelter (HHCS) website http://www.harborhousecs.org/.  An impressive shelter with a very useful website.  What I found to be very relevant was the content of the website’s “needs.”  On the top of the need’s list is a powerful request for volunteers.  A perfect tie into last week’s blog (Whose valued more? Volunteers or Donors?).

The organization’s mission is to provide shelter and transitional services for homeless women and families.  Not only do they provide safe shelter, food and clothing but they dedicate much of their financial and personal resources to educating and preparing their guests to live independently.

We interviewed Rev. Barbara Certa-Werner to gain an understanding of their experience with Designs By Lucinda pins. Keep in mind, HHCS just started selling pins in 2010.  They have already purchased 660 pins including Crosses, flowers, hearts with houses and butterflies.  Barbara noted that the pins are a great additional revenue source.  She noted that the pins open the doors for them to discuss their organization’s accomplishments, goals, needs and the range of services they provide.  They are able to leave a bigger impression of the organization’s work and the customer leaves with a beautiful reminder of HHCS.

Barbara noted that although they have only been fundraising with the pins for 1 year, they are already a line item in the budget.  The revenues from the pin sales are used wherever they are needed.  Whether it is to run the shelter, purchase food, diapers or pay for case workers to ensure that all guests receive transitional assistance.  HCCS sells the pins at several different venues including the Wisconsin United Methodist Women’s Annual Conference, the Women’s Expo and craft shows.  They rely on board members to promote the pins and they highlight the pins on the front page of their website.

HCCS also taps into the pins cause- related marketing aspect.  Barbara noted that they use the pins to draw a connection between Lucinda’s story of homelessness to successful entrepreneur to the very goals of their organization.  They even use the pins to honor a guest that has achieved a considerable goal while at the shelter.

In wrapping up our interview with Barbara, we asked if she had a really good pin story.  A woman came to the booth at the Annual Conference for Wisconsin UMC, she saw the pins and was so excited about them but she didn’t have her checkbook.  She called her husband who drove 2 hours to bring her checkbook.  She ended up purchasing 18 pins as Christmas presents for her family and friends.  Truly a great story….

The Harbor House will be the beneficiary of this weeks Fundraising Friday.  HHCS will receive 30% of all individual sales placed on our website on Friday May 5th.

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