Seeing Philanthropy in Action

Jay Love — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:42:00 GMT

Over the last five years, I have had the pleasure of being involved as a board member with the Gleaners Food Bank located in Indianapolis. It has been so neat to be an active part of such a thriving non-profit. Not only is it one of the most respected charities in our area, but Gleaners also truly lives and embraces its mission daily.

My role started off, like so many key supporters, as a volunteer. During my time as a volunteer, I was struck by just how caring the team at Gleaners was. I was also struck by the extreme frugality exhibited at all times. They were truly stewards of all assets provided them. Being frugal myself, it was a joy to watch and only brought me closer to their mission.

During the last couple of years, it became more obvious that their aging facility just had to be replaced in some manner. The process of researching options, acquiring land and preparing for a capital campaign has been like a Masters Degree in Philanthropy for me.

The board, staff, volunteers, mission recipients, and the greater community have all been galvanized to drive this dream forward. The planning and execution provided a means to reach out beyond current boundaries in central Indiana.

I have always been proud to work full time serving the non-profit sector. I do not know if I am actually prouder now, or if I just know better now where some of the internal feelings come from. Watching challenges come to life and be carefully addressed has such a remarkable way of allowing our own hopes and dreams to become intertwined. I know most of you reading this already understand this many times over, but perhaps it might inspire a few others to accept such a role in a key non-profit or two in your own communities. If you do, I truly think you will be delighted with how you feel!

The Jay Love Blog : indianapolis

Seeing Philanthropy in Action