Reasons to believe are all around us

Today's the day.  International Corporate Philanthropy Day, that is.  I hope, wherever you are, companies in your community are pausing to think about how they give back and serve as catalysts for others to follow suit.

I feel exceptionally fortunate to work for a company where giving back is a part of our DNA.  Where you can walk into the building and see a visible reminder that we care -- a lot -- about service.  Friday was one of those days.

It certainly didn't hurt that morning carpool ran on time, Starbucks had my to-go order ready, and I spent the first hour of the work day collaborating with the other members of the local Association of Fundraising Professional's board (I have the honor of serving as board president this year and am continually impressed with the enthusiasm, experience and passion of our members.  The coffee is a small thank you for all the board does to fuel our programs.)

I arrived at Blackbaud, gearing up to see what was in my email, what meetings were on the calendar and who I needed to speak with to advance an important proposal.  What I found, in our lobby, were 13 very energetic, very happy four-and-five-year old students from Meeting Street Academy, a local school focused on providing disadvantaged children with the best education possible.

The kids were guests of my colleague, Sally Ehrenfried, who had organized the field trip at the school's request to show them examples of people at work in a professional setting.  I completely pushed aside all that work I was thinking about tackling and asked if I could tag along.  For the next hour, I watched and listened as several of my Blackbaud colleagues talked with the children about their jobs (in terms a young child would understand), what they studied in school and what they did to volunteer.

I remember all too well from my own experiences as a mom how difficult it is for a young child to sit still and stay focused.  But these kids were great, asking a lot of questions and interjecting opinions and comments about books and friends and birthday parties.  They capped off their experience with a special lunch of chicken fingers, green beans and pudding in our cafeteria, having adapted to our environment the way kids do - very quickly. 

At the end of lunch, I was talking with one little boy about his upcoming birthday and other topics important to his four-year-old view of the world.  He stopped, waved his arms around and said, "You know, this is like a dream."  I said, "Blackbaud?"  And he said, "Yes.  It's like a dream."

Call me a sap, but my heart did that little flip thing it does when I find something touching.  I smiled and told him that he should go to college (a BIG message they hear at school) and come back to see what job he'd like to do here.  What mattered the most in this exchange was that the field trip was already accomplishing its goal and had opened this one child's eyes to what was out there in the world.

I know, in the end, that the school has the really hard job of keeping the children on track and helping them make the most of the opportunities ahead.  But I was proud, at that moment, for the very small part we played in helping 13 little kids.  I was proud to work with Sally, Lindsey, Brandi, Jennifer, Stefanie and Cile...  That they took a little time away from their business schedules to share their day with the students of Meeting Street Academy.

I'm glad we have a day to celebrate corporate philanthropy, but I'm even more glad that I have so many people around me who understand that small acts of kindness give us reasons to believe.