Service to Others

It's National Philanthropy Day in the Lowcountry - a time to celebrate!

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:50:00 GMT

Happy National Philanthropy Day!

Every year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and its 200+ chapters honor National Philanthropy Day. Chapters around North America (and beyond) host events in their communities, presenting awards to donors and bringing together all those who care so much about investing in the community through giving.

Although the actual day of the event might vary a bit from city to city, National Philanthropy Day always falls a week or two before Thanksgiving. And that's appropriate because, for the members of AFP, it IS our Thanksgiving. A day when we gather around the table with friends and colleagues to celebrate the many acts of kindness we see. A day when we honor giving in all forms, large and small.

Today, as president of the SC Lowcountry Chapter of AFP, I have the honor of serving as host of our annual luncheon. About 400 people will be coming to Thanksgiving "dinner" with us today. And we have a big program to serve up. We're thrilled to have Matt Dunne, who manages community affairs for Google, as our speaker (if you didn't know, Google opened a shop in the Lowcountry a year or so ago). Plus, we have two big awards to give out. Bill and Ruth Baker are being honored as the Outstanding Individual Philanthropists (nominated by the Medical University of South Carolina). And Charleston Place Hotel is being honored as the Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist (nominated by the Coastal Community Foundation).

I am so thankful today to love in a community where donors identify need and use philanthropy as a solution. I am thankful for my AFP colleagues (especially those who made the event today happen) and for the community we all serve.

What's better than National Philanthropy Day? Having is as a part of Philanthropy Week! For the fourth year in a row, AFP Lowcountry has partnered with the Coastal Community Foundation, the Junior League, Women Making a Difference, and the Center for Women on Philanthropy Week. And South Carolina Bank and Trust has graciously supported this collaboration, helping us to spread the message of service and giving throughout the Lowcountry. (Thank you SCB&T!)

So much is happening that is so good. Yep, I'm thankful!

Giving Back where Employees Serve

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:31:00 GMT

You've heard me say this before, but one of the best things about working at Blackbaud is being surrounded by so many people who care about giving back. Collectively, we believe in philanthropy. Individually, we decide what form our giving will take.

We announced our Reward Your Passion grant winners for the most recent quarter a little while ago, and the list gives you an idea of the diverse causes our people choose as vehicles for making change. Each of the organizations listed has received a $500 donation in honor of a Blackbaud employee who serves as a volunteer. Join me in congratulating my colleagues for what they do.

The Exodus Foundation

The Center for Birds of Prey

Make A Wish Foundation of Massachusetts

Rainbow Trust Children's Charity

East Cooper Meals on Wheels

Arthritis Foundation, Carolina's Chapter

Nathan Weidner Foundation

Boston Living Center

Needham Opportunities, Inc.

Evans Home for Children

Leadership through service

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:42:00 GMT

I had a great opportunity last week to talk about one of my favorite subjects - service.

The topic was "leadership through service," which is something I think is pretty important. How can you divide the two? What leader doesn't serve in some way? But the point I was really making is how you lead through giving back to your community and the world - as a person, a professional, a parent, an advocate or just the resident of a neighborhood.

The talk was a part of the SCB&T Leadership Series at The Citadel School of Business Administration. It was a real honor to be invited to speak with both the MBA students and the cadets. And given that many of those in the audience were early in their careers, it was an opportunity to talk about why and how service could (should, in my opinion) play a huge part in their lives and future success.

It's easy for me to understand why I give back. It's a part of who I am, inside and out. Being put in a position to talk about the influence of service on my life makes me reflect on how, from the very beginning of my life, I had people around me who felt it was important to give -- time, talent and treasure, as they say. But if you don't yet give back or haven't thought much about why it might be compelling, I'd offer these thoughts, which I shared on Thursday night.

Giving is personal. An individual decision. We all decide for ourselves what outlet we want to embrace. This individuality is one of the fundamental reasons why philanthropy is such an incredible field. It allows for diversity of thought and expression, being led by a passion to do something good. As for why we each might serve, I'd suggest there are three views to consider.

The Altruistic View - because it's the right thing to do. Whether the motivation comes from family or faith or maybe something that happened in your life (the death of a friend to a disease, which is an example I shared from my own family's experiences), you take action because you feel you should.

The Career View - because it helps you grow and learn and, yes, build your resume. I talk about this view all the time with people at Blackbaud. One line of thinking is that you have skills you want to volunteer that could be valuable to a nonprofit. The average value of a volunteer hour is $20.25, according to Independent Sector. But when you add professional skills to the mix, that value dramatically increases. A great example is a HR professional helping a nonprofit develop employee policies. Another way of thinking is that you can add skills by giving back, gaining experience in areas that maybe you don't touch on in your own job. Both allow you to expand your resume, either in showing your experience with certain skills and the fact that you cared enough to give back. Employers care about that.

Then there's my favorite one, The Leadership View. This one is all about having a vision and identifying an opportunity to drive positive change. It's about serving on boards and committees and reaching across all aspects of your life to convene people who are willing to drive that change along with you. And you know what's really cool about this one? You can lead from where you stand today. As long as you have passion and vision, you can make change. You don't have to be a seasoned professional before you get involved and help make things happen. Of course, as you do advance in your career, I'd like to think you'd see the value of continuing to serve, providing the unique perspective you've gained, and encouraging others who are just starting to see how they can lead from where they stand.

Leadership is service. Service is leadership. Do what you can whenever you can!

P.S. If you want to read more on giving back, grab a copy of Giving: How each of us can Change the World by Bill Clinton. It's an easy read and provides a really nice summary of how people are giving back -- and creating meaningful change -- around the world. Or, tune into the live webcasts of the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting going on right now.

Remembering September 11th through a Day of Caring

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:59:00 GMT

September 11th. It's a date we won't forget and, often, don't like to think about. The memories aren't just bad, they're almost unimaginable. Almost...but not completely...since we've become all too familiar with the mark that terror leaves on the human experience.

For many in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, however, the date has become synonymous with something good, something happy, something really worthwhile. I'm talking about the Trident United Way's annual Day of Caring, which brings out more than 6,000 volunteers, participating in 300+ projects in the tri-county area.

Blackbaud has a long tradition of participating in this worthwhile event, sending teams of employees out on company time to share their time and talents to help those in need. This year, more than 150 members of Team Blackbaud will take on 13 different projects for a variety of nonprofit organizations and public schools. While one group will be building a run-in shed and jumps for Rein & Shine, an equine-assisted therapy program in Awendaw, another will be way across town finishing the interior of a house for Rural Mission. In between, teams will be working to clean up parks and beautify some of our local elementary schools.

I'll be spending the day on John's Island, helping to reorganize Sea Island Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, which resells donated furnishings and construction materials as a way to raise money to fund its programs. Have you ever thought about where all that stuff goes when a house is renovated or demolished? The completely usable doors, windows, cabinets, light fixtures and tile? I was introduced to the ReStore by Classic Remodeling and Construction, which worked with my family on a renovation. They not only suggested that we donate materials to the ReStore, they took the materials out there for us.

I'm really proud to be spending the day helping Sea Island Habitat for Humanity (the 3rd oldest Habitat affiliate in the world!), and I know it'll be fun, too. Sally Ehrenfried, our awesome community relations manager who coordinates this effort from the Blackbaud end, promises it will be. She recalled today how, at the end of a long day at the Lowcountry Food Bank last year, a colleague turned to her, covered in mud and sweat, and said with a grin on his face, "This was great. When can we do it again?"

That's what it's all about. Giving back and helping people see the value of staying involved. Thanks to the folks at Trident United Way for making this day happen, to Sally for her work, to our colleagues who are serving, and to the other 5,850 people from the community who are lending a hand to make 9/11 a day to remember - in a positive way.

Being a Force for Good

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:47:00 GMT

I'm a little behind the times, I know. But I'm totally ok admitting it.

Although Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits hit the shelves two years ago, I only recently made it a priority to pick up the book. I have no good excuse for why I waited so long to read what The Economist named one of top-10 business books of 2007. Except maybe that I always have way too many books stacked up that I want to read, the curse (or blessing) of growing up in a house where reading was pretty much a full-time activity.

But sometimes reading a book after the initial buzz dies down can be informative, allowing you to ask if it stands the test of time. You might say that two years isn't all that long, but the change we've all seen since 2007 certainly shows that we're living in a dramatically different climate than when this book was released. The introduction speaks to the climate of old, of the "momentous" growth of the sector itself and support in the sector. Of the "unprecedented amount of wealth flowing to charitable organizations from corporate foundations..." and big government being "out, and market-based capitalism" in.

Wait, hold on a minute. That was 2007. So do the six practices of high-impact nonprofits still apply? They sure do. In fact, I'll bet you that the nonprofits really embracing these practices are finding some kind of relief from the current storm. I'm not going to get into the practices, so if you haven't read the book, click here to see what I'm talking about. Better yet, buy a copy and add it to YOUR stack.

Toward the end of the book, there's a wonderful line about greatness. It says, "greatness is about working with and through others...It's about leveraging every sector of society to become a force for good." I really like that and find that, although the authors are talking about nonprofit organizations collaborating with others to drive positive change -- and create real impact -- I also think it applies nicely to how individual people are forces for good.

Throughout the past week, with this theme weaving itself into my thinking, I have interacted with so many of these individual forces. My neighbors, who turned out early on Saturday to help with the Charleston Horticulural Society's community gardening project at South Windermere, community leaders who are engaged in discussion about what will make our local nonprofit community stronger, and individuals like Ruth Jones, who took the time to share with me the good work being done by Social Venture Partners International, and Kendra Stewart, the director of the MPA program at the College of Charleston. Individuals who convey, through their actions, that we can make a difference and create positive change.

So, I have to say I'm glad I finally took the time to read the book. I won't rue the fact that I waited so long. I was certainly in the right frame of mind to embrace what it said and make it a part of my own thinking.

P.S. Next on the list - Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential. If you've read it and have an opinion, let me know.

Making childhood memories...and making sure they're good ones

Rachel Hutchisson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:27:00 GMT

Like so many of you, I just returned from summer vacation, a trip to the cooler climes with my husband and two kids. In our case, the trip took us to mid-coast Maine where, in the early 1960s, my grandparents built a small cottage on a lake (think On Golden Pond).

To me, Maine is a combination of very basic but wonderful experiences...being at the lake, picking wild blueberries, watching for loons, and having clams every way possible. It's a combination of Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine all wrapped into one.

Although I visited the lake many times as a child, this is second year we have travelled north to spend time with extended family, helped much by my sister's purchase of the cottage next door to the original house. These visits have provided me with an opportunity to share the simple pleasures of life by the lake with my kids, passing on both family traditions and the message that it's important to slow life down for a while.

As one of my friends put it, we were busy "making memories." I like that, and I really value that my boys will return -- again and again -- to a place that is an important part of my family's collective history. A place where memories have to do with the sound of loons and the first taste of lobster.

I'm back at work now, trying to hold on to that feeling of being in Maine while recognizing that summer itself is soon to end. A look at my calendar reminded me that I was due to attend a luncheon meeting today, hosted by Darkness to Light, a national nonprofit based in Charleston that confronts child sexual abuse.

I know, big leap, talking about Maine and blueberries then switching to a nasty, unpleasant topic like child sexual abuse. But, to me, the leap makes sense. Fresh from making wondering memories with my children, I found myself considering the horrific but all-too-prevalent problem of children being preyed on by adults and making the kind of memories that cause a lifetime of damage.

The meeting was a part of Prevent-a-Thon, a month-long program raising awareness about child sexual abuse and offering free prevention training. Anne Lee, the founder, president and CEO of the organization, was the host today, sharing stories, data and vision with us about how to not just tackle but eliminate the problem.

Two things really stuck with me today. First was the 24-minute video where four victims (now adults) shared their stories. It is clear to me that abuse strikes far and wide, across economic and racial barriers, in so many forms that we would prefer not to think about. Second was the fact that there is already a cure that doesn't require expensive investment in laboratory research.

The cure, as you might have guessed, is to prevent the abuse. So Anne and her very capable team are working to spread their message through as many avenues as they can, with passion and belief that each person who is trained will help identify, respond and prevent the children in our community -- in our lives -- from being abused.

I invite you to click this link to learn more. Anne promised that she'll let me know when the video is available on the Darkness to Light website. I'll post a link to it so you can spend 24 minutes sharing in stories that, although deeply sad, are inspiring many to join the prevention effort. We might not be able to make every child's memories as sweet as those my boys have of Maine, but we can move the dial in the right direction.

Doing nothing just isn't an option.

Learning from the iTEAMS campers...and living what we believe

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:52:00 GMT

One of the ways I give back to the community is by serving on the board of directors of the SC Governor's School for Science and Math (GSSM).

GSSM is important to the state -- and to Blackbaud -- because it invests in the kids who will one day (soon) lead our workforce. The school is a public, residential program for 11th and 12th graders and boasts amazing results. Just this year, the 56 graduating seniors earned more than $10.5 million in scholarship offers and are headed to an array of schools, including Harvard, Yale, Duke, Emory and Vanderbilt.

But the faculty and staff don't just focus on high schoolers. They also do whatever they can to identify middle schoolers with a passion for math and science, cultivating them early on. Last week, thanks to the generosity of the folks at Google (thanks Eric, Jeff and team!), which has a data center in Goose Creek, SC, the school hosted something called iTEAMS -- or Innovation, Technology, Entrepreneurship Among Middle Schools.

iTeams was a week-long camp attended by 42 Berkeley County middle school students with an interest in math or science. The students were grouped into teams and given challenges to tackle, culminating in presentations to their fellow students, parents and members of the community during the camp's closing ceremonies.

I had the pleasure of serving on a career panel mid-week -- along with representatives from ATD, Dupont and Alcoa -- sharing the Blackbaud story and helping the campers understand how they might head toward a career at a technology company (maybe even right here on Daniel Island). Then I returned on Friday to share in the capstone presentations. They weren't only good. They were relevant and left me inspired to keep making the kind of change in my own life that I believe in but don't always act upon.

When I walked in the door, a team of kids were up front, presenting on how a family could make the move to a greener lifestyle. I happen to know a decent amount about this topic because my own family is heading in that direction. I'd driven to Monck's Corner that day in our new Prius (which replaced a much larger vehicle that, well, wasn't all that good for the world) and am thoroughly enjoying the produce from the share we purchased in a local farm. For my family, I think this is a good start. But start is the operative word here...there's so much more we can and should do.

The campers -- all of them -- did a great job, channeling their energy and enthusism for learning into actionable proposals. In the process, they reminded me how important it is to live what we believe, to invest our minds in helping the world and making sure our actions follow suit.

Thank you, iTEAMS campers, for the reminder. And congratulations on a terrific week. I hope to see some of you on campus at GSSM in a few years.

Donations to be made to 14 Nonprofits in Honor of Employees' Volunteer Service

Rachel Hutchisson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:34:00 GMT

Fourteen lucky nonprofits in seven cities and two countries each will be receiving a $500 donation in honor of the volunteer service of a Blackbaud employee.

We call this program "Reward Your Passion" because it allows employees to do just that. They give their time to nonprofits they care about, tell us their story, and become eligible to earn a donation to support the cause. It's very cool, especially because it doesn't matter where an employee lives or volunteers. The program includes everyone, regardless of location.

This quarter, we are making donations to the following groups:

Congratulations to these organizations, and thank you to my colleagues who took the time to give back. It paid off, didn't it?!

UK Team Makes Giving Back a (Fun) Habit

Rachel Hutchisson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:17:00 GMT

I love the people I work with.

I know, I've said this before. But it's true. We have great people. Whether they're located at our HQ in Charleston, one of our many offices throughout the US, one of our overseas operations...or out of their homes...they share a passion for nonprofits and giving back. In my job, I connect with Blackbaud's people based on what they're passionate about in terms of service more than what they do for the company. The variety is incredible, and I am always learning about new things people are doing to drive change, build team spirit...and have fun.

We've had an operation in the United Kingdom, first through a reseller and then officially a Blackbaud office, since the late 1980s. In fact, we actually have two, one office in Glasgow, Scotland, and the other in London. At these offices, like all our others, there's a Team Blackbaud group that coordinates philanthropic efforts and champions our value that service to others makes the world a better place. In addition to being a part of the broader Team Blackbaud Global network and participating in company wide initiatives, each location is free to choose how to focus on philanthropy on a local level. Given that our offices are in different countries with different traditions and cultures, this flexibity is essential.

Victoria Waring in our London office was just in touch to share what the team there is doing to give back. They have taken the approach of adopting or selecting a different nonprofit organization each month. Employees who are interested in getting involved help raise awareness and money for the causes they care about. Here are some examples of what our UK colleagues have done over the past few months:

Raised almost £950 for two organizations, Action For Children and Prostate Cancer Care. Kudos to Matt Ravenhill for organizing a team for the football event that Prostate for Cancer hosted. I hear our UK colleagues did a good job of showing off their football skills for a good cause. (By the way, that's soccer to my US colleagues...as in the Premier League, which just lost Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. With Kaka joining the team, as well, they're going to be fun to watch!)
Hosted Caroline Lee Friday from London Air Ambulance, who came to the office to talk about the work the organization does. I understand she did a great job conveying her passion for the mission and explaining how they rely on fundraising to keep their vital services going.
Cheered on the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Superstar Runners during this year's London Marathon. According to the runners, our volunteer team made their presence heard!

That's just a snapshot of the fun and rewarding activities taking place at our London office. I know there's more to come and that charities will benefit from the spirit of service my UK-based colleagues embody every day.

Meals on Wheels Association of America CEO Challenges us to Take Action

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:21:00 GMT

"We have to have a mission. We have to have a goal. And we have to have a purpose. If we put our heads and hearts together, we can make a difference."

So said Enid Borden, CEO of the Meals on Wheels Association of America, speaking this morning at Blackbaud's quarterly company meeting. She was our guest today, sharing her thoughts as a customer and as a nonprofit leader trying to work herself "out of a job." To do that, she'd need to eradicate hunger among this nation's seniors. The good news is that she -- and her fine organization -- are doing so much good, serving more than 1 million meals a day. The bad news is, there are about 2 million more people who still go hungry.

The statistics are staggering, so much so that it's clear much work needs to be done before Enid can step back and say she's finished championing this cause, which she so eloquently does. According to data Enid shared, in 2000, there were more than 35 million people in the U.S. who were age 65 or older. Within 30 years, that number will more than double, to 71 million. And the number of people aged 80 and above will also more than double. In addition to seeing healthcare costs, which are much higher for those over 65, soar, we'll also see the number of hungry seniors grow to numbers I can't comprehend...or maybe don't want to.

Depressed? Sad? Horrified? We should be. It's an awful state of affairs, but on the plus side, one that -- as Enid said today -- has a cure. We know what to do, we just need to do it. We can make sure that our neighbors, our grandparents, our community members ("the people who raised us, nourished us, fed us") who aren't as mobile and might not have the support systems they need, get fed. We can also reach out and help the Meals on Wheels Association in our area expand what they do.

If senior hunger isn't the cause that hits you in the gut and makes you say "I have to do something about this," then find something else. Take something on that matters to you...and make a difference.

Enid knows what her mission is...to work herself out of a job. What's yours?

AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference a Way to Learn and Gain Inspiration

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:24:00 GMT

One of the ways I give back to the wonderful industry I work in is to help key organizations develop and deliver educational opportunities for nonprofit professionals. One such organization is the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the AMA Foundation, which has as a part of its mission to help nonprofits better market themselves.

I had the pleasure of serving as the chair of the 2008 AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference, combining my past life in event marketing with a passion for nonprofits. I got involved because I wanted to do my part to invest in a community made up of people who all worked, in some way, with nonprofit marketing.

This year, I have the honor of serving on the advisory council for the event and following the wise guidance of Cynthia Round, this year's conference chair and the EVP of Brand Leadership for the United Way of America. Working with Cynthia is, well, an honor. There's really no other word for it. She's smart, savvy and knows her stuff, which you'd expect given that she is responsible for the stewardship of the United Way brand around the world.

Cynthia is one of a number of nonprofit marketing visionaries who jumped the fence from the forprofit world (she worked at Proctor & Gamble and Ogilvy & Mather). She and others are devoting time, energy and expertise to bringing valuable content to those interested in developing as marketers within their own organizations.

This year's conference will be in Chicago, a change from years past when it was in Washington, DC. The theme is Thriving in Times of Change and offers content in three areas -- Changing Audience (multi-generational marketing); Changing Channels (interactive marketing and social media); and Changing Economy (doing more with less).

The conference kicks off on July 15th with a session called "Lessons of Victory: How to Make Online Campaigning Work for Your Organization." The speaker is Thomas Gensemer, managing partner of Blue State Digital, the firm that orchestrated President Obama's online marketing and issue advocacy campaign. Other speakers include Joe Green, the founder of Causes (a success story that begin on Facebook) and Jay Aldous, the 2008 AMA Nonprofit Marketer of the Year for his work at the US Fund for UNICEF. Finally, and most importantly, conference attendees will get a chance to put what they are learning into action in some hands-on sessions.

I really enjoy and value the work that is being done to ensure this event is top notch. Under Cynthia's leadership, it's sure to be great. I'll be there and hope to see you there, too.

Volunteer Fair at Blackbaud Matches Employee Passion with Opportunities to Serve

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:21:00 GMT

So, we're a little late in celebrating National Volunteer Week (it actually took place at the end of April), but better late than never.

For those of you who follow this blog, you already know that we were busy with Green Week and our first-ever Green Fair. It was great (thanks for asking), and kudos to Greenbaud and Team Blackbaud for all they did to raise awareness about the environment and how we can do our part.

Today, we circled back to volunteerism, hosting our annual Volunteer Fair in the atrium of our headquarters on Daniel Island. Representatives from more than 35 nonprofits joined us from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to share information about their organizations and encourage Blackbaud employees to volunteer. We had people here from a wide variety of nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, the Charleston Animal Society (from whom my husband just adopted a wonderful year-old cat named Thomas), the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, Special Olympics of South Carolina, HALOS, Crisis Ministries, the Gibbes Museum of Art, Meeting Street Academy, East Cooper Community Outreach, Trident Literacy Association and so on.

I look forward to the Volunteer Fair each year because it's an opportunity to see so many great organizations all in one place, to catch up with what they're doing and to help them meet Blackbaud employees with an interest in giving back. You already know that we believe that service to others makes the world a better place. This fair is about taking that value -- and the passion our employees have for specific kinds of organizations or causes -- and helping create a match, of sorts, for their interests.

It's our hope that the employees who expressed interested in volunteering will truly find a home, finding a place where their passions match the cause and they can make a difference. Once they do that, we hope they'll apply for a Reward Your Passion grant ($500 donation made to an organization in honor of the employee's volunteer service).

A big thank you to Sally Ehrenfried, our community relations manager, for hosting the fair, and to all those who attended from within the community and Blackbaud. Volunteerism rocks. Those of you who do it know what I'm talking about.

Meet Stefanie Greene...#1 in our book and one of Charleston's "Forty Under Forty."

Rachel Hutchisson — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:09:00 GMT

Every year, the Charleston Regional Business Journal carefully selects and recognizes 40 people under the age of 40 who are make our community such a great place to be. They recognize people from a wide variety of professions, including many who are committed to giving back.

I am exceptionally proud to announce that, this, year, Blackbaud's very own Stefanie Greene made this prestigious list! To say that Stefanie is a recruiting analyst in Human Resources and that she has won the "Recruiting Rockstar" award two years in a row is just the beginning of the story. The heart of the tale centers around how she exemplifies our mission of making the world a better place. She truly puts a face to our value that "service to others makes a world a better place.

Whether she realizes it or not, Stefanie is a budding philanthropist. She invests her money, her time and her expertise at nonprofits where she has a passion for the mission. Within the Blackbaud community, she is active with Team Blackbaud (our employee volunteer corps), always ready to lend a hand and inspire others to get involved. Again, that's just a part of the story...

Every Monday night, she volunteers at the Medical University of South Carolina's Children's Hospital, helping some of the most inspiring kids, families and professionals you'll ever meet. Both of my children have been patients at the Children's Hospital, and it was people like Stefanie who helped us stay positive during what were stressful times.

Almost every weekend, Stefanie has something else on her schedule, some way to give back within the community -- through Habitat for Humanity, the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, Hope Lodge, Carolina Youth Development Center, Ronald McDonald House, and Crisis Ministries. She always has the time, on top of her own career at Blackbaud and her involvement with the Charleston Young Professionals, to help those in need.

Please join me in congratulating Stefanie for being named one of Charleston's "Forty Under Forty." It came as no surprise to us. She's a Rockstar, after all. We're just glad the community is joining us in recognizing what we know to be true every day.

Earth Day and the Green Fair provide opportunities to engage in our community (at home and at work)

Rachel Hutchisson — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:32:00 GMT

It's National Volunteer Week, so before I go any further, I want to say thank you to all my friends and colleagues for everything they do to serve others. This is your week, so enjoy it.

Yep, April 19-25th is THE week -- as established by the Points of Light & Hands On Network -- across the United States and Canada when we celebrate the many contributions of what are sometimes called unpaid staff. This year's theme is pretty appropriate - "Celebrating people in action." That's what it's all about every day, every week. Not just this week.

That fact that today is Earth Day, as well, makes it even better. There's so much going on right now that, at Blackbaud HQ, we decided to focus on being green this week...and having our volunteer fair in May.

As for being green...I just returned from a great lunch & learn where Josh Martin from the Coastal Conservation League talked about "rethinking settlement patterns" (i.e. stopping sprawl and being mindful about land use). Very cool presentation with some shocking arial photographs of highways, malls and neighborhoods that eat up acres and cause traffic problems because of how they were designed. I have to admit, the alternate vision Josh shared of what the Coastal Conservation League thinks these places could be like is pretty darn compelling. When I meet someone like Josh and hear what organizations like his are doing, it makes me appreciate living in an engaged community.

I'm also happy to report that my house got a walk score of 75 out of 100 or "very walkable" in terms of getting to a variety of shops (including a Starbucks and a local bakery), restuarants, parks...even a branch library. I knew I liked living in a walkable neighborhood with a central place where people gathered. Hearing Josh helped me understand why that was.

Tomorrow, my colleagues who work at Blackbaud's HQ on Daniel Island have another opportunity to learn more about what it means to be green. Greenbaud (our employee environmental corps) and Team Blackbaud Charlestion (the HQ "branch" of our employee volunteer corps) are teaming up to bring us our first Green Fair. I hear that more than 25 local businesses and organizations that promote sustainable living and/or products and services will be in the atrium. We'll be able to check out the latest in Hybrid technology from Honda, learn how to get free hot water from SolarTEK and maybe even snag a cupcake from, who else, Cupcake.

I love opportunities like this that give us a chance to meet in our "community center" within Blackbaud, visit with people from neighboring divisions and learn about things that make the world a better place. So thank you to everyone on Greenbaud and Team Blackbaud Charleston who are bringing us the Green Fair. I hope this is the beginning of an annual tradition.

And never fear, we'll get back to National Volunteer Week soon. Our HQ-based volunteer fair is scheduled for May 6th, and we've invited more than 30 nonprofits to set up shop in the atrium. Australia and the UK (where we also have offices) have their volunteer weeks in May and June, respectively. So we'll be championing volunteerism for months (well, ok, we do that all the time, really)!

Wherever you are, I hope you are doing something to mark Earth Day and to give back. That's what being a part of a community is all about!

Meet Chad Norman - dad, blogger, "Go Green" founder, volunteer...and Blackbaud employee

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:43:00 GMT

I work with great people. Seriously. Every day, I come into work and am surrounded by great people (both in this building and within the larger Blackbaud community). They're interesting, passionate about what they do, and ready to dive in and make things happen.

On top of all that, they also care a whole lot about giving back. When we set about formalizing our corporate values, it was clear we needed one around volunteerism. The concept of service -- of giving back in whatever form you choose -- has always been a part of the fabric of this company.

With the value that "service to others makes the world a better place" now formalized these past few years, we've had an opportunity to celebrate those who give back, both as a way to say thank you and to encourage others to join in. Each month on our web site, we profile a Blackbaud volunteer. We share a little bit about these people, how they give back and why.

This month, we're highlighting Chad Norman, my colleague in internet marketing and the one who taught me the basics of blogging. Chad volunteers at a number of places but is most well known for Go Green Charleston, a nonprofit resource he founded with his wife. Check it out for yourself, and you'll get a sense of what this guy is all about. Living green and "being the change you want to see in the world."

I love that sentiment. It's one thing to identify a problem. It's something completely different to dig in and drive change. But it's the courageous few who do who become the leaders we want and need. That makes me think about something Sidney Poitier said in his speech at the AFP International Conference last month. "It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down. What matters is what you do with your time when you get back up."

Although I've heard comments like this before, what I love about this one is the focus on time as a precious resource that we can either invest or waste. It's a personal choice. I, for one, am glad that Chad and others like him at Blackbaud choose to make the investment in the community and themselves.

To meet other Blackbaud volunteers, stop back each month and check out the philanthropy section of our web site.