A Donor’s Unexpected Earth Day Point of View

When I worked at the local food bank, I had a major donor who revealed an unexpected point of view that seems appropriate for Earth Day.  Here’s the story.

This lovely lady had been a regular donor to the food bank for many years.  One day I invited her to lunch to get to know her better.  I asked her why she liked the food bank, expecting to hear a story of personal connection or compassion, like the stories I heard from lots of other supporters.  Instead, she said she loved the food bank because we kept so much food out of the landfill by rescuing it and distributing it to local soup kitchens!  Was I ever surprised!

The lesson I learned from this conversation is never to assume that I know why people support an organization.

I also learned that it’s a good idea to ask people why they care about our organizations, even if we think we know. Donors can surprise us. Facts are better than assumptions any day.