Engage USA

What would Jesus think if He read your Social Media posts? The Church of England recently published a study article about trust issues and social media: - How social media use can be "immensely destructive," noting that people often post comments without considering the impact on others, leading to unkindness and cruelty. - The complexity of interpreting online communications, where what some see as hurtful, others may view as speaking with integrity, indicating the difficulty of safely navigating online debates without face-to-face interactions. - The indiscriminate use of social media can impair judgment regarding trust, underscoring the need for careful consideration of online behavior to prevent harm and foster a more trustworthy environment. The review suggests that addressing these issues will require a cultural shift.  And it emphasizes the need for greater understanding, especially between people with different traditions. The authors also noted that repairing serious breaches of trust may take decades. This raises interesting questions about building trust in large, diverse organizations.  What are your thoughts on this?

We're doing lots of construction at Engage USA these days.   In May, we opened our new Fulfillment Center near the Frederick Airport and now the same team is working to expand our footprint at our Data Center and Headquarters. (Thank you Gary Baker and Adam Petrie). Construction is loud and painful. Just like personal progress.  Though it can be disruptive or even inconvenient sometimes, it's absolutely necessary. Both in business and in my personal life, each milestone I reach reveals a new path stretching out ahead of me.  It's made me realize that it's never been about reaching some final destination.  Growth is about constantly evolving, learning from mistakes, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible - not just in my work, but in all aspects of life. And by acknowledging our pain and weaknesses along the way, we grow and become better.  There’s nothing wrong with being “under construction.” 🏗️💡

MONEY magazine just named Frederick, Maryland one of the 50 best places to live in the U.S.  They dubbed Frederick a "New Boomtown." I love Frederick. That's why my husband Brian Klaas and I chose Frederick as our home. Its's been an amazing place to raise our children. And, as Engage has expanded, we've done most of our growing here. I'm convinced that Frederick should be at the top of Money Magazine's list. Frederick has: - A vibrant downtown full of character - A diverse and growing economy - Easy access to nature and outdoor recreation - A strong sense of community -Within easy reach of Baltimore and Washington But what really sets Frederick apart is its people. Their passion, creativity, and commitment to making a difference. Frederick is more than a boomtown. It's a bloom-town. A place where ideas, careers, and communities can flourish. So here's to the future of this amazing city - and to the incredible people who call it home.

Donors don't want to fund your processes. Donors don't need you to explain how great your work is (I know, your work is GREAT!). Donors are interested in funding your outcomes. They want to know how great your outcomes are. Your donor wants to see a hungry child fed, someone get an education, an animal saved, a life is fulfilled. If your donors care about outcomes, why do we spend so much time "educating our donors about our work?" I think it's because we want them to care more about the cause. We believe if we can educate them into caring more, they will give more. But I think some of us miss the mark. We educate the wrong things. We teach them how we do something instead of teaching them WHY we do something. I believe there's value in educating donors about the cause and what they can do to help specific people—but educating them on how we work? It's generally not effective. #fundraising #donors #nonprofit

Andrei had heard stories of children finding families in America. So, when he heard about an exchange program to bring kids from his orphanage to Maryland, Andrei made sure that both he and his 5-year-old brother were on the list. Andrei was seven when he decided that he and his little brother, Sasha, would leave everything they knew behind and travel 23 hours to Maryland -- A place where they spoke a strange language and ate even stranger foods like pizza and tacos. My family hosted Andrei and Sasha during their month-long stay in America. I was impressed from the start, watching Andrei care for his younger brother, picking out his clothes, correcting is behavior, and sneaking him treats. Andrei eagerly volunteered to help with household tasks and was curious about how things worked, dismantling and reassembling toys. Within days of their arrival, it was evident that Andrei and Sasha were not just guests but quickly becoming part of our family. I quickly initiated the daunting process of international adoption. When the boys had to return to Russia after their month-long visit, we felt a deep sense of loss. Eight months later, I made the trip to Russia and brought my sons home with me forever. Andrei had a second homecoming last month. This time from his first year at Washington College. Our little Russian boy is a 6-foot-2 American now. He can dunk a basketball and gets excited about computers and technology. Our house is a lot livelier with Andrei and his friends coming and going. It's amazing to have my boy home. I am so proud of him.

Back in 1999, staring at a spreadsheet on my Mac, I found my calling. I’d been a good copywriter and I was a partner in a mid-sized agency. But, amidst the clutter of duplicates and misspellings in that Excel file, my passion for clean data ignited. There was this one lady from Tucson receiving eight copies of the same appeal – a glaring symbol of inefficiency that set me on fire. Even with my limited knowledge of data at the time, I was able to identify an 8.5% duplicate rate.  It was like watching my client’s money drain away.  When I reached out to our data house, hoping for concern, their nonchalant response was "you're only off by a bit" against an "industry standard" of 5% duplicates.  It hit me hard. That was the moment my journey shifted. I knew that great data wasn't just a nice-to-have; it was crucial for respecting our donors and the mission they supported. It wasn't enough to craft compelling narratives; we had to ensure that our appeals reached the right people, correctly and respectfully. So I channeled my new passion into action and founded Engage USA. Meticulous data hygiene helps our clients treat their donors as individuals, not statistics. Because at the end of the day, fundraising is about stewardship, and honoring each person's contribution to the cause. This is more than a professional mission; it's personal. I believe in taking care of our donors. And that requires quick, error-free data, personal recognition, and the assurance that their generosity is not only appreciated but also effectively utilized. That's the Engage USA promise – then, now, and always. #DirectMail #Fundraising #DataQuality #DonorRespect #EngageUSA