Should you had requested me the query 4 weeks in the past, I’d not have hesitated. I’d have been unequivocal.
Please no swag (which for these of you who didn’t know or forgot, is an acronym for “stuff all of us get.”)
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My son Ben and I are on the identical web page about this. When our youngsters have been little, we created a family-giving circle. Eileen and I put $100 within the pot and we had a household dialogue about points we cared about. I took on figuring out a couple of organizations for every challenge after which we had a dialogue. In the event that they reached a consensus, we doubled the pot. Over the course of the 12 months, I saved any mail (we obtained mail in these days) we acquired so we may be taught for the next 12 months.
The care of animals was excessive on the checklist of all three children. So the World Wildlife Fund made the highest of the checklist. A number of months after our reward, a cumbersome package deal arrived containing a candy pure white polar bear stuffed animal. Ben was a severe stuffed animal man and I believed he’d bounce for pleasure. However nope. “I don’t need the nonprofit to ship me a polar bear; I need them to make use of the cash to assist polar bears!”
Quick ahead to about 5 years in the past and I used to be requested to talk to the Nationwide Group for Uncommon Illnesses. I really like this group—nice folks, nice mission. Analysis for thus many ailments is profoundly underfunded and so its work impacts hundreds of thousands, together with myself. I’ve a uncommon lung dysfunction. So I’ve pores and skin within the sport on the subject of NORD’s work.
However, that doesn’t imply I wish to drink my espresso each morning out of a espresso mug that says my affiliation with the Nationwide Group for Uncommon Illnesses. I’m not shy about my illness. Clearly, as a result of advised you about it on this weblog publish. And I’ve talked about on the podcast.
I don’t want the mug and I do know that point and treasure was spent within the means of getting that mug to my doorstep.
These are two of many tales I may inform which have justified my anti-SWAG stance. And I’ll be trustworthy. I by no means imagined that I could possibly be persuaded to assume in another way.
THE SWAG THAT CHANGED MY MIND
After which the socks arrived.
One pair of socks has brought about me to rethink the recommendation I’ve been giving nonprofits for many years.
Right here is why…
We have now a 4-year-old cat named Rafa. He joined our household in the course of the pandemic after the passing of my beloved cat Lou. Rafa got here to us from Bideawee. I’ve identified the group for many years and was grateful for the chance to work with its CEO some years again, Leslie Granger.
I used to be bereft and lonely with out Lou and our world wanted therapeutic. I shared my disappointment on Fb and Leslie Granger emailed me immediately saying, “We are going to discover you the right cat.”
This image arrived by textual content shortly thereafter and Bideawee had landed one more endlessly dwelling for a fortunate household. (Notice: Rafa has since grown into his eyes and ears.)
We’ve watched Raf develop and we’ve watched Bideawee develop too—their new state-of-the-art, and revolutionary house in NYC is spectacular (and the bar is excessive for me).
On account of watching this progress, admiring the management and realizing that each pet our household has or has had was a rescue, we selected to honor each one in all our household pets with a present to their capital marketing campaign.
About 4 weeks in the past, within the depths of one of many coldest winters we’ve had in many years right here within the northeast the place we stay, a package deal from Bideawee arrived within the mail. Given the timing of the package deal we knew it was neither a solicitation nor a present acknowledgement.
Two pairs of enjoyable, humorous socks—SWAG!!! For seemingly no particular cause, SWAG had arrived. Then the word that acknowledged the bitter chilly of winter and the function we play in protecting the canine and cats of their care good and heat.
It was a pair of well-designed loopy socks with the phrases “Rescued from the Dryer” on the underside.
It was the very best SWAG.
Eileen put hers on immediately and I imagine each pairs are in her sock drawer. She loves all the things about them. And she or he is a good more durable critic about this stuff than I’m.
SO WHY DO WE LOVE THIS SWAG?
The reply to this query may give you some steering as you chat about vacation items for donors, basic SWAG wants for group gatherings, and for a dialog about the usage of SWAG for visibility.
The socks checked various essential bins. They have been:
- JUST BECAUSE. Each time I’ve acquired SWAG up to now it’s both as a result of I did one thing or the group desires me to do one thing. Transactional. On this case we felt like Bideawee was serious about us. Relational.
- TIMELY. When these socks arrived, it was so bitterly chilly outdoors. And never gonna lie. The world itself was feeling fairly chilly too. Socks say heat.
- ON BRAND. There’s pleasure and a humorousness within the Bideawee model. The homepage has modified now but it surely was a single rotating picture of lovable pets with three phrases in large daring letters “Be Their Hero.” I don’t assume I can completely articulate why I feel that could be a good tagline however there it’s. Intelligent. Joyful. Try their social media and Leslie Granger’s “Weekly Woofdate,” a brief kind informal video. You’ll discover her plopped on the ground introducing you to the latest member of their group on the hunt for a hero. If the canine occurs to slobber throughout her, the video feels good.
- FUNNY. Okay, so not all causes can do humorous. Clearly, I get that. However go for it if you happen to can. “Rescued from the dryer.” We thought it was hilarious.
- CRAZY SOCKS. Sure, loopy socks are in. There was no manner Bideawee may know that Eileen has a group of socks dripping with persona—a pair from every place we visited for positive however others as properly. Personally, I’m significantly keen on her socks from Dublin, E book of Kells socks. So Bideawee hit the jackpot for Eileen. Loopy socks are a factor and there’s no doubt that anybody who acquired them is a level or two of separation from somebody who provides persona to their wardrobe with loopy socks. Whereas it’s doable that this was serendipitous, it felt like Bideawee was using a development wave. It positive was at our home.
- INEXPENSIVE. Nice instance of how one can completely hit the mark with out spending a lot cash in any respect. There isn’t any query these socks value lower than one of many many SWAG espresso mugs, those getting a ton of name visibility on that shelf inside your kitchen cupboard.
Far too typically organizations imagine the perfect vacation reward is a few form of organizational SWAG and much too typically, the selection is made with out creativity, intention, or a few of the above standards.
Thanks to Leslie Granger, Eric Muscatel, and all our associates (two-legged and four-legged) at Bideawee for making the case for SWAG. Thanks for illustrating that an outdated canine (pun meant) set in her methods with opinions about SWAG can see issues in a brand new manner.
Let me rephrase that: because of Bideawee for proving me improper.
I’m not anti-WAG. I’m pro-great SWAG!
