Giving Tuesday

Go Far, Go Together

Frame of honeybees: Go Fast, Go Alone. Go Far, Go Together
Two weeks ago I was excited to join together with 400 go-getting women for the inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Spearheaded by Laura Gallagher, president and founder of the Creative Company, it was an awesome day of connection and inspiration. Gallagher paralleled us to migrating geese as they skein together in formation for their journey.

Three weeks ago a similar gathering of entrepreneuristas took place in Madison; the Women’s Food & Ag Network (WFAN) Conference. While the heel height may have been different, the energy and empowerment were just the same. Being a food and ag woman myself, let me use my honey bees as an example. This sisterhood of collective intelligence were abuzz all summer producing food to last the winter. Goodness, am I talking bees or women farmers here?

Whether we’re geese or honey bees, when women get together great things happen for the good of all. Put a shared passion before us and we change the world. Think Women’s Suffrage Movement, the Hillside Club, or Wisconsin’s Soil Sisters.

Getting together. Working together

With this in mind and because today is Giving Tuesday, my mailbox is now open for pro-bono applications. Each year Adunate accepts two pro-bono projects for greatly reduced or no cost. These are projects I believe will positively impact the good earth God gave us and the people who inhabit it.

This year I’m especially interested in working with organizations involving women. My interests also include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Architecture
  • Arts
  • Children
  • Faith
  • History
  • Humanity
  • Natural Food & Living
  • Nature & Animals
  • Preservation & Sustainability

If your organization needs creative assistance in the upcoming year, click here for an application. Then, to guarantee your project’s success, be sure to click here!

Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2017. I will let applicants know of my decision in January.

Giving Tuesday: The Easiest Way to Put Christ Back in Christmas!

giving

Last week I was stopped at a Madison intersection along side this gentleman. “Homeless,” his sign read. “Anything helps.” I gave him some money, wished him God’s blessings and moved on with the green light.

Homeless. Jobless. Sick child. Hungry dog. These are the signs of street beggars. They populate our cities and evoke a complexity of consciousness. Most of us, myself included, waver between sympathetic tugs of the heart and hardened, self-righteous judgements. We wonder if giving money will help the homeless get out of the cold for the night. Or, we presumptuously assume we’re funding a “fix” for their addiction.

What are we as Christians to do?

Fortunately, God makes it a no-brainer. Throughout the Bible he repeatedly gives three instructions 1) Give to the Poor, 2) Do not judge, and 3) Spread Christ’s love. Since today is Giving Tuesday, I’ve come up with a quick and easy way to do all three.

givingtuesday2

Here you go!

It’s the DIY Giving Envelope for your earthly and spiritual giving. Sized to fit your wallet, it’s ready to grab whenever you’re on the go. It handily showcases encouraging Bible passages without hiding the gift inside.

givingtuesday3

I designed the DIY Giving Envelope with easy-to-read fonts for mega-quick scanning. Oh, I know, a homeless person might easily take the money and throw the envelope aside. But someone’s got to pick it up, right? Who knows what God has planned for this fibrous voice of optimism?

givingtuesday4

The envelope opens wide so you can write the contact info of a welcoming organization on the inside. Best of all, this is a DIY that’s super easy to make!

givingtuesday5

DIY Giving Envelope

  1. Click here for the full size PDF template.
  2. Print, fold in half on horizontal dotted line, and cut out around the solid line.
  3. Fold on the vertical dotted line to create an end for the envelope.
  4. Put in some money, keep in a handy place.
  5. You’re done! An easy five minutes, tops.

Finally, I understand some people conscientiously do not feel comfortable giving money to the homeless. You feel more responsible donating to a charitable organization. A heartfelt kudos to you. Perhaps you’d rather brighten someone’s day by leaving this DYI Giving Envelope in a returned library book or doctor’s office magazine. No matter how you give or to whom, know you’re offering a touch of God’s love. Do so with a prayer for the recipient!

Happy Giving Tuesday!