Page 47 - the NOISE March 2014

FLAGSTAFF NONPROFITS
ENERGIZE ARIZONA GIVES DAY
STORY BY STEELE WOTKYNS PHOTO BY JENN ROSS
L eaders of Flagstaff-based non- profits like Maggie Weidinger of Club 4 Twelve are eagerly anticipating and preparing for the second annual Arizona Gives Day. Ms. Weidinger, the President/CEO and chief inspiration
for teens at this Flagstaff Youth Center, has big plans for the upcoming online giving marathon happening on April 9. Ms. Weidinger said those plans include hosting a community-wide open house, putting out a notice in their newsletter, posting on Facebook and Instagram, and more. “We’re going to send out letters to our current and past donors,” said Ms. Weidinger, adding that along the way they will also sustain the buzz about Arizona Gives Day in Flagstaff through word of mouth.
Arizona Gives Day is in its second year. Last year the all-online giving day party raised about $1 million for Arizona non- profit groups and statewide organizers reported that over 2,100 donors contrib- uted to small nonprofits (groups with annual budgets of less than $250,000). Those small nonprofits were a driving force in Arizona Gives Day. In Flagstaff, there were notable success stories in its first year and the campaign raised about $30,000 for local nonprofits. As this story went to press, there were at least 34 Flagstaff nonprofits signed up to participate in Arizona Gives Day this year — so there is strong fundraising and outreach potential.
Club 4 Twelve, A Flagstaff Youth Cen- ter, while small in budget and staff, has a big, key niche in this community. The Club has come a long way in its first five years of existence on Ms. Weidinger’s shoulders — with her effort, dedica- tion and enthusiasm. Together with many others in the community the Club serves as an outstanding, healthy and rare alternative — a place for Flagstaff’s teens to hang out.
“Primarily our first goal is to be a safe place for teens to come,” said Ms. Weidinger. “We serve the middle schools, high schools and we’re a resource for families in this communi- ty,”addingthemainpurposeis“togiveteens a place to be.”
The Club is located in a part of Grace Fel- lowship Full Gospel Church on Switzer Can- yon Drive and is generously supported by the Church. It is a secular, community-wide Flagstaff Youth Center open to all teens. The Club features a vast room for events, a mod- ern kitchen, an attractive, a loft with foosball table, a large-screen TV, and comfy chairs. Club 4 Twelve also serves youth with a host of programs, focusing on what kids want and considering those not offered elsewhere.
Ms. Weidinger and her husband Jesse led the Club’s effort to completely remodel the facility. “There’s just not a lot for teenagers. My husband grew up here as a teenager, so he knows there are few places for youth. We really wanted to serve the community,” said Ms. Weidinger, adding plans for the Club were underway when there was concern about the dearth of options for Flagstaff teens.
“When we launched five years ago and the community was advocating for a place for teens, actually we were already in the process of putting this together,” said Ms. Weidinger.
While nonprofits are gearing up, making plans to get the word out about Arizona Gives Day, another leader in town, Geoff Bar- nard, has been working for many months to increase awareness about and contributions to what he prefers to call “social ventures through online giving.” Mr. Barnard, Co-Chair of the Flagstaff Community Foundation’s Advisory Board, has worked as a staff mem- ber of nonprofit organizations during a stel- lar 33-year career. More recently, in the past eight years of his “retirement” he serves on the boards of Minnesota Life College, the Ir- vine Ranch Conservancy Board, the Flagstaff Community Foundation’s Advisory Board and he’s a Steering Committee Member for
the Citizens for a Greater Buffalo Park.
“I volunteer for Literacy Volunteers,” Mr. Bar-
nard added, saying that he also loves to serve as “kitchen cabinet” for entrepreneurial social organizations such as Quality Connections. Mr. Barnard’s is committed to helping non- profits. Getting Flagstaff energized and fully participating in this year’s online giving mar- athon is a perfect way to ignite philanthropy in others and channel his passion.
“What the community needs to recognize is that 24 hours a day, 365 days a year there are people — both paid and volunteer — working their tails off to help people in need, educate kids, get people going in the right direction after they stumble,” said Mr. Bar- nard. Through Arizona Gives Day, “people can give directly to what their passion is — it’s the least we can do as a community.”
Another outstanding participating organi- zation is FALA, the Flagstaff Arts & Leader- ship Academy. FALA’s a public charter middle school and high school located in the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks. It’s tuition free and focuses on academic excellence combined with rigorous visual and performing arts pro- grams. FALA’s exceptional Executive Director Becky Daggett and her support team of stu- dents, staff and parents took part in Arizona Gives Day last year and plan again to work their combined performance-art magic.
“We always work the social media angle,” said Ms. Daggett. “We have 1,221 “friends” on Facebook and are followed by 793 people on Twitter. We also use our LinkedIn group to promote this, and other events. I like to at- tract new donors who support arts in educa- tion because we already receive lots of sup- port from our families through various other fundraisers. We did attract some new donors and I’m sure as this effort grows and more people get involved, we’ll attract even more!”
“We see one of the roles of the Flagstaff Community Foundation as a convener of lo- cal philanthropy, said Mr. Barnard. “This is an
opportunity for individuals to directly support their favorite local organiza- tions. So what it is, it’s a lot of small gifts,” Mr. Barnard added, noting that last year the average gift for some local nonprof- its was about $20 to $30.
But a $25 online contribution on Arizona Gives Day makes a huge differ- ence to a small nonprofit like the Club 4 Twelve. Their annual budget is about $40,000.
“We are open one day a week, after school, and on a typical Thursday after school we run a good 50 kids between the hours of three and six,” said Ms. Wei- dinger. “We’d like to be open more.” The Club has a strong and growing Board of Directors plus a Youth Advisory Com- mittee. “Their job is to help run the club, andwetryinallthatwedoforittobe for youth, by youth,” said Ms. Weidinger.
Likewise, Mr. Barnard has high hopes for this year’s Flagstaff chapter in the Arizona Gives Day story. “It’s new be- cause it’s using technology through all online giving,” said Mr. Barnard. “It’s quick, simple, safe and accurate — so it’s a modern way of engaging people.” Mr. Barnard added that March and April is a great time of year since people are thinking expansively — they are ready to enjoy spring weather and celebrate nonprofits.
“What makes it work is each nonprofit engaging actively through their net- work of people with their own mailing lists and using social media.”
ClubFourTwelve.com FlagstaffFoundation.org FlagArts.com
| Steele Wotkyns is an aspiring writer and principal of the public relations firm, WotkynsPRplus. steelewot3@gmail.com
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news • MARCH 2014 • 47