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Patti Keenan

We began these blogs because we wanted to start a conversation. The posts on this blog are the personal perspectives of individual staff, volunteers and guest bloggers, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization. We encourage response and conversation. We just ask you to keep it respectful. We'd love to hear it. It's a conversation, after all, we hope you'll add to it. Want to be a guest blogger? Email us

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Patti Keenan
Wed, 03/05/2008

My "Little Sister"

From a mentorship to grown-up friends

Mentoring is a beautiful thing that comes in all colors. Read today's Globe for your morning inspiration.

I was an awkward teen and at 24, I still wasn't cool. However, I was black and when someone from Big Sisters asked me to help develop a minority recruitment program, I said yes. I spent much of 1985 doing recruitment talks at African American churches in Providence....  read more »

Patti Keenan
Fri, 02/22/2008

The line between comfort and greed

one of the most profound reflections I've ever heard on a donor visit.

"If you want to know what you value, look at your checkbook register." - that's a timeless old saw.

You could also look at your date book or your voting history. Elections provide an opportunity to express one's values and an OpEd by Roland Merullo in the Feb 22 Boston Globe, "The line between comfort and greed" reminded me of one of the most profound reflections I've ever heard on a donor visit...

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Patti Keenan
Tue, 02/19/2008

"It's been 5 years since my last Cancer diagnosis..."

A story of philanthropic decisions

I often think about the motivations that lead someone to give to one organization over another. A couple of months ago, an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy: “A Growing Divide Emerges as 2007 Fund-Raising Year Comes to a Close” took at look at the reasons why charities that provide social services (or poverty-focused charities) tend to lag behind the fundraising achievements of colleges, arts institutions, and hospitals. For me, it has never been an either/or scenario. Here’s my story:  read more »

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