Speak United

My "Little Sister"

Patti Keenan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:33:15 -0600

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 »

The line between comfort and greed

Patti Keenan — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:36:22 -0600

"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...

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

Patti Keenan — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:01:05 -0600

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 »