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Tears Of Joy

By Steve Abraham, Executive Director of Wilderness Leadership & Learning, Inc.

WILL provides experiential learning, life-skills, and leadership development for underserved DC youth. This is WILL’s first year being featured in the Catalogue.

On a sunny spring morning, upon returning from schools checking-in with Wilderness Leadership & Learning (WILL) program participants, I opened an e-mail from the Catalogue for Philanthropy (Catalogue). The first line read: “We are delighted to inform you that Wilderness Leadership & Learning, Inc. has been chosen for inclusion in the print and online 2012-13 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington.” Tears of joy began to roll down my cheeks. WILL was being recognized by the Catalogue as one of the best community-based nonprofits in the Washington region. The years of hard work, determination and steadfast belief in positive impact WILL makes in the lives of DC teens from underserved neighborhoods was being recognized by the Catalogue!

Some believe that being selected to be in the Catalogue is like the “Good House- Keeping Seal of Approval.” I respectfully disagree. Being selected to be in the Catalogue is the “Catalogue Seal of Approval.” The Washington region, especially the funder community, know the Catalogue seal and the rigorous process and due diligence involved before a non-profit is chosen. The publicity and broaden awareness received by an entity in the Catalogue is priceless and can be leveraged many-fold, if the entity engages in the numerous opportunities provided.

One such occasion was October 24th at the Catalogue’s Best Practices Workshop and Celebration of new and old members of the Catalogue family. Marie LeBlanc and Barbara Harman provided a beneficial visual guided tour of the numerous resources available on and through the Catalogue website. While the focused panel of non-profit, funder, public relations, and media representatives provided some potentially useful tips, the best part of the event was the networking reception afterwards. We could interact with other non-profit leaders and panelists to share experiences or ask for advice, and better yet, seek a meeting to discuss a couple of topical issues for WILL with a knowledgeable resource.

Barbara and everyone who make the Catalogue happen — THANK YOU for bestowing this incredible honor and opportunity on WILL and for all you do for so many.

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