15 poems about nonprofit that will move, anger, and inspire you
Hi everyone. Thank you to all who participated in NWB’s first-ever nonprofit poetry contest. This weekend, the two other judges (Nate Thomas of Rainier Beach Action Coalition, and Rainier Valley Corps Fellow, and Jody Schreffler of Nonstop Wellness, the contest’s sponsor, who is providing the cash prizes) and I spent hours reading through the 260 entries we received. We had no idea what to expect, but we all left this experience feeling grateful and inspired, even moved.Some of the poems were hilarious. Some were bitter. Some were hilarious and bitter. Others were touching. A few were hysterically crass or vulgar. Many poems taught us a something new, made us think. Clearly we have a lot of talented poets in our sector, with many of us sublimating our artistic talents so we can keep our organizations and programs running.This was an incredibly difficult task to choose 3 winners among the 260. At the end, we chose poems that revealed a glimpse into our sector, that made us think and feel some sort of emotion, that haunted us, even if we don’t agree with the content. They are below, after a list of honorable mentions. Nate, Jody, and I admit that our system is not perfect, and that if we reread the entries again, our reactions to the poems may change completely. That’s the wonderful nature of poetry though, in that different poems affect us differently in different times and circumstances. So if you don’t see your poem below, please know that this is not a reflection on how awesome you are. There were many beautiful poems that are not included here. It was a tough and painful decision, and the judges didn’t agree on everything. What we all did agree on, though, was how grateful we are that you took time from your work of making the world better to share your art with us.Here are the poems. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. (And apologies in advance if I mess up the format. Unfortunately, many of the poems did not make it through the Google form with format intact, and this blog template is also finicky).Honorable mentions, in no particular order:
“When you know”
Stephen Labounty
When do you know your fundraising initiative is screwed? will fail? is dead?When the circlearound the tablebrainstormsAnd one person not youbecause you have seen this death beforemany timessays to everyone in an exasperated yet hopefulvoiceDoes anyone know George Lucas?Western Neighborhoods Project is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and culture of San Francisco's western neighborhoods.
“Them”
Keeley Stalnaker
Your suggestions will only weaken the wall between Us and Them. See, we give things not get, not TAKE from Others-- those unseen Others that desire canned food and generic packages of crayons too fiercely, to such a flaw. It's sad. You can't get sad, you can't feel Bad for them unless-- Unless maybe they had really bad luck. And then Get a photo along with the write up in the Brochure And then forget their faces their Other faces that will so surely need us again, and so soon.Keeley Stalnaker is a writer and nonprofit professional living in suburban Kansas City.
“Complaint of the Middle Manager”
Charles Jensen
My job is to ask my staff what my boss will ask me before he asks me. If heasks me before I ask my staff, I will ask him if I can get back to him once I’ve askedmy staff what he’s asked me. If my staff doesn’t know what to say when I ask themwhat my boss has asked me, I have to tell my boss no one knows how to answer whathe asked. This is never good. Sometimes my boss will ask a question only I cananswer. When that happens I usually answer right away. Sometimes I ask my bossif I can think about it first. This is never good. Sometimes my boss will ask me to dosomething he knows I will ask my staff to do because he respects there is a chain ofcommand in which I am but a link. When he asks me things like this, I ask my staffto do them and they usually say they will. Sometimes they say they will but they forgetor don’t really intend to do it or think if they wait long enough I will do it for them. In thesecases, my boss may call and ask me the status of his request. This is never good. Then I askmy staff the status of my request and most of the time they hurry up and get it done soI can call my boss and say, “Hey, that thing is done,” and then I can take a momentto rest until I think of something to ask my staff before my boss thinks to ask me about it.Charles Jensen is the author of a collection and four chapbooks of poems. He lives in Los Angeles, where he works and volunteers in the nonprofit arts sector.
“Volun-tears”
Confidential
2pm, the lowest point of the day, At which to read our latest volunteer survey. “I was not told we would be standing During our service project; I wore my new Louboutins and there Was No Comfortable place to sit. I should have Been warned About the standing” “We were provided with coffee and hot chocolate and cookies, But not with bottled water. I got hot and there Was No Bottled water.” “I was told That this was a family Friendly event. I brought my two year old Daughter and there Was No Work for her to do. Very disappointed.”Oh, my beloved volunteers, How you have betrayed me! Though I sent you email After email Explaining the nature of our project; Advising comfortable clothes And sensible shoes. Spent precious hours Begging and borrowing; Trading my principles for potables, My charms for chocolate biscuits. And the water fountain Was right around The damn corner. Your toddling daughter is, I’m sure, Adorable and Truly passionate About service work. But the email stated So very clearly That this event was for adults, Teens, And children over the age of 10. There Was No Work for her to do?? I wonder just How handy Your toddler is Around the house. Family Friendly, my Foot. I should have painted That wall myself. But then what Self-satisfied reply Could you all give to Friends and co-workers When they asked how You spent your Saturday? You brood of vipers!But for heaven’s sake Don’t leave me. For we need your Year-end donation and your Facebook Likes and that Time you brought your Three best friends to our Silent Auction. In lieu of bottled water, Please accept My volun-tears.“Best Job in the World”
Susan Nickell
She pops her head in my office door and wonders, “Should I kiss my boyfriend?” I pose, is he cute? “Oh, yes” Would he mind if you kissed him? “I’ll ask him” and she’s away. And that is the joy I revel in daily working with People With Abilities.Magic Valley Rehabilitation Services is a private, nonprofit agency which has a 43 year history of providing training, employment, personal development and related services for persons with disabilities.
“Tech Philanthropy”
Esther Landau
We could give you money But that would be too easy Instead, here is some wisdom You can use it to pay your staffThe Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center is a community center for people with and without disabilities. We serve the Bay Area with programs that help our clients become more independent, make healthy choices, and express themselves. The majority of our participants have developmental disabilities; a small number are survivors of brain injury. The Pomeroy Center is a truly special place with a loving, committed staff.
“Ode to the Nonprofit Sector”
Mandy Strider
Our budgets can be anemic Our wish lists pneumatic Our business plans enigmatic Our Board members rheumatic Our technology cadaveric Our office equipment geriatric Our livers cirrhotic Episodes of panic are manically periodic But we are intrinsically virtuosic Catalytic Fantastically elastic Acrobatic Our visions for a better world dynamically eclectic Our need for good aesthetically animalistic We are atomically caffeinic We emphatically battle the myopic We bombastically awaken the catatonic Some might call us Quixotic… But, our belief in our work is camphoric Soothing wounds made by the critically negativistic Nonprofit heroes, you are kickasstic!At Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, we believe that no one should go hungry. Through a vast network of more than 300 non-profit partner agencies on the front-lines of hunger alleviation, we provide food throughout 31 counties, covering 52,000 square miles. Last year, we distributed more than 21.4 million pounds of food to our neighbors in need! Our vision is an end to hunger in Southern Colorado . Why? Because well-fed communities are better, brighter, and more vibrant for us all.
“The Unemployed Program Officer”
Brad Kruse
On the street corner, “Will give away money for food,” Says the cardboard sign.MAP for Nonprofits provides a variety of consulting and training programs for nonprofits. I am a former board member and appreciate all the work MAP does on behalf of the Nonprofit Sector
“On Being a Board Member”
Spencer Sandor
Once a month, in the room with the most chairs; Around the biggest table we could buy; The board asks our staff to demystify The organization’s recent affairs. Reports and old minutes stacked up in pairs, And the ED trying to simplify The new outreach model, outcomes, and why We can’t count on funding from millionaires. The Chair of the Board and the members-at-large Stroke our chins, ask questions, complain and then praise All the progress that has been made. But although We like to pretend WE are the ones in charge, everybody knows this place would close in days without staff to turn the Board’s lead into gold.Dedicated to two orgs: Growing Chefs! Ontario in London, Ontario unites chefs, growers, educators and community members in children’s food education projects. Our mission is to gets kids excited about wholesome healthy food. We engage with chefs and growers in the community to help provide children with the confidence, knowledge and enthusiasm to grow and prepare good, healthy cuisine. The London Employment Help Centre works with people who are unemployed or underemployed and provides a combination of workshops and action plans. We are reducing poverty in our community by helping individuals achieve their maximum employment.
“What is it like?”
Confidential
What is it like to be working with a team of white people? You asked me Not just any white people But white people with Ph.Ds and research interests in non-white people Research interests in people like meThe thing is, you never asked me this No one ever asked me What is it like To drown in a sea of whiteness?No one ever asked me What is it like To hear white people Talk about how they know Because they were on food stamps When they were doing AmeriCorps Or what is it like To hear white people Talk about Working with at-risk youth So now they know What it’s like To be disadvantaged and poorAnd even if you asked me I might not answer Not because I don’t want to But because I might say It’s just in my headThese things I feel Are not real These things I wonder Does not mean muchBecause that’s what it’s like To drown in a sea of whiteness The things I feel Are not real“Love Notes”
Amy Rich
Whisper the world to us in one thousand characters or less. Tell us how our five thousand dollars will make all the difference as you show the little girl whose floured fingers dance cakey snowflakes above her salt dough snowman that her mind works in beautiful ways. Tell us about the boy who shoves the fistful of winter dandelions into the hands of the children’s program director as he says, “I brought you a gift from the neighborhood.” Tell us how our four thousand dollars will help tutor him and teach him more words to share his generosity with the world. Tell us how our two thousand dollars will keep the water on for the man so grateful for a quiet place to shower that he gives the gift of a shower curtain scoured clean with the jets of the car wash. Tell us about the woman with a bag of groceries from the food pantry who stands at the edge of the garden, intrigued by the children digging there, and says, “I’ve never seen where potatoes come from before.” Tell us how we made this happen. Do not tell us how you struggle to find the last forty-five hundred dollars to meet your budget, how every toilet in the building is broken, how the toilet paper was stolen yesterday, how the copier’s pickup wheels are so worn and smoothed by a hundred thousand sheets that they can no longer copy two-sided without a prayer. Do not tell us how you are unsure of how you will afford health insurance for yourself as you spend three hours on hold, negotiating with Medicaid, health insurance companies, and doctors on behalf of a surly, hurting man who needs a specialist and angrily broke the pharmacist’s phone earlier in the day. Do not tell us how you went home last night and cried because of all the things you cannot say. Cried until your lover held you and reminded you, “Because of you, something beautiful still exists in this world.” Whisper the world to us, but choose what to leave out. One thousand characters are not many.Patchwork Central is located near downtown Evansville, Indiana and has served its neighborhood since 1977. It is a neighborhood hub that provides a variety of services to those in need, that helps the next generation grow to be successful adults, and that provides space for all our neighbors to come together and learn from one another. Current programming includes: our Arts & Smarts children’s program, an emergency food pantry, building use for other community groups, a health ministry to provide health-related resources to our neighbors, a bike shop to provide transportation to low income individuals, and neighborhood hospitality.
“Enough”
Leah Johnston
It might not seem like much, but I used to make toast in Apartment 7. I spread butter and jam on warm bread and looked out the window. Wind moved through the trees. It moved through the clouds and the phone wires. It moved through me. I was happy.It was an ordinary moment, but those are extraordinary; they're the ones you remember when the apartment and everything else is gone. Call it what you want. I chased a light that went out. Most lights in the world do that. You think you're getting what you want, but there's nothing there.But I know which light to follow now. It's a quieter one. There is no flash. It's called noble purpose and I have a plan. I start work tomorrow, washing dishes in someone else's kitchen and it will lead me to my own again. I heard you can help me because I am helping myself.It might not seem like much, but thank you for the non-slip shoes. Thank you for the bus pass and the pants, and the way you shook my hand. Outside your office, I noticed a nest in a bare tree. There was a bird singing on a branch. It might not seem like much, but it was enough.Small Sum's sole purpose is to help homeless individuals, who have found jobs, with the specific things that they need to start back to work. We believe gainful employment is a key factor in helping homeless individuals get out of their homeless situation. With our practical and timely assistance we remove obstacles that often prevent homeless workers from being able to take a job. It’s a surprisingly simple solution. To help those who have fallen on hard times, with what THEY need to take care of things themselves. Small Sums serves the Twin Cities are of Minnesota.
3rd Place Winner
“A Song For the Nēnē (The Hawaiian Goose) Judy Edwards
The rising sun of Hawaiʻi Breathes gold on the waking geese. Goslings peep to parents, Parents pace and stretch. What is the cost of extinction? What have we lost, when we say “It is gone”? Just this: The way one small eye opens To the bright world It almost never saw.***Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association HPPA is a nonprofit cooperating association working in partnership with the National Park Service in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa. Proceeds from our park stores support interpretation, educational programs, research projects, publications, and cultural activities. Our core purpose is to inspire visitors and foster meaningful connections to the parks—for the preservation and enjoyment of the parks forever—all with a spirit of aloha. Judy Edwards is a content and website writer for HPPA, as well as the social media person. She also freelances and is a published poet and essayist.2nd Place Winner
“Things I have had on my desk to get me through”
Confidential
Things I have had on my desk to get me through reporting, evaluating, measuring success; a photo of my daughter at four months in black and white a block print from trans programs many years ago that says “We can’t afford to work like this” alive plants, dead plants, an empty flower pot turned over Buddha and a gnome sage fairy lights and little paper lamps an inappropriate note from a participant many tea-stained mugs and the phone numbers of some folks I was worried aboutThings I have kept on my desk to get me through more late nights than early mornings troubling phone calls cryptic emails writing the same sentence over and over and wondering about all the different ways to define “success story” wondering if any of them felt like success to some of the folks I was worried about one I wrote in 2011 about Joanne who is dead now her successful suicide attempt not yet part of the storythings I have kept over my desk to get me through Joanne’s picture others we have lost and all the things we can’t afford to keep doing or keep***The author, who wishes to remain anonymous, volunteers for Victim Services Toronto, a wonderful org which provides immediate crisis response, intervention, and prevention services that are responsive to the needs of individuals, families, and communities affected by crime and sudden tragedies.1st Place Winner
“Richard vs. the Line-Item Budget”
Richard Porter
Nonprofit Poet Laureate of the Milky Way Galaxy
Pleasedo not make me beg for $$$ to buy a laminator.I have suffered the 1001 indignities of social work and all I want is a nice A4 document pressed between 2 silky-soft sheets of ethylene-vinyl acetate.Fresh pressed I want it to warm my hands.I want our funders to esteem us based upon the quality of our printed promotional materials.I want laminating sheets that are as extremely durable and stress resistantas I would like to be.*** Richard works for Volunteer Chore Services of Snohomish County. Our program matches volunteers to disabled, low-income seniors for housework and transportation services. This allows seniors to age in place in their community.Congratulations to our winners. Your cash prizes will be coming shortly; thanks again to Nonstop Wellness for sponsoring our first-ever Nonprofit Poetry Contest. I hope this is an annual event. If I can find a sponsor, we may be doing a nonprofit songwriting contest (in videos).--
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