Ep. 168: How Aftersight Raised $20K in 20 Days (and Fired Up Their Board + Donors)
EPISODE 168
How Aftersight Raised $20K in 20 Days (and Fired Up Their Board + Donors)
About the Episode:
What if your next big fundraising win wasn’t about adding more grants, galas, or gimmicks, but about simplifying and believing it could work?
In this episode, I’m joined by Kim Wardlow and Penn Street from Aftersight, an incredible organization supporting the blind and low-vision community through accessible media, podcasts, and programs. They share how they went from uncertainty to running a $20K in just 20 days campaign that exceeded its goal, using storytelling, matching gifts, and genuine connection. We talk about how they built confidence, engaged their board, and reimagined fundraising as something fun, creative, and totally possible. Plus, they share how their growing podcast network and the White Cane Project are helping more people than ever. If you’ve ever doubted whether your next campaign could actually take off, this story is proof that it can.
Topics:
The story behind Aftersight’s “$20K in 20 Days” win
How Kim and Penn overcame fear and doubt in fundraising
Why podcasting became their tool for accessibility and donor engagement
How they used matching gifts + storytelling to motivate donors
The importance of accessible technology in fundraising (like Givebutter)
How board members became advocates after campaign success
What’s next: monthly giving and influencer partnerships
It’s not your stories—it’s how you’re telling them. If your amazing work isn’t getting the attention (and donations) it deserves, it’s time for a messaging shift. The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide guide gives you 10 done-for-you donor prompts to make your message impossible to ignore. Get it for free here! https://christinaedwards.krtra.com/t/xKuLs6tOiPZa
Christina’s Favorite Takeaways:
“People are not giving where they used to. They're not giving as much as they used to. They're looking for that new thing.” Penn
“A white cane is a symbol of independence. It's a symbol of getting from point A to point B safely.” Penn
“There's the unemployment rate for the blind and low vision community at over 70%.” Penn
“Fundraising doesn't have to be hard.” Christina
“Fundraising is education, but also fun.” Kim
“It’s worth keeping on going, even when it can be discouraging.”
“Be kind to yourself and find a way to be kind to somebody else this week. It’s good for your soul.”
ABOUT Kim:
Kim got involved with the blind and low vision community nearly 25 years ago when she volunteered to read for Aftersight. She didn’t know it at the time, but Kim was following in the footsteps of her great-great-great-grandparents, who had taught at a school for the blind in London. In 2001, she joined the staff as the Director of Marketing, and later Kim became the Executive Director in 2018. Outside of work, she enjoys knitting, reading, and going for long walks with her husband Doug and their dog, CeCe.
ABOUT PENN:
Penn Street has dedicated decades to advocating for people who are blind or have low vision, drawing from her lived experience and strong ties to the disability community. She has led initiatives with Aftersight and No Barriers USA, and serves on multiple local boards and commissions to advance inclusion and accessibility. Penn is also the host of The Blind Chick podcast, where she amplifies stories and conversations that inspire and inform. Her work empowers individuals to live independently and thrive while inspiring communities to embrace equity for all.
Connect with KIM:
Connect with PENN:
Episode Resources:
FREE Resources from Splendid Consulting:
How to Work with Christina and Splendid Consulting:
Live Nonprofit Webinar - Bring in $50-100K in New Funding Without Galas, Grants, Grassroots
Easy Emails For Impact™ - Turn Your Inbox into an Income Stream
Donations on Demand: Build a $5K Email Campaign System in 30 min/week
Connect with Christina and Splendid Consulting:
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*Links may be affiliate links which means I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Christina Edwards 0:01
Welcome back to the purpose and profit club Podcast. I'm excited. We have my clients. We have Kim Ann Wardlow and Penn Street, the Executive Director and Director of Development for aftersight. We've got a threesome today. It's going to be super, super fun. A three for here. And we're going to dig into you've had a really amazing campaign you just like ran, and we're going to talk all about that. But first, I would love to just do a round of intros. Tell us about the work you do with aftersight. And you know, we were just talking in the green room. You guys are seasoned podcasters, so I want to hear all about you, the work you do with aftersight and your podcasts. And we can start with you, Kim, and then we'll move over to Penn.
Kim Wardlow 0:41
Okay, well, I've been with aftersight for a long time, so I've done a lot of different things at aftersight, but the work we do, working with folks who are blind, low vision, deaf-blind, to be able to provide access to news, information, entertainment, and that happens in a couple ways, our traditional services, you know, from when it started in 1990 was having volunteers read and record audio editions of publications. So newspapers, magazines, grocery ads, all those kind of mundane, you know, but important day to day things, so people know what's happening in their community. And then over time, as as that has changed, and it's continuing to evolve, and we're continuing to evolve that part of our service as well, but we started The original podcast. So as you said, we both host a podcast. I host one called navigating life with vision loss, and it's kind of geared towards folks that maybe have recently lost vision, or they've had some vision loss, and now that's increased, you know, so they're having to kind of recalculate how they do things. So different series, so we're just finishing up a safety series. We had a series on advocacy earlier in the year. We have blind level tech, that's all things tech. We have blind site, which is mental health, again, from the lens of, you know, blindness or vision loss. And the host of that is blind himself. So we have that podcast. And then we also, our newest podcast is code orange, and that's emergency preparedness. I'll let Penn tell you about the blind check, because she is the blind check, and so she can tell you about that. That's a that's a really fun, fun podcast, I think. And it's our first podcast. And then we do some other services, providing white canes, virtual peer support group and Virtual Audio Book Club. So we, we try to kind of be that hub for information for folks with vision loss. And we also have on our on our website, podcasts from other, you know, third parties like Penny forward and other podcasts related to the audience we're serving as well. So yeah,
Penn Street 3:03
yeah. And Kim didn't, didn't mention, but she just had her big, a big work anniversary a couple of weeks ago. So she, she definitely knows after sight inside and out. But yeah, so yeah, we, I'm the host of the blind chick, and I'm known on social media as the blind chick, and so we are, I think, coming up pretty close to our 200th episode. And I interview people all over the world who are blind or low vision, or work with people who are blind and low vision, and they get to tell their stories. And I always learn way more from them than they ever learned from me, and it's just incredible. And some of them are household names, but many of them are just ordinary people like us that are just living their life and doing really amazing things. So I love it. I never ever aspire to be a podcast. And then this last year, in January, I did bring on a co host, and it happens to be my husband. He's kind of my sidekick, and I still sort of carry the show. But it was nice. It is nice having another person on. It can get kind of lonely, the only, the only host on a show. So yeah, it's
Christina Edwards 4:32
nice to riff. Yes, it is. It is. Yes. One of the things that, even in just the trajectory of aftersight, that I think has really impressed me, we're already kind of digging into is the needs of your audience changed with with just technology changing, even the past year, like I think about the past year. And maybe I started using chat GBT last year around this time, I don't know, but it is wild. Like. Okay, this is my third assistant chat. She is, she's my friend. She's helping me out. You know, I'm using her instead of Google. My voice. I have my the way I love to use her is actually voice to text. You know, I really love that, that component, all that to say, I think it's really, really smart and really interesting to the way you've scaled up the podcast wing of what you do, the advocacy, the support, the emergency preparedness. Did it start with one podcast and then, then you realized this, this has legs? Or how did that come
Kim Wardlow 5:31
about? Yeah, so it did start with the the blind chick, and it originally was called after site when we did our name change and settled on stole it from me.
Christina Edwards 5:44
I don't know wine tricks, pretty cool. We
Kim Wardlow 5:47
like it, but it really started with our community. So after I became the director, I really wanted to have a program advisory committee that was made up of folks that were serving. So we have that now, and I think it's in its third year, fourth year. And we, I went, we went to them and said, Okay, you know, yes, we'd like feedback on what we're doing. Is this still relevant to you? Do we need to be doing other things? But what what you need? What's lacking, and what if it didn't have to be something that could be read and and I pose it to them that way, because, you know, always before, what else can we be reading? But it's like, what if it didn't have to be read because we were doing the blind chick, and we'd had a version of that even before pen was on staff, and that person had left, and it kind of had fallen away. It was slightly different than what, what Penn is doing, but, but we saw that the blind chick was being well received, and then they started saying, Well, you know, there's these things in there, on, yes, we can get on a website, but so many of them aren't friendly, and there's this information and that information. So we started with the blind chick, and then the that conversation really created nlvl, navigating life with vision loss. And when we started, we were doing one topic per month, and this year, we've switched, because some topics you you needed way more than a month to do them justice, and other things maybe not, you could do in two, three weeks. So this year, we started doing 16 week series, so that we take a big overarching topic, and then, do you know the sub sub cap? You know sub topics within that as different episodes, so, and that's that's worked really, really well. So it really started with getting feedback from the people that were serving them and what they need. And then the very first topic we did, coming out of covid, was mental health, yeah. And then it was so popular that we quickly spun off that into its podcast. And so that's really, that's really how it started. And then we just, you know, meet with them every month when we need have questions. And I love it, things like that. So yeah,
Christina Edwards 8:11
I think it's, it's hearing what they want and noticing that. It's almost like I'm talking to myself, Yes, Christina, we've come a long way this and that, however, there's still technology and accessibility gaps, and that's where you saw those gaps. And you're like, we're on it. And I love, though, that you're meeting the occasion with the podcasting element. I think that's so cool and so smart,
Penn Street 8:34
so and it's fine,
Christina Edwards 8:36
exactly we were talking also in the green room, but it's like, it's low lift. I mean, you're just pressing record, except for the editing, right? That? Yeah, funky, but the
Kim Wardlow 8:45
like, sit down. Producer is there for that?
Christina Edwards 8:50
We Same, same thing. Yes. So you came into the purpose and profit club, my group coaching program. And one of the things I noticed about y'all is you came and you got to work like you got to work, and very quickly you ran your first campaign. So let's dig into that. It was 20k in 20 days campaign. It was so fun to watch you prepare for that campaign, kick it off, hit your goal early, walk us through that campaign like what prompted it? Why? Where were you, what? Let's talk about it.
Kim Wardlow 9:21
Well, I guess just to kind of set it up, because I'm going to let Pam really talk about the campaign, because she's the one who created it. But we had done, about a year ago, we had done, of course, looking at revenue streams wasn't shocking to us. We knew this, that the area we were, we've been really heavily and still are on on grants, and so really needed to build up the individual donor base. And then it's like, okay, well, we've know that, we've confirmed that, but how, how do we do how do we do that? And that's when, you know, I gotten an email from you, and I sat through a webinar, and then we. Kind of went through that whole process. So, so we were like, ready to go, Yeah, at that point, we're like, Okay, we just need to figure out how to do it. We know what we need to do, but how do we need to Yeah, and so and so. Then Penn, really, you know, took that on for the 2020, so you can talk about that.
Christina Edwards 10:18
Yeah, Penn, I remember maybe in one of our first calls me, we kind of taping, taking your temperature, of like, How comfortable are you with asking, How comfortable are you with outreach, how comfortable are you with fundraising? And you're like, Yeah, I'm all in. I was like, Yeah, let's go. I love that energy.
Penn Street 10:35
yeah. But I also, I was probably the biggest doubter coming in and but we had tried, like Kim said, you know, our history with the org, they weren't donors. Like, we didn't aftersite didn't have a donation like, I mean, I'm sure you had a donation button, but it was not used very often. And so that was really my main job, is to diversify the, you know, funding stream, yeah, and so, and I, and I did try, you know, like, you know, the mailings and email, you know, things like that, and but it just, it got, it definitely got people moving. But, you know, we started doing an annual event. And I've done a couple other events, but nothing like except for the hike that we do every year, which is sort of our cornerstone community event every year. But besides that, like nothing ever like sunk in, and I kept hearing from all of my networking partners. And you know, it's just, I kept hearing over and over, in the development world, things are pivoting. People are not they're not giving where how they used to. They're not giving where they used to. They're, you know, they're looking for that new thing. And so when Kim brought your program, you know, talk to me about it, I said, well, we need to do something different. And it's so I did put my doubts like, because you are like, what you're doing is very to me, very cutting edge and and very different than any fundraising I've ever done. And so it I really had to trust you and trust the process, but, but the way you do it, it does make it fun. It's in which is really important to me. I mean, sitting in front of a computer all day, yeah, you'll take the fun wherever you can get it. And so you really help because, yes, I put the bones together, right? But you were the one that put the pretty dress on the top with with your, edit this, or tell more of a story, or, you know, little you know things here and there, and it's and honestly, again, I was like, I don't know if this gonna work, but I did. I did it. I followed you, took the boxes, and yes, and it really did, yeah, and, and I did. When somebody said, oh, you should make the picture a little smaller, a little whatever, like, just little tweaks. But I really do think the whole thing just really shown and we, I mean, I was, I told Kim, like, even if we just raised a couple tousant, and then we got the matching gift,
Kim Wardlow 13:36
which was, yeah, that was a big thing. Is we had that gift that when we asked if we could use it as a match, I mean,
Penn Street 13:43
but even with the matching gift, because we've had matching gifts before, yes, and it didn't seem to really matter, or it did, it wasn't noticeable, but we were getting people calling like, oh, I want to write a check, but I Want to make sure that it gets matched, and we've never had that before. People really came out of the woodwork and then getting our staff and board to ask their friends and family and network partners, which, again, that's never been done before, and our board really stepped up. And, you know, it just, it was amazing to me. And it was, I was like, it really gave me hope. Like, oh my gosh, we can really do this. So now I'm doing our second campaign, and it'll, it'll go out in a couple of weeks here, but it's like, I'm excited about it, like it got me back to that excitement level of fundraising and realizing that it is, it does still work.
Kim Wardlow 14:51
Yeah, well, and you know, being able to have scripts, like, some of the things we had tried before, certainly. Asked our board when we, you know, Colorado gives day whatever you know, please share with your contacts. And I think they have it really having scripts to be able to say, Okay, here's, you know, here's what you can say. You can modify it for your own language. And we've done that to a certain extent, but just to have those, to have those resources there, and, you know, all the other resources and the hands on, I think I don't know how many webinars Penn and I have probably attended between the two of us on, you know, on some aspect of fundraising, and it's a webinar. And then, okay, now go figure it out. And so this is so much different. So loved working with you, because it's so and when I reported back after that first meeting, we had a board meeting that that week, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, this is, this really, is hands on, like we're, we're meeting, we get input from other people that are also doing fundraising. And I think that's been really helpful, you know, helpful to us. Yeah, that it's very different from anything we've ever tried before.
Penn Street 16:07
Yeah, in the talking with, having that interaction with other nonprofits around the country has really helped me, because it's like, oh, they're going through the same thing we are, you know, where it's I don't feel like so isolated, or like your little like even some of your tweaks with some of their mail campaigns, I'm always taking notes, like, even though I'm not doing a mail campaign right at the Senate, it helps me. You know, looking forward, how, how to make it better way
Christina Edwards 16:41
it is after site, yeah, I think that even though the cause area is different, the org size is different, there is these, there are these moments and through lines, your organization is one. Kathy from the lichen sclerosus support network is one. They you, but both have podcasts. And for you, she's already tapping into sponsorships. But both of you, I'm like, ooh, sponsorships are going to be so good. Yeah, they're going to be so I mean, you're already doing some of it, but there are these moments where I'm like, Oh, we could use this over here. Let's pull this over here so you raise your you hit your 20k goal. I want to say, like, four or five days early, something like that.
Penn Street 17:19
Yeah, we exceeded it. We exceeded it, which I never saw that coming. And it really was crazy, because we had a couple people, like, one was out of town or something, and, you know, they and one person was just like, I, you know, I really like to write a check. I don't like to do things digitally, yeah, you know, but it's coming from New York, and I know it's late, it's gonna get, you know, but she really wanted it in there, you know. And she knew that it wouldn't be matched, because we had already, you know. But, yeah, we exceeded our goal. And I was, I was just blown away.
Christina Edwards 17:59
What do you think made the difference this time for this campaign?
Penn Street 18:04
I think for me, part of it was thinking of it as a whole. I think before it was like the part, like all these parts where this one, it was looking at it as a whole, and then looking at the different parts and really understanding how they were all connected and kind of the why behind it. Also, I spent a ton of time, you know, preparing those emails way in advance, scheduling them out and then, and then, as the money started coming in, going in, and personalizing them and and even our social media posts, you know, he could, the person that was doing that could go in and pull information from those emails and, like, I one, I was super organized. That was hard, yeah, I mean, I felt like I was organized before, but, but really digging in and, like, super focused like that. That was extremely helpful. But I honestly think another big, big deal is you recommending give butter, because that just made everything so easy. One, it's accessible because I'm I have extremely low vision, and you did hear my guide dog barking in the background. Sorry, he always chime in, but he like it was accessible. It was super intuitive, and it was pretty like you could customize it, but yet, the templates were super easy to follow, and we
Christina Edwards 19:42
needed something that was going to be high converting. And right away, when you joined, I was like, We got to get you a donation tool. I remember that being like, yeah, yeah, we were not going to be able to go for a drive, and we got to get gas in the tank first, because I don't remember what you were using, but listen, you. Yeah, I've said that to other clients before, and they've taken months and months and months to change or make a decision. And the fact that, again, you have that readiness, and you're like, and we go and we go, and yeah, I think that the page was very, very easy on your end, which that's great to hear, but like, easy for the donors to use and understand the story that we had beautifully created and and so that's that's all part of it, right? And I think to the momentum that people were calling and things like that, again, speaks to they're landing on the page. They're kind of seeing where you are on the mile marker. Are they close to their goal? I want to help, or the match. And that's all part of it. Like that, is all part of that a good, solid donor experience for a campaign. So I think you nailed that.
Penn Street 20:46
Yeah, in our match campaign, I think their little, you know, it wasn't a lot, and they wanted to remain anonymous, which at first I was like, Oh, I don't know how that's going to go over, but the way it was framed and everything, and the photo that we chose to keep you know, her anonymous, and stuff like, I think it just the whole thing came together. Yes, so,
Christina Edwards 21:10
so I want to talk about a little bit about what's next for you, like, what what's next? And maybe to kind of flag that I already had followed a couple of blind and low vision thought leaders and influencers and creators online. And I know we've talked about them, but, you know, is a Social Street Team® next for you, you know, is partnering with the advocates and creators online who, like Molly Burke, I know has a book coming out. Yeah, talks a lot about Anthony, one of my favorite he's just so fun, the blind skateboarder. He's just so like, like, what does that look like for you? Is that? Is that next year talk, talk me through your vision as you
Penn Street 21:52
continue in the club, we definitely, and part of it was you suggesting it is. We actually have some pretty amazing
Christina Edwards 22:01
you're like, actually, we've had them on the podcast. Christina, I'm like, Okay, perfect.
Penn Street 22:06
I know, but we had never really thought about getting them involved in a big way, yeah. And, I mean, it was like, Oh, you're on a podcast. Things, can you please share it? Right? It was
Kim Wardlow 22:19
sharing our social you know, here's our social media. Please share.
Penn Street 22:22
But, yeah, but to really get them to and I did notice recent, like, over the last month or so, somebody who I interviewed, I don't know if I guess I could say his name, Eric Weimer, who's was the first blind person to summit Mount Everest and the tallest peaks on all CON and he's done a lot of stuff. He and he's known me for decades. I even worked for him for a long time, but he never shared, like it was just he never shared our stuff. He never, uh huh, shared anything, even me personally. But lately he has been sharing our our posts through after he doesn't share all of them like he loves the white cane posts that we do. And he shared this. He shares those on his and I didn't ask him to do it. He just did that organically. So I have a feeling, like, if we, if I actually sat down with him and said, like, if we do a white cane campaign or or something that I know specifically, that he would really get into that he would, you know, I think he could become, you know, one part of our street team, and then, but you were the one that really, like, I don't think Kim, you even thought of it either. Like, I don't think any of us.
Kim Wardlow 23:49
I know it sounds weird together, as, yeah, it does. How do we put together a street team? Who would those people be? And then, yeah, and then, as we were doing our campaign and pushing things out and seeing responses, oh, maybe we already know the people. We just didn't think of them in that way
Christina Edwards 24:05
Exactly. And he's doing, you know, what I would call like a lean in moment. He's like, Yeah, sharing and interacting more, and that's like the perfect time to further that relationship. Yes, I love it. I love it. Yeah, there's so much opportunity. And start with the people you know. Start with the people who already have interacted with you in the podcast, I want to talk about white canes, though, for our listeners who might not even know what we're referring to, right? So let's tell us about that, tell us about the project, and maybe even some of the content or what it's for, and give us an overview.
Penn Street 24:38
Yeah, I feel like I'm
Kim Wardlow 24:39
hogging the seat. No, that's, you use a white cane. I mean, I can tell people about but you use it. So, yeah,
Penn Street 24:46
so the white cane is those white sticks that blind people use. They're not called sticks. They're not called Blind sticks. They've been called walking so I've heard all kinds of crazy things, but they're, they're literally called a white cane. King. And they've, they've been around for a really, really long time. But it was actually the Lions Clubs and the lion club in Peoria, Illinois, that really came up with the whole concept that it should be a white cane be reflective, and that it's not only a tool for us to be mobility, and, you know, mobile and to be independent, but it's also a symbol. And it's not a symbol of, oh, you need to come help me, because I'm blind. It's a symbol of independence. It's a it's a symbol of getting from point A to point B safely. And so when I came to aftersight, I was just noticing more and more people, and I had been knowing it for a while, but it really just dawned on me how many people I was running into that were white cane users, that their canes were broken or they were too short for them, or just, honestly, not a good quality cane. And I mean, I have, I have been sitting on a bus, and somebody gets on and they, you know, they sit up front with me, because that's where we sit. And they're literally their cane was broken and being, you know, held together by duct tape. And I have a guide dog so but I always carry a folding cane with me, always, because you never know your dog could get sick or whatever. And so I pull, I mean, I literally pull out my white cane, and I give it to him. I have handed out so many white canes that way. And I'm financially in a place I can do that. But there's with the unemployment rate for the blind and low vision community at over 70% and that's in a good economy. It something like, you know, 75 to $100 to buy a new white cane. It's out of their reach. And so when I came to after site, I'm still, you know, big in the Lions Clubs and and they had agreed to start a white cane project, the Lions of Colorado, which I love you all. I appreciate you, um, but they really needed somebody to, they needed, like an overarching umbrella org to, you know, take in the application, like, to manage the project. And yes, I could have done it on my own outside of work, but it fit. I mean, that's what we do, yeah, and so we, I went to Kim, and she agreed with it, and, you
Kim Wardlow 27:31
know, we and it was good because, I mean, it's supporting the community we serve, but it was also something where a person might come for a white cane and learn about the other services we provide. Might not have sought out those other services separately. So, yeah, it was, it was kind of a win win that way. Yeah.
Penn Street 27:51
So it's just exploded, you know, and we, you know, to the point we're gonna have to, I'm gonna have to maybe go outside of lions to get funding, because there's only so much they'll give. But, but, yeah, it's a really important project for our community, because if you show up at a job interview and your cane is like falling apart, it's just like your clothing, because your cane is part of you, just like your guide dog, you wouldn't show up with your guide dog all ratty and smelly, right? It's the same thing with the white cane, and it is really beautiful. We've when we put a new, brand new white cane in somebody's hands, sometimes it's the first time they've ever had a brand new cane, right? Or it's definitely been years and years and years that they end, you know, they I've had them say, oh my gosh, I feel like this is my brand new Cadillac, you know, and, and it's and so the confidence is better, and
Christina Edwards 28:50
it's also like, shoulders out kind of moment.
Penn Street 28:53
yeah, exactly, absolutely.
Christina Edwards 28:57
My father in law has been having just some mobility issues because he's getting older, and he's been using this one cane, and he keeps, he's been having a couple of falls with that cane, and one day he came over with that cane, and he's very, very tall. And I was like, this doesn't fit you. Like, yeah. Like, it was, yeah, you just said it too short. And also it had, I think, had too much wear. And so like, the grippy part of the bottom right was right. So like, all the things, and I was like, a new cane will be at your door on Monday, like, and he was like, This is so much better. And so I'm having that moment. But like, extrapolating it out Penn of what that must look like when you're, like, I'm duct taping this. I'm on a fixed income, or, like, all of the or it physically doesn't fit me in my size. And, yeah, well, and
Penn Street 29:45
fear, like, because I have the fear real, yeah, I had a, I had a big job in Chicago, and, silly me, I only took one cane, and it broke when I was there. And I. Managed to get a hold of an organization that was able to give me one while I was in Chicago. But it's that panic, so I can't imagine, like walking around with a duct tape cane knowing that any second, if you hit a curb wrong, you're out right,
Christina Edwards 30:18
and it's Yeah. And I think what I want to offer is like, for your organization, for so many organizations who are like, well, we serve this specific audience, and we're also trying to fundraise to the specific audience of the people, we sort of like that, yeah, right, because I hear that a lot. I'm thinking about myself, who is on Tiktok and watching the content, and it's it's informational, it's educational. It's like, wow, I didn't know. Like, Molly will take you to the airport while she's traveling with her dog, but she also will do a white cane kind of reel, or Tiktok, and that is how we bring in new people who aren't blind or low vision, who become advocates, who become donors, who become volunteers, right? It is like part of that bigger thing, and our own curiosity, our own kind of fly on the wall, like we want to peer through too, is the best. It's like, that's the best part of social media that we can use for social good, and that's why I think it's that, I think it's the podcast too, where you're telling these stories and people who maybe know somebody who maybe is dealing with vision loss, because that's real as people age, right? That is real. They don't know what. They don't know about it. And to start letting them in, I think is a huge part of of the success you're having. And then I see in your next, in the next five to 10 years? Yeah, absolutely, yeah. So some, some social street teamers. What else is next for you?
Penn Street 31:50
What do you think, Kim,
Kim Wardlow 31:53
well, I I know one of the things we've wanted to do, and so it's our we have a couple of campaigns planned yet for this year, but the first of the year, we're going to do a campaign for monthly donors. Yeah, and so that's something that we've really wanted to get that recurring revenue that would be so helpful to us, especially as grants are, you know, have declined to not have times of the year where things are, you know, so thin, so, so I think that, you know, yeah, that's there we have that time of year. So we had our budget committee meeting this morning, before this, this interview and, and it was kind of nice to be able to go, Well, this is where we're at, and this is, you know, we're projecting, and we're being conservative, but I think the success of the 2020, campaign to actually have board members say, okay, but can you get us, you know, numbers on this? Because this, what if this is wildly successful, then, you know, and we could do this, then what would that, you know? What are those? So to seek kind of that helpfulness of like, well, we have opportunities, and we know we have opportunities and for growth, and it would require, you know, more staff and all this, so to be able to feel like, wow, this could be a real possibility that we could really grow. You know, we're we've been approached to help some other orgs, especially serving our same community, to produce their podcasts. Since we have that ability, you know, should also be a revenue stream for us as well. It's kind of kind of both. It's helping to get information valuable to our community out there, but also would be So, yeah, so we see a lot of opportunity. Even as you know, nonprofits are seeing, you know, decline in some areas, and there's some things that are scary, but, but we're also seeing some great opportunities as as well. And so I think this is really, you know, helping us to say, Wow, this, this can be possible, because this is working for us. Yeah,
Christina Edwards 34:13
I love, like, one of the collateral benefits of this, this success, was the board engagement, like the board excitement the board is now like this. Yes, maybe we can help. And so that's just such a fun collateral effect of all of this. It's really reaffirming to them that fundraising doesn't have to be hard, a slog, terrible, impossible, all of the things, and also kind of reaffirming to them. You know, we can diversify, and should diversify beyond grants and now pushing forward the monthly giving is going to be wonderful. I'm excited for that.
Kim Wardlow 34:51
Yeah, we are too, yeah. So I think I know Penn already has campaigns planned out, and then the next one coming up kind of has. A Halloween theme. Yeah, I think that's really fun, you know. So it's great because it it's fundraising, but it's also, it's also educational, it's also fun for folks. So I think people really, really like that at least, at least the comments I've gotten, they've really appreciated, like learning some things along the way,
Christina Edwards 35:23
absolutely well. We ask every guest that comes on the podcast. We ask them to share. We ask them the same question to share a thought they like to think on purpose. This could be an affirmation, just a motto, maybe a quote that was resident with you. Would you both share yours with us.
Kim Wardlow 35:46
It's hard to kind of think of just one one quote, but I do think you know when you have those days when everything kind of like the analogy of like, wow, I hit every red light on my way somewhere where you have those days where it just seems like there's one thing after another. You know, that's not the end of the world, but it's just making everything a little bit more difficult. And when I have those days, I just, I think about it, the fact that what we're doing as an organization, it's It's way bigger than me, and in some ways it's way bigger than us, you know, the impact that we could have. And so it's worth to keep, to keep on going, even when it's even when it can be red lights, yep, even when it can be discouraging. It's like, okay, well, we'll get, you know, we'll get through this, because then you do have those times when you're when you're like, wow, we exceeded our goal, and, you know, well, we, we launched a new podcast. Or those kinds of moments. Or you get, you get a comment from a listener about how a program was so helpful to them, or the white cane was helpful, or just being able to interact with other people in the peer support group or the book club group. So you know, if you get those comments and you're like, oh yeah, this, oh yeah, this is why we are doing this. This is why we get up every morning and are doing this. So I think it's, for me, it's just, you know, remembering that this is bigger than the little issues I may be having day to day.
Penn Street 37:26
That's good. I'm the same way. I don't know one thing, but I'm a big believer in what you put out to the world is, is what you get, what you receive back. So I have a saying on the blind check. I always wrap up the show with it. Oh, perfect. Give it, yeah. It's be kind to yourself and find a way to be kind to somebody else this week. It's good for your soul.
Christina Edwards 37:46
And yeah, so that's such a good closer. I like that. Yeah. Well, where can everyone follow your work, support your work? Where's the best way to come find you and connect with you?
Kim Wardlow 38:02
We're on lots of places now. Obviously, you know, we still have our website after site.org, we're on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and we've added a couple we've added blue sky and Mastodon recently,
Christina Edwards 38:20
and names of the podcast. So the the blind check is one podcast, right? Yeah, and Kim tell us yours
Kim Wardlow 38:26
navigating life with vision loss. Perfect links to those. Yeah. Blind site. Blind level tech or BLT, as we like to call it, for sure, he always has like, a sandwich. Just he always has, like, a sandwich of the week. Yeah, so that's that's been good. Code orange is our, our newest podcast, emergency preparedness. And Marty, the host, he lived through the fires in California last year as a blind person, and said, Wow, if I hadn't had such a people to help me. You know, it was great. And so so that that Peck has kind of came out of that, out of his real life experience. And so we're and we've been working with folks here locally, emergency preparedness, folks here trying to get words out, you know, to people of how you get prepared. So that's our that's our newest one, amazing.
Christina Edwards 39:29
I'm just honored to work with you and just cheering on all the work you do. Thank you so much for generously sharing your your time and your stories with us.
Penn Street 39:39
Absolutely and thank you for all your support.
Kim Wardlow 39:41
Thank you.