We like to ask our donors why they support our efforts to save critically endangered African penguins from extinction. We want to share an example of how we think of donor relations more as making new friends.
Shannon got the following response from a new donor.
The Why
The penguins and especially the Africans mean a lot to me. I don’t know if you know that situation where you need a compensation for all the trouble happening in your life and need to focus on the really important things and not what your managers mean is important for you. In my next life I would become a veterinarian instead of an IT girl. I did remember how much I love penguins and it breaks my heart to read about African penguins.
When I saw that you have a sponsor who is doubling my donating it was clear to focus on donations in January. Although for me it’s not 100% sure how you are able to support South Africa from Texas. I hope I’m able to make another donation before the end of the month.
How are we able to support South Africa from Texas? That’s a fair question.
Our response:
I can sure relate to you. I would have worked with animals rather than becoming an accountant. In fact, I was doing accounting for non-profits and was frustrated that I was so far removed from the actual work non-profits were doing. My husband and I wanted to make more of a difference and protecting a critically endangered species is important. That’s just one of the reasons I’m so happy Kruger (who is, like you, an IT person), who is from South Africa, and I, were able to start our non-profit.
The critical endangerment of the African penguins breaks our hearts, too. We can help South Africa even though we are in Texas because we personally know our partners in South Africa and are in regular contact with them. We know what the penguins need in real-time.
For example, when the winter storms hit Cape Town last year, a partner contacted us and we funded the rescue and rehabilitation of 15 African penguin chicks. All 15 survived. We also pay the salary of the ranger who lives on the Dyer Island African penguin colony and provides 24/7 protection for the colony.
Thank you again for supporting the African penguins. Each donation goes directly to help them. It helps us to know that you care about the African penguins as much as we do.
Our new friend’s response:
Thank you very much, Shannon, for your detailed explanation and for taking the time. Now I know that I’m supporting the right ones.
Note: This conversation is from a LinkedIn chat. Since it was a personal chat, we’re not revealing our new friend’s name.