Elks National Foundation Blog

by Nathan Kriha Donor Services Coordinator One of the most consistent passions in my life has been a love for nonprofits—especially ones that focus on education and the development of impoverished communities. This love can be traced all the way back to my high school days when my mother (quite forcibly) suggested I teach a kindergarten religious education course with her. After my introductory class, I thought that this decision would easily be one  of the biggest regrets of my life: The children would scream, cry, launch their crayons into space, tear up their books, and cry a little more. While I was initially stunned by this preliminary lesson, I witnessed my mother corral these angsty students and gradually create a heartwarming and quite soothing environment. At this moment I realized the true influence that a teacher can have on their students, and I became captivated with the study of successful teaching methods. This interest persisted into my coursework at the U

by Taylor Odisho Communications Coordinator This may come as a shock to no one, but starting and running a nonprofit is not easy. Every initiative must be calculated; every mailing needs a purpose; and every volunteer and staff member should overflow with passion for the cause, or it just won’t work. Luckily, since I started working at the Elks National Foundation a year ago, I’ve noticed that last part comes pretty easily.  Recently, I had the privilege to attend a week-long fundraising course taught by two experts in the field—Jeri Pat Gabbert and Tim Seiler from Indiana University. They were engaging and provided fruitful information that seemed applicable to everyone in the class, from the students who worked for established nonprofits like the Salvation Army to one-person fundraising teams there to learn the basics.  The biggest lesson I took away from the course—aside from understanding the fundamentals of fundraising—is that the ENF is a well-oiled nonprofit machine. Thi