After the New Year was my busiest time, I had a weekly meeting with the 7 other ED’s of Agencies in the area ,We called ourselves the magnificent 7.LOL The purpose of a weekly meeting was to share what each Agency was doing and how we could effectively collaborate to ensure that there were no overlap of service. The rationale for this was funding was limited and we all wanted to maximize the monies we had!
We usually did it over lunch because we were all so busy it was the best time to meet. The Boys & Girls Club and I were working on an after school program.They had gotten a donation of 10 new computers and we wanted to introduce the kids to doing school work on the computer ,number 1 rule homework first and then playtime ,it was working out well and we actually saw at risk youth progress go from trouble makers to making good grades,A small step but one that was working. The next matter of business was how we would keep it running and add more programming.
At that time the United Way had their grant proposals coming out so we all were plotting and planning on what our programs would be for the next round of funds.We had a short discussion and everyone hurried back to their prospective offices to make sure all was well.
I got in my car for the short drive to my office my mind set on the hard work I knew was ahead of me.I received monies from 3 different areas in the United way so I needed stats and outcomes that related to the funds I would request. This was a good 3 week project where I stayed locked in my office , depending on my staff to run the day to day while I wrote the proposals . Thank heavens my computer case management program produced the reports i needed but the narrative still had to be written and it was imperative the programs met the requirements that the United Way wanted a proposal with a mission statement and an outcome directly related to the funding, Sounds easy but believe me ,it is not and I had 13 other programs I had to oversee at the same time. The price of being the ED.
My staff knew the drill and I began the undertaking of coming up with something that demonstrated through case management services I could move someone from homeless to self-sufficiency in 11 months. Prior to this and under my direction this was unheard of and I wanted to knock the socks off the United way,Smo after much though and long before utube and commercials on television I decided to film a few success stories.
I warned staff tomorrow was going to be a long day and ask each case manager to select 3 case studies that demonstrates movement to self-sufficiency and have them on my desk I gave then 3 days. They looked at me like i was a mental case or had burned out but said “ok Boss”
By now we were close to closing time I sat in my office watching my team leave one by one some practically running out the door trying to figure out what I was planning???
All the way home my mind was racing. How could I make us stand out above all my competitors. And it hit me like a ton of bricks Video I chuckled to myself and went home and charged up the video camera my plan running through my head like a stream overflowing the local river. Another day in paradise!