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There are times in life when stopping to turn ourselves inside out is illuminating and insight-producing. Such is the moment at hand…
Each Spring we produce an Annual Report for you, and we undertake this service as we do all of our other work – with gratitude, humility, and generosity of heart. In the organizational sector, annual reporting offers a kind of sacred opportunity: it is our chance to account to you, and to hold ourselves to account, financially and programmatically. However, this juncture also offers an opportunity to introduce ourselves to you a little differently, from the inside out. So I want to seize this moment to be reflective about who we are, and to share with you some of the people at the heart of A Network for Grateful Living…
Who We Are
Br. David Steindl-Rast
We are Brother David Steindl-Rast—laughing, writing, teaching, inspiring, traveling, and celebrating life at almost 92 years old. Br. David is our co-founder, and while less “hands-on” than he used to be, he is still involved and his spiritual teachings about the gifts, and benefits to the world, of living life gratefully are our core inspiration and an invitation to happiness for many thousands of people around the world.
We are Kristi, Saoirse, Katie, Jeseph, and Rose (and until very recently, Margaret)–five Gratefulness Staff Team members who dedicate ourselves fully to this work of our hearts, though most of us part-time. We live in different states and work together online – collaboratively, respectfully, and with great appreciation. We love what we do, endeavor to practice what we teach, and gratefully receive abundant gifts from this work and our community every day.
As ambassadors for the work, we aim to keep the organization, and ourselves, growing and focused on the bold vision and important gifts grateful living holds for the world.
From L to R: Pear Urushima, Mary Kostel, Kristi Nelson, Michael Barton, Chuck Roppel, Adetola Abiade
We are twelve active and very committed Board Team members, diverse across a wide and wonderful swath of skills, as well as demographic and “psychographic” characteristics. This makes for rich conversations and considerations in our leadership and governance. As ambassadors for the work, we aim to keep the organization, and ourselves, growing and focused on the bold vision and important gifts grateful living holds for the world.
We are a global network of International Partners who are bringing Gratefulness to life online and in communities from Argentina to Germany, and Holland to China. We work together with more groups forming around the world every year.
We are an Online Community of countless thousands. Almost 900,000 people visited our website last year, most of them many times. Between 5,000 and 10,000 people come to our website every day, many daily. We email Word for the Day to over 50,000 people, and our social media community now numbers over 200,000 subscribers. And last year, we received almost 5,000 donations, averaging $38 each, from supporters. That is a lot of global, grateful connection, healing, inspiration, generosity, and transformation taking place, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Of course, we are also an ever-enriched abundance of offerings to nourish a grateful life: Blogs and Stories, Articles, Videos, Candles, eCards, eCourses, Poems, Areas of Interest, Practices, Gratitude Lounge, Br. David Archives, and much, much more…but our content is not the focus in this moment. This accounting is about people, and our community. Because WE ARE YOU, and we are here for you.
This WORDLE reflects words from some of the comments we received in 2017
“Your messages reflect the wisdom and uplifting qualities of a deep, life-transforming and sustaining spirituality…that can heal our world.” Bob, NM, USA
Seeking Invested Partners
Kristi Nelson, Executive Director
Very few things humble me, and make me proud, more than leading a nonprofit organization with huge-hearted people; a bold, relevant vision and mission; meaningful values; and far-reaching, transformative impact…combined with an extremely conscientious annual budget. We offer so much to the world and make a difference every day, our overhead is low, and we are mindful stewards of the dollars that come through our virtual doors. This means we are an excellent philanthropic investment for anyone who shares our values and supports our mission.
We treasure every single donation that comes our way, and we believe that a major gift is any gift that comes with intention and care. Gratefulness.org only exists because of thousands of people like you who have given their hearts, and resources, to keep the doors of our sanctuary open to the world. We rely on generosity, and are moved every day by the love and support we receive. Thank you.
Sharing the truth with one another matters; our strengths, gifts, and our needs.
We also want to be sure that A Network for Grateful Living is known as an excellent cause in which to invest more “significant” gifts; those larger donations that can add to, and leverage, the grassroots base of support we readily enjoy. Larger gifts make a big difference, allowing us to focus more on our offerings and less on our asking, and go a long way in helping us:
- Grow our community engagement, impact, and reach,
- Bring our ambitious strategic initiatives and vision to fruition,
- Focus on and expand our programmatic offerings,
- Strengthen our infrastructure to meet the needs of our community, and
- Shepherd the work of Gratefulness into its next, needed, iteration.
If you, or someone you know, has the resource-capacity to consider making a gift or grant of $1,000 or more, please find a worthy, welcoming home here! If you are interested in learning more, I would be happy to hear from you at kristi@gratefulness.org. Or you can make a one-time or monthly gift now, HERE.
Sharing the truth with one another matters; our strengths, gifts, and our needs. Thank you for being a part of our community, for your engagement in what we do, and for our shared, ongoing practice of living gratefully…together.
In grateful service,
Kristi Nelson
Executive Director
Click on image above to view Annual Report
Dear Kristi and friends,
I love a Network for Grateful Living, and I am so grateful for your presence in my life. This “Who We Are” is a beautiful piece. As someone who has spent a number of years in non-profit administration, I have such an appreciation not only for the work that you all do, but the way in which you are doing it: your simple yet profound organizational mission and vision and how you share that with the world, your leadership,Kristi, as ED, your fundraising approaches, and your beautiful open and grateful hearts. I also love your website and social media presence. Sites, posts, and emails are easy to read and navigate and beautiful to look at. Lots of white space…that’s what I love in graphics!
I wish I were a gazillionaire to fund an endowment (?!), but I will certainly continue to contribute as I am able.
Btw, I am enjoying the Gratefulness in the classroom eCourse.
Thank you for all you do. Sending love and light.