Successful Friends organizations consider community connections important to their success. Friends invite community members to events at the refuge or hatchery, participate in community expos and fairs, promote their site and organization in social media posts, and send newsletters—both via email and the US mail—to keep supporters informed. Of course, Friends expect results when they send out fundraising pleas, but otherwise Friends may wonder whether these other outreach activities are worth the effort involved. Sometimes, though, the benefits of those extra efforts become wonderfully clear.
The fall 2022 edition of The Link, the e-newsletter published for Friends by CORFA and the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), featured a story about the Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Portland, OR. This story highlighted the relationship that has developed with the Tualatin Friends, the refuge, and Greenway Elementary, a nearby Title 1 school. What began as a way to supply nature-related educational materials to an underserved school has blossomed into a full-scale, in-depth environmental education program. The story included highlights and photos about the “Change Maker” projects in which students learn what they can do personally to advocate for the environment.
Several weeks after the story appeared, the Friends were contacted by a woman who lives in Seattle. Each year she and her sister help their mother select two nonprofits to receive a $2,500 grant. She stated that she had read in The Link article about the work the Friends do with Greenway School and asked for additional information about the program, as well as a list of other projects that they could assist with financially. Her family really connected with the idea of encouraging the next generation to be advocates for conservation and selected the Tualatin Friends to be the recipients of one of this year’s grants.
The e-news article connected the Tualatin Friends with this family—the connection may never have happened otherwise. Now the grant will make a difference in the lives of the Greenway students, plus it is truly a feel-good moment for all of the Friends!
Sounds like including outreach activities in your Friends New Year’s resolutions would be a good – and profitable – idea!
For examples of other educational programs conducted by Friends check out the 2022 fall edition of The Link.
Article by Sue Hix, Friends of Sherburne NWR