Salsa Lessons

At Crazy Jose's Mexican restaurant recently, a friend and I did a fine job of scarfing down respectable portions of our meals. But the gut-busting CJ's Special — two cheese enchiladas, a tamale, beef taco, bean chalupa, chile con queso, chips and guacamole served with Spanish rice and refried beans — was a bit much for either of us. So we wound up requesting doggie bags.

When we requested tiny containers to accommodate the yummy salsa that came along with fresh-made chips as a complimentary appetizer, our waitress said, "Oh, sorry, we don't have those. But I can get you an extra order of salsa. Would you like a pint or a half pint?"

I hadn't planned on buying a container of the salsa, but it was undeniably good, and I had to credit the girl for her smooth upsell. We agreed to a half-pint container and bag of chips each. When I paid the bill, I noticed that the chips and salsa weren't on it — and I mentioned it to the waitress. She just beamed and said, "They're free with the meal. You coulda got refills all day. Why would we charge you to take some home?"

I was dumbfounded. City living and eating in restaurants where pre-dinner breads are served individually and on request have left me unprepared for a dose of small-town generosity. I thanked her and explained how unexpected the freebies were. Her face lit up, and she said with a giggle, "I LOVE doing that. It makes people so happy."

It was a little thing, and it certainly made me happy — more so for the gesture than for the actual food. And I couldn't help but notice how happy it made her. She genuinely enjoyed giving away those chips and salsa, bringing smiles to customers' faces, being a little bit of a bright spot in an otherwise ordinary day.

That's the nature of giving. We hear more and more in the nonprofit world that donors like to give. They want to give. They want to make a difference. And once you realize that and treat them accordingly, your fundraising efforts will be more successful and your job will be more fulfilling than you can imagine.

If, as a fundraiser, you feel that giving is a burden and that asking people to give is an intrusion, you're doing a disservice to your organization, to your cause, to your donors. And to yourself, because you're robbing yourself of the joy that is the happy by-product of what you do.

I've said it before, but it was Tim Burgess, co-founder of The Domain Group and current Seattle city councilman, who taught me that lesson not long after we launched FundRaising Success in 2003. And lest I (or any of you) forget, FS columnist Jeff Brooks might have mentioned it a time or two. Faith-based organizations have known it forever. Giving is a blessing that spreads joy to the recipient of the gift, the giver of the gift and the intermediary who facilitated the gift. That's you. If you don't get that, you need to figure it out. It will infuse your work with a whole new gladness and complete the circle of blessings that is giving.