Interview: A Model (Citizen) Fundraising Partnership, Part 1

By providing these kits to the less fortunate, our ultimate goal is to increase the recipients’ overall confidence and belief in their fellow man, and self-esteem. The result is to give them a better chance to improve their lives in a way that they may not have had before. Personally, I believe that the moment you give a homeless person our backpack, it changes two lives forever. More often than not, the donor sees the look in the recipient’s eyes when being handed a backpack, and the emotions simultaneously overcome both parties. That kind of good will you can’t buy or script — it’s truly an unforgettable experience. I find the success of any nonprofit lies in the ability to benefit both the donor and charity’s beneficiary, and to date, Model Citizen has done just that.

FS: How did your partnership with the Karma Foundation form?
DF: I was originally introduced to Karma Foundation by one of their partners, Marvin Epstein. Through Marvin, I quickly learned what Karma was all about — successful entrepreneurs and executives who are a community of people looking to enhance their lives and their network, all while being able to benefit and support remarkable causes.