Say What You Mean — In More Ways Than One

Brokaw’s letter also includes an ask, testimonials from SmartMoney magazine and references to the organization’s accountability (“That’s because 90 cents of every dollar the IRC spends goes directly to helping refugees and others in desperate need), and a reference to IRC’s Charity Navigator rating. But it’s the personal connection of this celebrity signatory that’s the most potent aspect of the letter. As Brokaw ends, “I am not writing to ask you to support an organization with which I have a passing familiarity. I am urging you to join me in helping sustain the work of a group to which I am deeply committed.” What’s more, the 3.5-inch-by-8.5-inch cream-colored reply device is labeled “Personal Reply to Tom Brokaw.”