Strength in numbers: Please spread the word!

Odyssey members Juan, Carmen, and Luis smiling

UW Odyssey Project Co-director Emily Auerbach likes to quote Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”

Emily knows that as a small program, Odyssey depends on the strength of its numbers — the hundreds of grassroots supporters who may not be able to write a large check themselves but tell others about Odyssey’s life-changing impact.

Emily shares,

“We’ve had the serendipitous good fortune of building from one small contact to large donations that provide vital aid to our Odyssey families in need. One phone call to thank a donor led to an invitation for me to speak to a Kiwanis Club. A Kiwanis member in the audience told us about the Madison Club charity gala, with applications due just four days later. From that gala, we not only created a powerful Odyssey film and raised $200,000 but also gained new donors who helped us seed our endowment. Think what might happen if everyone reading this e-newsletter helped us spread the word!”

Email Jenny Pressman, director of development and community partnerships, at jenny.pressman@wisc.edu with your ideas for increasing our grants and individual and corporate donations. And please forward this e-newsletter to 10 people you know!