Donor Spotlight: Kathy Donovan
October 22, 2018
This month, we would like to honor a special donor of ours, Kathy Donovan. Her generous donations to our organization are greatly appreciated by each and every one of us at Wisconsin Microfinance, so we are thrilled to share a little bit about her with our community!
Growing up, Kathy was lucky enough to be raised by parents who blessed her with the example of generosity and nobility towards those less privileged than themselves. This allowed her to then see this attitude as a Way of Life, rather than just a philosophy. Nowadays, Kathy continues this Way of Life by working in Healthcare Administration in the Milwaukee area, and having a special interest in non-profit agencies. She is now semi- retired but nevertheless participates in community activities and writes grants on her own time. Some of her favorite activities include sailing, swimming, reading and traveling. Moving forward, she hopes to continue to support the underserved in the Milwaukee Latino Community, where she has been serving and working for 15 years!
Kathy has supported the idea of Microfinance since the moment she heard about it. She first heard about our organization while attending a non-profit fundraiser. After a small amount of online research, she immediately knew it was something she wanted to be apart of. Kathy explained how the philosophy of providing loans gives the people of Haiti and the Philippines the opportunity to obtain assistance while maintaining their dignity and learning how to achieve some financial stability for themselves and their families”. She notes that this concept, along with our focus on making loans to women was what truly drew her to Wisconsin Microfinance as a whole.
“The fiscal responsibility of the leadership, with 90% of donations being used for loans, instills confidence in the lenders, knowing the funds arrive in the hands of the individuals who really need them.” –Donovan
We love hearing about why our donors initially got involved in our organization, but also are extremely interested in what makes them keep coming back. What is it that drives them to donate on a regular basis, what sets us apart?
Kathy detailed how global news allows us to see in real time, our planet’s crises as they occur, though it doesn’t provide us immediate platforms to become involved. She described how helpless she has felt in moments such as this, and states that Wisconsin Microfinance provides the avenue to help in a convenient, conscientious, and compassionate manner.
She urges those hesitant to donate to “make an effort to provide this information to friends who want to be part of the solution”.
Personally, I think the most important and inspiring piece of Kathy’s message is this, “Everyone involved receives great benefits; some in the form of a loan, and for others it is a warm sense of satisfaction”.
So thank you Kathy for always giving, for motivating those around you to give, and for sharing your compassionate Way of Life with the world.
