Donor Spotlight: Kristin Holman-Steffel and Mike Steffel
September 26, 2018
As the school year gets back into full swing, we excitedly bring back our Donor of the Month blog post! September is winding down, but we would love to take a moment to recognize two of our generous donors, Kristin and Mike.
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world” –Desmond Tutu
This line appears in the signature section of each of Kristin’s emails, and describes perfectly what she has contributed to our organization.
Kristin was first introduced to the Philippine Initiative, before it became Wisconsin Microfinance, through a friend and colleague, Paul Ohlrogge. She describes how his passionate words about the organization compelled her to conduct further research on our group.
Kristin and Mike believe that donating to others in need is important, and it is evident through both their words and their actions that the non-profits they choose to give to are near and dear to their hearts. They explain how they aim to give primarily to charities that support populations which empower women. Wisconsin Microfinance came to the top of their list as most of our loan applicants are women working to get back on their feet.
“One of the best ways to not only support communities but ensure that they become self-supporting is to empower families and especially women within these communities”
The two essential organizations Kristin and Mike give to each share this common goal and belief.
Another aspect of Wisconsin Microfinance that urged Kristin and Mike to donate is the idea that recipients of our loans are often left with no other options besides turning to resources such as us and taking full advantage of these opportunities. This idea both empowers recipients to work hard and teaches them about finances. Our organization lends money ethically, and Kristin and Mike feel assured that their money is being used for all the right reasons; hearing success stories is extremely rewarding for all of us!
Kristin and Mike left us with a few words of advice for individuals hesitant to donate their money to Wisconsin Microfinance. They describe how awesome it is to see their donation go directly to the communities in need. Since our organization has very minimal administrative costs, donations are able to go directly to the cause.
“Wisconsin Microfinance is an ethical program that is making a difference”
After interviewing this couple, it is very clear how the values they were taught growing up have come into play in their adult lives. We appreciate more than we can put into words the hard work they have put into finding organizations that they connect strongly with.
It is individuals such as these who truly overwhelm the world with good.
