Imagine seeing a mom with her two young children at the park. She’s kneeling down to zip up the purple jacket her daughter is wearing while her baby sits happily in a stroller beside her. It’s time to go, but the young girl clearly doesn’t want the fun to end. Mom promises a stop at the library for story time before they pick up big brother from school, and her little face lights up. With that, the mom and daughter wave to their friends at the swings and walk toward the car, pushing the stroller together. A morning at the park with the promise of more fun ahead. It’s perfect.
You would never know that this mother has very little food left in her pantry and has no idea how she’s going to feed her kids tonight. Why? Because first and foremost, she’s a person. She isn’t defined by her circumstances or her limitations.
So why wouldn’t you describe her as person first when telling her story?
Yes, the people our clients serve may have medical conditions or diseases that require cutting-edge treatment. They may have emotional or physical disabilities that prevent them from working and caring for themselves. They may be facing homelessness or have empty refrigerators.
But many of the people who come to our clients for life-changing support also have family, friends, and loved ones. They have dreams and plans. Family traditions and treasured memories. Hobbies that bring them joy when the day feels dark.
That’s where we find our connection, and that’s where you find your story.
Strength-based storytelling takes your donors beneath the surface of why someone is in need of assistance. It helps them understand who the beneficiary is and how donors contribute to helping that person move forward. To get there, your stories should show what makes us similar and offer ways in which your donors can relate.
As a senior copywriter at TrueSense Marketing, I often have the opportunity to interview neighbors who have come to a food bank for support. I try to start with a simple, open-ended, “Tell me about yourself.” Sometimes that alone offers a nugget that will make the person’s story resonate with donors. Other times, I need to dig deeper.
By asking someone what they enjoy doing, how they spend their day, or whether they have a favorite recipe, I might get closer. Maybe they have memories of making holiday dinners with their grandma, and they’re using the food they get from the food bank to make her recipes for Thanksgiving this year. Maybe they volunteer as a way to give back, or they’ve been foster parents to dozens of children over the years.
They may be working on building a brighter future, and your organization is giving them the support they need while they finish school or earn a professional certification. In that case, how do they see their lives changing during the next year? You could also consider:
Questions like those can produce details that elevate a story without drumming up pity. That’s why I don’t just ask what they’re struggling with. I don’t just focus on the problem that needs to be solved. I want to know how the support makes a difference for them and what it helps them to accomplish on their own.
With just a small shift in how we approach interviewing and writing, we can tell a neighbor’s story with greater dignity and strength. We can give donors a deeper connection to the people they’re helping and the causes that are closest to their hearts. When we do, we’ve not only treated our neighbors with respect, but we’ve also opened the door to understanding — and hopefully, more donor support for our organization.