My apologies dear readers as I have been remiss in posting here. I have been working these last few months to revamp the 1000 Cranes website which I hope will launch in the coming weeks. As stated in my previous post this New Year's Day, the focus moving forward of the blog and the company will be on Sustainable Strategic Planning where in addition to financial impacts and returns, consideration is given and action plans created for Social Impact, Community Development and Environmental Conservation, key areas that are integral to the strategic planning process.
I have been particularly busy these last few days with a special field trip with 32 students to the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) site in Durham last Thurdsay. Clearly TROSA is a leader in the Social Enterprise realm where nonprofits are creating for-profit entities to create earned income revenue to help the nonprofit organization. The students were thrilled to be able to see first hand the testimonies from residents with the TROSA moving company and a particularly moving testimony from a frameshop worker. The students had a special treat with a Q&A session at the end with President and CEO, Kevin MacDonald. In fact, although the buses were ready to take the students back at 4:00pm, many of them stayed in order to savor the dialog and entertaining wit of Kevin. I am blessed that after running this tour twice in association with the Duke Certificate in Nonprofit Management, it has opened the minds of many students to consider not only the social impacts their respective nonprofits create but also the financial returns that are required to help nonprofits become sustainable and thrive.
That tour to TROSA was on Thursday, March 10th and the events that have unfolded in Japan since Friday, March 11th have kept me personally occupied as I have family members from my mom's side living in Japan. Needless to say, it's been humbling seeing the wrath of nature and how despite all the best contingency plans, a crisis of this nature can derail the best intentions.
One clear shining light in all of this has been the resilience and calm the Japanese people have displayed in one of the worst disasters of our lifetime. I am grateful that my personal family members are out of harms way and are safe, but this event has given me pause to reflect upon how easily our lives can change in a moment.
As such, it inspired me to post this blog as I have appreciated the support many have given to 1000 Cranes over the years. Knowing that things can change at any moment, let me take this time to thank many of you for your continued support. Stay tuned for new changes in the website and blog as I owe it to you to keep you apprised of the new trends taking place in Sustainable Strategic Planning. Many thanks for your patience and support!
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