(L-R) NYSARC President John A. Schuppenhauer, Esq., NYSARC Executive Director Marc Brandt, NYRA CEO Jeff Wise

At the invitation of the Governor’s Office and James Introne, the Governor’s Secretary for Human Services, NYSARC President John Schuppenhauer, Esq. and Executive Director Marc Brandt appeared before the press to weigh in on behalf of the Governor’s initiative to control excessive executive compensation.  Jeff Wise, NYRA’s CEO, also joined NYSARC’s executive director and president.

Also fielding questions were the Secretary to the Governor, Larry Schwartz; the Governor’s Special Counsel for Integrity and Ethics Reform, Jeremy Creelan; and, the Governor’s liason to nonprofit agencies, Fran Barrett.

About 30 members of the press attended the conference which was held in the Blue Room of the State Capitol.  Jim Introne and Commissioner Burke also looked on.

The regulations are a result of Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order #38.  They will be sent to the State Register today and the Governor’s Office expects them to be published on May 30th.  The regulations will prohibit the use of more than $199,000 to fund executive compensation.  That cap, however, will be subject to certain additional requirements.  A waiver process for amounts in excess will be instituted as part of the process.

To view a complete copy of the regulations to be submitted see

Copy of Complete Proposed Regulations: Executive Compensation Regulations (.pdf)

Questions from the press covered a wide range of topics including the regulations themselves, the number of agencies impacted, how existing salaries exceeding the cap will be treated, and the potential reporting burden to agencies of the new requirements.

The Governor’s top staff were very positive about the role played by the nonprofit sector.  Larry Schwartz, Secretary to the Governor, said that this was about a very few “bad apples.”

Prior to questions from the press, Marc and Jack gave brief remarks:

Remarks by NYSARC President and Executive Director at Press Conference

• Statement from Marc Brandt (.doc)

• Statement from Jack Schuppenhauer (.doc)

“Advocate for the developmentally disabled Michael Carey blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to overhaul how abuse at group homes managed or licensed by the state, saying it provides for too many loopholes and was put together by an official who helped hide crimes.

Carey’s son Jonathon died under state supervised care and has since become a well-known and familiar sight at the Capitol. He is also not easily dismissed, partly thanks to the deeply tragic story of his son, knowledge of the issues and his ability to garner press attention.”

Read the full story: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/05/carey-blasts-justice-center-legislation/

Help NYSARC, Inc. reach more family members and members of the public with our flagship e-newsletter, Our Voice Today. Every new subscriber between May 14, 2012 and July 31, 2012 will be automatically entered into a drawing for one (1) Kindle Fire, generously provided by Bailey, Haskell, and LaLonde (BHL).

Click here to sign up for Our Voice Today now!

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Promotion made possible by the support of Bailey, Haskell, and LaLonde (BHL)

*Contest Details: No purchase necessary; contest limited to residents of the U.S. ages 18 and over; void where prohibited.  Eligible new subscribers to Our Voice Today between Tuesday, May 14, 2012 and July 31, 2012 will be automatically entered. Entries must be received by 11:59 pm EST on July 31, 2012 to be entered. The drawing for one (1) winner will be conducted on August 1st and the winner will be notified by email.

Download the 2012 Nomination Form Now

New for 2012: In recognition of the changing newspaper industry, NYSARC has expanded eligibility for the Media Awards to news media websites and blogs.

Nominations are due by Friday, July 27, 2012

Questions regarding the Media Awards should be directed to Susan Brandt, Assistant Executive Director for Public Information and Special Projects.

John Trumbull - George Washington before the Battle of Trenton 1792

A one-eyed, 74 year-old man sits at a dinner table with a glass of wine, a flickering candle, a loaf of bread, and a friendly visitor.  It is a very cold winter evening in 1830 and the Revolutionary War, which bred the Declaration of Independence more than 50 years prior to this day, continues to be fresh in the minds of those who fought those bloody battles.

This evening in New Haven, Connecticut, a revolutionary fundraising method is about to be created by one of those veterans.

Shall I continue?  Don’t you want to know who these people are and what the revolutionary fundraising method is that I’m talking about?

I’ll tell you later, but first I want to talk with you about how Effective Storytelling is integral to your fundraising program.

When you tell a story about a real person and their struggles and eventual success (or failure) and lessons learned, that story helps model behavior.  For example, suppose you tell a true story in your annual report about how one of your donors gave $100 every year to your organization and then, upon her death, she left your organization as the sole beneficiary of her estate.  You go on to tell HER story—bring her to life and tell about her experiences with a child who had developmental disabilities, and details about her love of your mission.

At the end of this moving story, you’ll tell your audience how they can support your organization with a bequest, and you’ll give them the language so that they can use that information to write it into their will.

Believe it or not, you WILL eventually have people who have read the true story make a bequest to your organization.  You’ve paved the way for them.  You’ve shown them how.

That is just one example.  There are all kinds of stories to tell.  Donors want to know these things about your organization:

• Where the money comes from
  Talk about your top donors, and even your smallest donor.  Once, when I worked for a healthcare organization, I wrote about a 9-year old girl who had raised money for our organization by asking her friends to give her a donation to our cause instead of birthday presents (she had nearly died of the disease we were raising money for).  She raised $850 that way—and her story touched many people, who sent in donations in honor of their friends’ birthdays.
• Where the money goes
  People who invest in your organization need stories about how the money they give is spent.  Tell them about just ONE of the lives that their gift affects.  Write about one of your clients and one of the best days they’ve had at your agency.  What was going on?  Who was there?  What was the day like? Add color and feeling to the story and make it real for the reader.
• Why people give
  Testimonials from real people are priceless. When working for the Boston Symphony Orchestra I created a way to market our charitable gift annuities through the Program we printed for each concert.  I would tell the story of one of the donors, and why they loved music—what it meant to them.  This would always be accompanied with their photo, and a brief explanation of a charitable gift annuity.  I was so surprised one day when a prospective donor called me and invited me to his home to talk about doing what they had read about.  My conversation with him and his wife not only led to a large gift for the organization, I was able to tell his story, too!

There are so many ways to tell these stories:

• Audio—you can embed audio clips from your donors on social media and on your website with an explanation from you.  You can also embed donor’s audio into your PowerPoint presentations.
• Video—it’s so easy to take a video these days with your iPhone!  And that video can be shared through e-mail, social media, and your website.  Just think of the fun you can share about highlights of a fun-raising event you’ve just had!
• Visual tools—of course, a person’s artwork is always fun to share—you never know who might strongly connect with your cause when you tell a story that someone has illustrated.
• Annual report, brochures, “cool” Annual Fund letters—these instruments are tools for storytelling.  The charts and graphs and explanations should be only a small part of your Annual Report.  Of course you need to show the balance sheets—but the story behind the balance sheets is what your donors need to hear.  It is the people that help the Annual Report or Annual Fund Letters or Fundraising Brochures come to life (interested in receiving a copy of NYSARC’s 2011 Annual Report? Contact us today)

As our society turns to technology for so much of our day-to-day life, our souls long for the personal touch of humanity.  Your people stories nourish that longing and promote the compassionate care that is your mission.

Oh! Here’s more about the dinner on that cold winter’s night in 1830:

After the third glass of wine, John Trumbull, famous American painter, turns to his guest, and says, “what’s an old blind man like me to do?  My students don’t like me anymore and my paintings aren’t selling.  You’re connected at Yale.  I’d like to give them most of my paintings, to keep, and get an annuity for the rest of my life.  That way, no matter what my infirmities I’ll have an income and won’t have to worry about the money.”

Mr. Trumbull’s guest was his niece’s husband, who did have sway as a tenured professor at Yale.  It took another 18 months to work out the details, and John Trumbull created the first Charitable Gift Annuity in the world for $1,000/year.  He was 74 years old and lived for 13 more years.  Yale University still owns some of John Trumbull’s most famous paintings, including this one above of General George Washington.

Today, Charitable Gift Annuities are the second-most prevalent planned gift that donors give—after bequests. Nearly every nonprofit in America with assets greater than $10 million has set up a Charitable Gift Annuity program.  In NYSARC’s case, any donor can create a Charitable Gift Annuity and the Chapter is the beneficiary of 90% of that gift, with NYSARC receiving 10% and doing all of the administration and investing of the gift (learn more about NYSARC’s Charitable Gift Annuity program here: http://www.nysarc.org/get-involved/giving-and-getting/).

Judi Taylor Cantor, NYSARC Development Consultant

Judi Taylor Cantor, CFRE | Contact Judi
NYSARC Development Consultant

Judi Cantor is NYSARC’s Development Consultant, providing consulting services to the Corporate Office and NYSARC’s 55 Chapters. With more than 25 years of fundraising experience and having brought in more than $100 million, Judi understands what’s required to build a successful development program. Judi’s primary development philosophy is creating a mutually-beneficial program, benefiting both the organization and donors.

“Some of us may have thought we’d be gliding toward the end of this year’s legislative session, set for June 21, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo just disabused the legislature and press corps of that notion, saying his priority for the next seven weeks would be to enact a sweeping set of reforms to better protect disabled people who are under state care or are served by non profit groups licensed by the state.

“This is going to be a major undertaking for the entire Administration…This is going to be difficult to get done. We only have a short time left in the session,” Cuomo said during a press availability at one of his periodic cabinet meetings in the Capitol’s Red Room.

In addition to creating a new protective agency to investigate prosecute and record instances of abuse and neglect, the governor wants sweeping laws that make it easier to fire the minority of people who abuse or neglect those in their care. He also wants to rationalize the crazy quilt of standards, laws and guidelines for care of the disabled and vulnerable.”

Read the full article

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo after announcing legislation Monday to create a state agency that would fight abuse of disabled patients.

“With just seven weeks to go in the legislative session, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Monday that he was determined to win passage of legislation overhauling the state’s response to the abuse and neglect of vulnerable residents.

There was reason for him to be both optimistic and cautious. The Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, and the Senate majority leader, Dean G. Skelos, a Republican, appeared alongside the governor at a news conference when he unveiled the new proposals and had nice things to say about him and his ideas. But neither lawmaker endorsed the specifics.

Labor unions, the largest potential stumbling block to legislation that could lead to discipline of public workers, did not attack his proposals in their initial statements, suggesting they might be open to a dialogue.”

Read the rest of the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/nyregion/signs-of-support-as-cuomo-outlines-plan-on-disabled-abuse.html

NY Times Also Publishes Editorial, “Monitoring Care for the Disabled”

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo has finally come up with a comprehensive plan to monitor thousands of New York’s private and public facilities. The legislative package he released this week would create a new agency to oversee homes for about a million people who are disabled or mentally ill. It is a sensible, straightforward proposal that legislators and unions should support.”

Read the full editorial: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/opinion/monitoring-care-for-the-disabled.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Brett Anson and the Anson Family (from our Oneida-Lewis Counties Chapter) with Governor Cuomo

The Justice Center is the centerpiece of the Governor’s sweeping initiative to overhaul the State’s systems for curbing and controlling abuse of vulnerable persons.

http://www.governor.ny.gov/Justice4SpecialNeeds/home

Click the link above.  To get to the Center for Justice site, you’ll need to cancel “Get Involved” and the Center for Justice site will open.

“Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled new legislation to establish the strongest standards and practices in the nation for protecting people with special needs and disabilities. Governor Cuomo’s legislation will create a new Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs, an initiative that will transform how the state protects over one million New Yorkers in State operated, certified or licensed facilities and programs.

The Justice Center will have a Special Prosecutor and Inspector General for the Protection of People with Special Needs who will investigate reports of abuse and neglect and prosecute allegations that rise to the level of criminal offenses. It will also include a 24/7 hotline run by trained professionals, a comprehensive statewide database that will track all reports of abuse and neglect and a statewide register of workers who have committed serious acts of abuse who will be prohibited from ever working with people with disabilities or special needs.

‘This is about safeguarding the civil rights of the more than one million New Yorkers with disabilities and special needs who for too long have not had the protections and justice they deserve,’ Governor Cuomo said. ‘The creation of a Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs will give New York State the strongest standards and practices in the country for protecting those who are often the most vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment. I urge the Legislature to speedily pass this bill and give people with special needs and disabilities a new level of protection and service in our state.’”

Read the full press release:
http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/05072012-First-to-protect-special-needs

“Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, seeking to strengthen the state’s chronically weak response to abuse of disabled people who live in publicly financed homes, plans this week to propose creating an agency dedicated to investigating problems with the care of nearly one million vulnerable New Yorkers.

The new law enforcement and oversight agency would monitor those in state or private care who have developmental disabilities like autism or cerebral palsy, mental illnesses including schizophrenia, and other conditions, among them traumatic brain injuries, that put them at risk. The agency would employ a special prosecutor and would be granted subpoena power and the authority to convene grand juries, according to a draft plan obtained by The New York Times.”

Read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/07/nyregion/governor-to-propose-new-agency-to-fight-abuse-of-disabled.html?_r=1