Internship: Case Statement

Korrin B.

August 7, 2010 - 11:05 PM

A week or two ago, I got the chance to write an article for The Carter Center on two twins who recently passed away and left money to fund a scholarship for female interns. The article became quite popular amongst staff, even getting mentioned at the Development All Staff meeting by the Vice President of Operations. In response to my article, I was loaned out by my supervisor to help the Chief Development Officer for Planned Giving with a writing assignment. I was excited to have this opportunity, as I love to write and saw this project as an opportunity to more aptly apply some of my skills to the internship position.

The Carter Center is currently trying to encourage giving to its endowment, so that it will have a solid source of funding to move into the future with. In response to this effort, they are currently designing a booklet to be given out to donors and friends of The Carter Center that works as a way to convince more people into giving to the endowment. It is called a case statement, as it is making a case for why someone would want to give to the endowment. My part of this booklet was to write about a two-page introduction to the case statement, something to lure in the reader and convince them that this is a viable option that is worth their time and consideration. The case statement is going to be called, "Inspiration, Insurance, Independence, Investment," and will carry that theme throughout the booklet.

I wrote a couple of drafts for the introduction and then came up with what I am pasting below. The following has been approved by the Chief Development Officer and has now been sent on to the Vice President of Operations to see if he thinks it would work well in the case statement. If it does get used, it will be published into a glossy, color booklet that will be distributed to many people, which I happen to find incredibly cool. The piece I wrote for the case statement is as follows:

Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope. With six simple words, The Carter Center has been able to make an impact on millions of lives throughout the world.

In 1976, President Carter titled his first book "Why Not the Best?" and for the past 28 years, The Carter Center has been asking that same question, while working tirelessly to advance human rights and end unnecessary human suffering. Through its effective use of resources and pool of talented staff, The Carter Center shows that true results do not come from cutting corners, but from giving the absolute best the organization can to the nations, communities, and individuals it serves.

With assistance from The Carter Center, several nations have been able to take strides towards peace. The Carter Center has monitored more than 77 elections throughout the world in order to ensure free and fair democratic processes that can truly echo the voice of the people. In many cases, these types of elections were a first for the countries. This is not an easy task, as differences in cultures and political beliefs can quickly lead to tension. However, the challenges never push The Carter Center away from its work. It continues to give its best and stand as a strong proponent for human rights, waging peace one village election at a time.

In the fight to improve worldwide health, The Carter Center tackles some of the world's most ignored illnesses, focusing on six Neglected Tropical Diseases and mental health. The Carter Center goes into the most rural villages in Sub-Saharan Africa to offer new light to dire health problems. It works for our world's poorest and most forgotten people. When The Carter Center started its work with Guinea Worm in 1986, there were about 3.5 million cases worldwide. Today, less than 3,000 men, women, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones suffer from the inhumane pain of this disease. The Carter Center never gives up on improving health, no matter how daunting some situations may appear. Instead, it puts its honest belief in the people it serves and combines education with professional expertise to continue the fight against disease.

Although The Carter Center will forever stand strong in its mission to wage peace and fight disease, it seeks additional support to fulfill the six words that have gotten it to its position today at the forefront of international health and peace programs. The Carter Center relies on individual partners to have the resources to build hope in the hearts of the "invisible," to build hope in the minds of future generations to come.

President and Mrs. Carter dared to ask the question, "Why not the best?" and because of this, they have been able to see their vision and dream come into fruition through The Carter Center. It is now up to us to provide the resources needed to move seamlessly into the future, never sacrificing the best work we can do for our world.

When one of the remaining villages with Guinea Worm needs more nylon pipe filters in order to end the cycle of the Guinea Worm disease, we want to make sure that we can send as many filters as are needed. When a town needs more staff to monitor and secure fair and honest elections, we want to be able to send that extra staff. From extra bed nets to increased staff training, The Carter Center wants to be able to answer the call and do its very best. We want to be able to thrive in the humanitarian work we do without the worry of being unable to afford that extra leap of hope.

Victims of River Blindness, Trachoma, Guinea Worm, Malaria, Schistosomiasis, and Lymphatic Filariasis are counting on us for relief. Individuals with mental illness are looking to us for understanding and an effort to end the stigma they must deal with every day. Communities everywhere are turning to us to help them create free and open societies through fair election processes. The Carter Center wants to respond to all of their wishes to the best of its ability, while continuing to find ways to help them even more. By enhancing the organization's endowment, we can make this all a reality. We can assure a better world in which to live.

Partners and friends of The Carter Center have already begun the creation of a critically needed endowment, accruing interest that will secure funding for our future work. Now is the chance to grow this endowment to the level at which it can take The Carter Center from a state of sustained operation to a thriving sea of endless potential. Now is the opportunity to create an endowment with the ability to respond quickly to the unforeseen challenges of the organization's work. Now is the time to provide the leverage needed to let The Carter Center truly flourish, truly give its absolute best.

The Carter Center endowment is a chance to set an example of the highest form of philanthropy for our children, grandchildren, and future generations to follow. We urge you to join our campaign. With your Inspiration, we can have the Insurance to maintain Independence in our work and create a true Investment in continuing to build hope worldwide. You can be a part of the six simple words that will change the lives of some of the most forgotten people in the world.