 Welcome everybody to another episode of the non-profit show. You've joined us for a really interesting episode today. We're going to be talking to two rock stars from St. Vincent de Paul, and we're going to be talking to them about how they took a concept, a programming concept, and turned it into a phone app. So, I can't wait for this conversation. You know, this has been one of the big things that we really have been talking about and noticing, and I would say championing the digital component of working with our donors. And so this is going to be really, really fun. Jasmine Smalls and Marisol Saldo are joining us today, but before we get asking them a million questions, let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm Julia Patrick, CEO of the American Nonprofit Academy. Jared Ransom, my trusty sidekick, has the day off. We want to thank all of our presenting sponsors. Without them, we would not be here. Blumerang, American Nonprofit Academy. Your part-time controller. Be generous. Fundraising Academy at National University. Staffing boutique. Non-profit thought leader, and the non-profit nerd. We have now produced more than 700 episodes of the non-profit show. Ladies, I'll tell you a quick story. The very last appointment I had on that weekend that the pandemic came was at St. Vincent DePaul. And I think I was with you, Marisol. Maybe or somebody else, but I remember your CEO, Steve Zbilski, saw me in the hall and said, Hey, did you hear the government's asking everybody to shut down? I'm like, oh, Steve, you're a hoot. That's not going to happen. And then, wow. And here we are. So it's just like a crazy thing. So I always laid this episode or this concept at the feet of St. Vincent DePaul because I couldn't get back into your offices. And so we had to come up with kind of like a digital thing. So anyway, but you can find us on Roku, YouTube, Amazon Fire TV, and Vimeo. And if you'd like to listen to podcasts, we're in podcast format. So queue us up wherever you like to get your content and we will join you. Okay, Jasmine Smalls, Angels on Call, Marisol Saldevard. You are the PR and brand manager at St. Vincent DePaul. So we are really excited to kind of have these two visions of yours to find out how you've done this, how you get connected to the community, because it's so innovative, really, really exciting to have you on. So Marisol, start us off and tell us about St. Vincent DePaul, what you all do and how the ecosystem allowed this. Yeah. Thank you so much, Julia, for having us on. We're so excited to be here. I mean, you see our slogan right down there underneath our logo. We feed, clothe, house and heal our community here in central and northern Arizona. We really have a two part mission. The first part is to serve people in need. But then the second part is to engage the community in service to one another, inviting members of the community to come in and find joy, purpose and meaning in serving others. And I think that's really where this Angels on Call app comes into play. It's another way to complete that second half of our mission and engage the community and we're so grateful to the donor who helped make this possible for us as well. It's such an innovative concept. Jasmine, talk to us about this. I would imagine that looking at you because of your age, you're one of the digital, you know, warriors. You, you're familiar with this, but so many people are not. How did you all marry the concept of your programming to a digital device? Great question. Yes, so we actually worked with the app developer and it took over the last couple of years but really focusing on with the app developer last year and really also worked with our donors. This has been a donor focused and centered process. We have included our donors throughout the entire process. They've helped us test the app. They helped us give us feedback. And so it's been really great to bring them along the process up until launch. And then they're super excited. They're the ones sharing it and telling their friends and telling their family. So, even though yes, the app, the phone is this new generation thing. I'm truly excited to share that our donors and our tireless donors that we've had are still passionate and excited about the app. They're like, I want to try to download it. I want to try to understand. And so it's been super cool to like navigate the process with them and help them download the app and understand how to use that. So, what I'm hearing is that maybe where you started is not where you are right now that you've, you've had to like navigate a process and deal with that. I mean, is that fair to say? Yeah. So we actually have done a lot of testing. So, prior to launching, we did a lot of testing with the app to really make sure we're giving the donors the best possible experience. Again, that's what we stand true on at St. Vincent de Paul that we really want to give our donors and our volunteers an exceptional experience. And that's what we hold true with this app. And so we brought them along the process. Like I said, to really give us feedback, the ins and outs, the functionalities of the app. Does it make sense? I know it makes sense to us because we're in it every single day. But does it make sense to them as a user? And we're really excited. Okay, so walk me through what the process is. Like, like, first of all, Angels on Call. How does this app work? And let's maybe even back up a little bit. Like, you have so many programs across your organization. What is this particular program supposed to do? And how does the app work? Well, can I start with that one, Julie? And then I'm going to pass it off to Jasmine. Because I think the origin story of Angels on Call and then leading to this app is really important. And that we had this idea about a one-to-one connection between a family in need, who is facing a housing crisis. And then believing in our core that there is a donor out there in the world, who if they knew that this person might end up on the street without this assistance, they would be so generous enough to give toward this individual case. And we just needed something to fuel that one-to-one connection. We needed a tool. Because it was really the pandemic, honestly, that pushed us into making what was just an idea for us, bringing it to life and bringing it to fruition. Because we saw that there, you know, there were going to be increased evictions with the layoffs and everything happening. We first saw this. And we also knew that pandemic relief funding would eventually run out and that we could not rely on that funding source forever. And with that funding source comes restrictions, you know. And what happens to the family that doesn't check all the boxes? Do they remain on the street that night? You know. And that doesn't sit well with St. Vincent of Paul. You know that we are going to step up and say, no, we are going to do everything in our power to help that family. So we needed to come up with a new creative funding source, something unrestricted that we could use to respond to the unique circumstances of life that we all know exist and happen within our own daily lives, right? Not everything is so clear-cut and easy to put into a little checkbox. And so Angel's On Call first started with a staffer like Jasmine literally calling people and making those connections manually, right? And then we thought, well, to bring this to scale and to reach the audience we need to reach, we need to get this into app form where it's on everyone's cell phone. Amazing. So Jasmine, this involves something that's kind of a heavy lift because you might have a single mom whose car is broken down, who needs her car repaired, and then the next person might need something completely different, right? I mean, so it's a program, but yet it's so completely unique, right? Yes, yes. And I think that is what the donors love about it, is that now they get to learn a little bit more about their fellow neighbor, right? And of course we have donors that are passionate about St. Petersburg and what we do and give without question, right? But now they get a little sneak peek, you know, a little sneak peek into what that fee-equal house he'll actually mean and what families are truly going through on a daily basis. And it's not drastic things. It's, I got sick and I had to take off of work, you know? And that time off of work, I wasn't getting paid or I didn't have insurance. It's the small things that have truly impacted families that are working so hard day to day to make ends meet. So the donor, which is an angel, actually gets to learn a little bit more about what that family is going through. And so again, that one-to-one match really brings that donor into the fold and into what that person's going through. But the donor is not, the donor's funding a need. So the donor's not engaging face-to-face or anything like that, correct? No, I do get a lot of questions. Trust me. Every single time I call the donors, angels, and I, you know, ask them how their experience was. They're like, how is she doing? How are they doing? And of course they want to know. But I rest assured, I reassure them that they are in good hands with St. Vincent of Paul, that our social workers are guiding them through the process, that they're working with our workforce development staff. They're going to our clinics. They're utilizing our dining halls. They are well taken care of. And I think, again, those donors understand the mission of St. Vincent of Paul and trust that we're doing our job every single day. But I get those questions all the time. Like, how are they doing? Did they find a job? You know, things like that. So let's say that we love the concept, and I do. I think this is a super cool concept. And we download this app to our smartphone, right? Got it. Good to go. And then you're in the person who the angel is in a rotation, right? And is there a dollar amount or is there, is there like a profile that you fill out? Like I only want to work with people living in this part of the community or people, you know, dealing with health issues. Like walk me through how we situate who we're going to help. Yeah, sure. So when you download the app, you do create your own profile and you answer a couple of different preference questions. Those questions are fairly simple. It's a quick and easy process. The questions are how frequent do you want to be an angel? How frequently do you want us to contact you to help a family in need? So some majority of our donors are monthly donors or angels or quarterly or by annually. However, what however their preference is, and then also their preferred dollar amount. So a lot of our angels are starting at 250, 500, 1000, again, depending on how frequent they want to be contacted. And then when it's their time, they will get a notification of push notification, the app push notification that there is a family or a neighbor in need that matches that preference. We do not allow our angels to kind of preference that they only want to help a single mom or only people in Scottsdale or Mesa because all of our neighbors are important. And so we want to make sure that that is the most core that we do not pick and choose because we don't normally pick and choose where our money goes anyway. And that all of our neighbors are really important. And so you get a push notification and then you're literally able to open your phone and make your donation right then and there based on your preference. But you also get to get more. We do give an opportunity. We do give an opportunity for you to control your preference. So when that presents that opportunity presents itself, it does let let you know what that person's balance is. Or what your preference was. So you do get a decision at that point in time. So again, you are basically part of the community of angels. And when you download the app, you are presented with an opportunity to give right then and there to kickstart your opportunity to be an angel. And we love that for people to start right then because you truly get an experience of what it means to be an angel. First thing. And then from there, again, the app will notify notify you based on your preferences. I love it. Now, Marisol, you were going to jump in and say something. And please add, because I have another question for you. Sure, I was going to just say a little interesting tidbit. And what we're seeing is, even though someone may select that, you know, they only want to give it $200. If they see, for example, that a family really needs $252. And that will pay their utility bill today. And we're seeing that, well, they'll go ahead and they'll spend that extra $52 to keep their family in their home. You know, so like, while we work with your preferences, you still have that, that choice. And it's interesting to see how generous people are actually when you give them that opportunity. Now, Marisol, you are sitting on the other side of the desk, if you will, as a brand ambassador and really understanding so many things coming from that marketing communications department of St. Vincent DePaul, which by the way, this group does beautiful, beautiful work. If you want to see some great, great work, check out St. Vincent DePaul's website, specifically the one here in Arizona. And help me again with that website address, the URL. It's St. Vincent DePaul.net, no.aftersaint, all slammed together. Right. So anyway, beautiful work, but I've got to talk to you and kind of get you to nerd out a little bit with us on who is this target donor and how have you communicated something that's so innovative. You know, that's a tough place to be. Innovation, sometimes you want to be further down the road and let somebody else educate everybody. How have you and your team, Marisol, done this? You know, it's a really interesting question, Julia, because in some ways we felt like we had other opportunities or asks that could apply to this same donor, but like we weren't activating them necessarily. And I think that that was because, and let me be specific here. I'm talking about a small dollar donor in the hundreds to maybe the few thousands of dollars, someone that feels comfortable giving in that range. A small donation, but with great impact. That's how we look at it. And, you know, here in Arizona, we have the Arizona charitable tax credit and I would kind of classify that as the same kind of donor level. But we weren't seeing this particular donor that we're seeing engage with Angels on Call app here be activated in that opportunity. And the difference is Julia, is that it's one thing to say, might you give $800 to this pot of money, you know that you know you can trust that Vincent DePaul is going to use well. But you never get to know that individual story behind it. Anyway, we are activating this donor through a very concrete ask and need. And there's something about that that knowing that you're connected to john or Abby now that suddenly that $800 it's not going to some fund. It's going right to that family. And that has spoken to this donor levels heart, you know, and, and these are people who, you know, maybe it's a lot of young professionals who are just starting in their career. Maybe they can't give to the level that we might give later on in our lives right. So an app speaks to that younger generation that is savvy tech savvy and on our phones all the time, you know, and if some of us are so blessed to be able to afford this, you know, why not it you feel wonderful, and it was just a click, you know, Madison, do you know, and I know this is early going but do you know if your angels on call members or participants however you want to call them donors are have always been in your fold have always been a part of your donor base, or are these new folks coming in in a different way. We're seeing so many new people engage with us. It is so exciting when she say Jasmine. Yes, yes, we're getting a mixture now I'm really excited to start getting that younger demographic and getting out there in the street and meeting them where they're at. So that's what my goal is this year is to really tap into that younger demographic the young professional demographic, but majority of our angels have been tried and true donors to statements and to Paul which were blessed to have them to be the first initial adopters of the program. Jasmine, and I have so many questions I mean I, I'm just like so excited by this program. How do you measure success and impact. I mean, because this is a new your programming has always been there, but this is this engagement with a digital component. How do you marrying all of this information and data and figuring out if this is working if it's successful. Yeah, I can say we're just getting started right we just launched maybe one or two months ago so we're still in the start of the process we're still in it. But like I said at the beginning of the interview. We had donors part of the initial adopters we had our staff kind of download the app tested out for us making sure that it was working properly. But what I do and what I love to do is call the donors every single time they join. Every single time they join the app or make a donation I'm calling them. I'm getting their like experience right then and there I'm like how was it how did you feel to be able to help Marisol Jasmine like how was it and that has been a blessing that has been so great to hear how our angels are loving the experience they're sharing it and so go back to a little bit of the feature of the app. There's a share button feature. So technology one on one is a share button feature where they can share online share via text share with their family and friends right there that they were able to help a family. Join me join me in helping as well. And so we're still at the beginning of the process and adopting it and truly seeing the impact of it. But what I have been talking to my colleagues in our center is that they are becoming more and more confident that we are truly able to help our addiction prevention and help our neighbors in need because I work directly with them. Meeting with them and hearing what they're going through and the conversations they're having with these people. And so they are my partners in this and their adoption to this and their commitment and investment in this keeps me going and really being able to talk to angels. Marisol anything you want to add to that. Yeah I was just going to say you know Julia we're tracking sign ups, we're tracking gifts. But Jasmine's right like it's, we were about a month in here and so a little too early to tell just yet. But if you ask us, you know what is our goal. What is 100% prevention of evictions in our community. We think that that is possible with this app with the community we live in being so generous we, we believe that to our core. And so that that will look like success to us if we see the eviction rate start to tick down. We will tie our story to that. So, you really have within your programming really focused in on this issue on the on the issue on the issue of the of eviction. Right. Is that is am I hearing that correctly. Yes, so we're starting out with eviction prevention utility assistance. And then in the future, hopefully we can expand and helping with dental assistance medical assistance. So many families are picking and choosing what bills that they can pay what can they afford, and to keep a roof over their heads and so but right now, the early adoption of the app is is tried and truly eviction prevention and utility assistance and housing crisis I would add to that too like if someone is already on the street getting them rehoused will will use the front for that. I'm just fascinated by this. And I think that one of the things that I would love to do is invite you back and maybe, you know, six to 10 months something like that and then kind of see how this has what that this journey has been like from your to the desk because the need obviously is there and the connection to donors obviously there. But this component of technology, and you're not a technology company right. So, right. This is so innovative. I've got to ask one last question. Has this been a hard sell within the organization to tell everybody hey, we're going to do a digital component. We're going to do an app. I mean, you have what almost 300 employees. How has this ecosystem worked and what people thought about this. I don't think this has been a hard sell. Okay, because when you're going to a program person who has families coming to them in need every single day, and you're saying, hey, I have the solution. And it might get you a little more funding. They're not going to snub their nose up at that. And really, the end question being, can we fund it right like that's one of always our main concerns and in the nonprofit is all right well where's this money going to come from, you know. And, you know that that was maybe, maybe the biggest obstacle for us but going back to, you know, the donor who really made that possible this app possible, look at what they've done for us look at what they've done for their community. When we were able to get over that obstacle. I don't think there was any other kind of internal hesitation. There was internal excitement about this new possibility and way to serve. Wow. You know, Jasmine, I gotta believe at some point if it's not already happening now, you are going to have other nonprofits from around the world contacting you saying, how do we do this how can we do this. Do you ever see a point in time where maybe you license this technology because you've written this is a unique product that you all created this isn't something off the shelf right. Yeah, yeah, we've we've had those conversations like wow what can this grow into. And so we're again excited, but ultimately we're just excited to really hope our help our local community, and really get this off the ground successfully first and really show how successful this app can work first, and our impact like you said it come back six to 10 months and really see what the true impact is, and then you know open the door for those conversations but how can we truly help our neighbors in need here in Arizona is our main focus right now. This has been amazing ladies I'm just so thrilled that you could come on the nonprofit show and talk about this. Now, if we want to go ahead and download this, going into, you know, one of the two main platforms to download apps. What is the name of your project and how would we find angels on call. So are you can go to any Google or Apple store, and it's called angels on call, you can put St. Vincent DePaul angels on call or just angels on call, and both platforms and download it today. Awesome. Well, I'm going to hold your feet to the fire and get you both back on. And let's hear this journey and see what's going on and how we can learn from it because I applaud you for being so cutting edge. I mean, this is something that I remember sitting in. Like a coffee shop with your CEO, your now CEO, Shannon Clancy and she told me she had this idea for this angels on call. This was well before apps ever started out and she was like, you know, we could match donors, we could put them in a rotation and we could solve problems immediately. And I'm just so blown away that from that little conversation that was part of some other things that they would come all the way around to this to a digital app. It's really exciting. Bravo. Thank you. Well, thank you, Julia. We're so excited to. Yeah, really, really cool. Hey, again, we have been joined by Jasmine Smalls, angels on call, and then Marisol Salivar, who comes to us from St. Vincent DePaul's brand and PR management side of the marketing and communications team. Because you know, all good ideas are only ideas until you get them out and you promote them and you communicate. So this has really been an interesting conversation to have these two voices with us. Again, what an amazing thing. I'm Julia Patrick, CEO of the American Nonprofit Academy. My trusty sidekick, Jared Ransom, CEO of the Raven Group will be with us tomorrow. Again, we want to thank all of our presenting sponsors from Blumerang American Nonprofit Academy, your part time controller, Be Generous, Fundraising Academy at National University, Staffing Boutique, Nonprofit Thought Leader, and the Nonprofit Nerd. These are the folks that allow us to have these amazing comments and conversations every day. And so we want to make sure that we thank them. Ladies, you have inspired me in such a way today that it's just marvelous. Thank you so much. Thank you. It's been a lot of fun. Hey, as we like to end every episode, we want to remind ourselves, our viewers, our listeners, our guests to stay well so you can do well. We'll see you back here tomorrow, everyone.