I am sure you are just as appalled as I am with regard to the Madoff scandal, Ponzi Scheme, swindle or whatever you want to call it. But no matter what you call it there seems to be change in the wind – not just on Wall Street but also in how we live our lives and what we should consider important.

How can we see so much wealth, or presumed wealth, evaporate into thin air. Where did it go? Were we in a bad dream for the last several years and now wake up to face a different reality like NEO in The Matrix?

I am truly saddened to know that several charities have literally had to close their doors because of this one man – Madoff. Yet I keep thinking there is a bigger lesson to learn from all of this. None of us know if it will get worse or get better and perhaps we may even look back upon the last several years with abhorrence as to how we lived our life and the misguided values we embraced. Regardless of our perspective everything is different now.

See Chronicle article http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=6582 

Bottom-line is we were collectively mesmerized by money, success, the fast-lane and reaching new and greater financial heights and acquiring more and more things.

I hope that one of the outcomes of this Madoff debacle, along with the stock market cratering, the recession, bankruptcies and so forth – will be a resurgence of a renewed consideration for the “person” and not just “things”. We need to circle back and embrace the human condition and not materialism. This is simplistic I realize and possibly idealistic – but doesn’t all of this nonsense make you want to go home and spend some time with your family and hug your wife and kids and appreciate what you have? Doesn’t it now seem like material things are simply just that and consequently have no intrinsic value. There is nothing endearing about a fancy car or a fancy house – yes, its impressive but the aura of it doesn’t live forever. What lives forever is family and integrity and honesty and character and honor and memories.

Anyway, to the point I really want to make – I think this is the change we have been looking for in the nonprofit world. We have been chasing money for far too long. This is an unavoidable reality but we need to be chasing passion more than just money. The outcome of the last twelve months will be a re-calibration of priorities which will direct people to a renewed sense of community and a sense of duty with regard to those around them and for the greater good. People will realize that materialism was a sham and that there is much more to life. They will find a new passion in helping and doing things for others, their families, and the world. Nonporfits will be the beneficiary of this new perspective of the world.

A close friend of mine is a shining example of someone that is professionally very successful yet never turns down a chance to help people and support others way beyond the call of duty. He has a tremendous passion for life and those around him, especially his family. He is in the process of training (finding time in his busy schedule must be daunting) for a 24 hour 400 mile bike ride to raise money to find a cure for Lupus (his daughter suffers from the disease). http://lifewithoutlupus.org

This is the future of fundraising. Individuals making personal commitments because they believe in a cause and have the passion to help make a difference. Its going to be people like Chris Paradysz that help people in new and extraordinary ways.