[NEW EPISODE]  Can you Imagine a World Without Nonprofits?

Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?

More information about what the Imagine Award really is

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Ken Cerini is the founder and managing partner of Cerini & Associates, LLP. Like many of the nonprofits he serves, Ken is passionate about making a difference, believing that it is important to be deeply invested in every client relationship and providing real value to each of his clients. 

He is one of the top accountants/consultants in the State of New York working with special education providers, is well versed in nonprofit issues, and also is heavily involved in the healthcare industry.

Website https://imagineawardsli.com/ & https://nycimagineawards.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImagineAwardsLongIsland & https://www.facebook.com/NYCImagineAwards 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imagine_awards/ & https://www.instagram.com/nyc_imagineawards/

‍Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

‍Segment 1

Segment 2

Segment 3

‍Segment 4

Transcript

00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:35.669 Tommy DiMisa: oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! I feel like you know that little kid in in Uh orphan, and he Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Listen! Years ago! What? Let me just tell you why I don't tell me, d you're boy? The nonprofit sector

00:00:35.750 --> 00:00:52.870 Tommy DiMisa: Connector coming out you from the top of my house, two flights up from the kitchen, where I get my coffee and my water just below the roof. I'm. In the attic man I'm. In the attic eighty some odd episodes of the thing that was only an idea, and I will tell you the man who is with me today on this program

00:00:52.880 --> 00:01:11.230 Tommy DiMisa: is somebody who, whether he knows it or not, was influential in philanthropy and focus even becoming a thing. I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about my guest. I'm talking about Kenserini, my friend, newest one of the newest Long Island business, is all of fame inductees. I saw it with my own eyes last night. Good morning, Ken. What's up?

00:01:11.240 --> 00:01:19.330 Ken: Good morning, Tommy. How are you, my and uh, if I had any influence on Um,

00:01:19.340 --> 00:01:33.729 Tommy DiMisa: thank you. But, uh, honestly, you're the one who's the sector connector. So it's all about you. Well, I appreciate that. But you know, and It's all about me, maybe in the sense that it's all about me telling the stories for these nonprofit organizations, helping them tell their stories

00:01:33.750 --> 00:01:36.459 Tommy DiMisa: and helping them really um

00:01:36.900 --> 00:01:41.180 Tommy DiMisa: get their mission out there more, you know, and I learned a lot of that from watching you. To be honest.

00:01:42.870 --> 00:01:46.910 Tommy DiMisa: Initially, Ken was from afar. I didn't. I remember the first time

00:01:47.240 --> 00:01:50.219 Tommy DiMisa: I actually have a sore Kennedy. Um!

00:01:50.940 --> 00:02:04.280 Tommy DiMisa: He had come into my office. I was working for a company called trying at at the time, and I, you know, a guy who actually it was. Really, I think the first person to introduce us was our friend Brendan Levy, who was on the phone with about eleven o'clock last night,

00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:06.140 Tommy DiMisa: and

00:02:06.270 --> 00:02:14.339 Tommy DiMisa: Brendan had brought you to the office. When we work in a try and head. I just kind of, you know you knew trying to trying. It was making a big splash back those days, you know, in the um

00:02:14.870 --> 00:02:31.260 Tommy DiMisa: fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, I guess maybe thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen like in here on Long Island, trying it in the peo space, and my firm vanguard benefits being an employee benefit space. That's one of the first times I really heard about or became aware of this ken, Serene guy, and I was like

00:02:31.910 --> 00:02:49.319 Tommy DiMisa: as my partners, a vanguard. And I start really talking about what we wanted to do and grow into the nonprofit sector. It became obvious to connect with you, and and I say this in jokes and stuff like that. But I said, i'm gonna i'm gonna follow this guy and make this guy, my friend and and um, you know,

00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:55.710 Tommy DiMisa: because I saw something that you were doing, Ken. And it is the imagine awards, which is what we're going to talk about today, but it is

00:02:55.740 --> 00:03:12.519 Tommy DiMisa: aside from the imagine awards. It's it's honestly it's your leadership and character that you drive to the sector. I know how important you feel about nonprofits, and you know we get a moment to kind of talk about some of uh, you know, and we won't go into today, but just frustrations um

00:03:12.690 --> 00:03:27.739 Tommy DiMisa: last night quickly, and it's really a matter for me of seeing from seeing other people do really special things. And then taking an idea that that is what one of the folks came from. So i'll tell you this is a combination of watching what you don't. You imagine awards

00:03:28.160 --> 00:03:45.640 Tommy DiMisa: and a guy called Gary Vaynerchuk Gary v big time. Media guy um! Who says if you're passionate about something, go out and build some content around it. If you want to get the word out on something. Go out and do something, and that deal is philanthropy and focus. And I remember walking out of the imagine was maybe four years ago.

00:03:45.650 --> 00:04:04.100 Tommy DiMisa: And I said, I'm going to stop this radio show. It's It's going to be called for a being focused, and it still took two years to actually do the thing, but I had the idea right, which i'm sure you can relate to, and we'll talk about ten, ten, ten years from the time that the imagine we're words was a for first a concept in my head before the first imagine awards ever took place

00:04:04.110 --> 00:04:25.569 Tommy DiMisa: ten years. So then you know what I I found a way to condense it down, although I will say, having an hour long show compared to what really turns into a six month, plus long event, you know, from application phase to everything I mean having sat on the committee for Long Island now for the last four or five years, maybe five years um in New York City for last couple. I I know what goes into it from from

00:04:25.580 --> 00:04:34.720 Tommy DiMisa: more than somebody who's not as involved, but certainly I don't know what how much of uh your headspace it takes when you're managing director of an accounting practice.

00:04:35.320 --> 00:05:04.370 Tommy DiMisa: Eight partners, I guess. Seventy some odd associates. We heard a little bit about that last night, so you know the imagine awards it it's not just what you do, and I know you have. Obviously, Kelly, it's it's the best part of what I do. I'm sure it is. Do they can. Honestly, this is the best part of what I do. This is what I love. That's my real job, and it's my passion. I don't know one hundred percent, and you know what, though I think it's it's fortunate people like you and I that can somewhat align those things. And I think you're doing a pretty

00:05:04.440 --> 00:05:14.179 Tommy DiMisa: pretty good job of doing that, taking your passion and having that be a compliment to your business, and vice versa. I will say this, I said. I've been saying this for a number of years, like

00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:30.349 Tommy DiMisa: I sort of forget where my philanthropy, if you will ends, and my business starts because it's all just kind of mush together in a way

00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:45.289 Ken: purpose to your mission in essence. And and this is really what helps to add that purpose behind what it is. We do it, it's. It's the ability to give back. It's the ability to make a difference. It's the ability to have an impact on your community.

00:05:45.300 --> 00:05:58.369 Ken: These are all the things I don't like. That's what gets me up in the morning, you know, if it was Devison credits. Sorry the everything credits Don't get me. You know it. It. It's all the other parts. It's the difference that you make. That that actually

00:05:58.430 --> 00:06:08.020 Ken: is is really what you know. I don't even use an alarm clock anymore. I don't need it because i'm able to get up in the morning because i'm excited about what I do on. You know

00:06:08.030 --> 00:06:20.939 Tommy DiMisa: this part of things, somebody. I started saying this phrase, those you were listening and not going to see them all. But it says no big deal just changing the world. I started saying this recently that last couple of six months, maybe four or five months, something like that. And um,

00:06:21.190 --> 00:06:49.029 Tommy DiMisa: you know, a friend of mine, Darrow rose about sent me this mug because we shoot videos together on Fridays a group of us called video social. So she put the you know, the Tommy D thing, the plan three focus and so no big deal just change in the world. I say it kind of trying to be cute about it, but the point of it is, we all have that capacity and opportunity in front of us to literally change someone's day, some a bunch of people's day, and then the lives of many, many people. And I know that's where you sort of live so taught list.

00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:56.300 Ken: But I mean you you mentioned last night. You know they that we were at together. They um

00:06:56.310 --> 00:07:11.640 Ken: the Lama Business News Hall of Fame. And and just just look at the fourteen people that were there, and just look at some of their stories. Look at where they came from. Look at the impact they've had in terms of you know, people, places things um, you know It's incredible, and and it

00:07:11.770 --> 00:07:29.010 Tommy DiMisa: you don't have to come from huge background. You don't have to have a lot of money, or if there any of these things, you can make a difference every day, even if you make a difference in one person. One hundred and I keep saying that, and I talk a lot about this. The ripple effect can, because I I know this. We're all

00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:41.120 Tommy DiMisa: just human beings, and sometimes life can be challenging. And I, I try to take this quote seriously from Robin Williams. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

00:07:41.130 --> 00:07:57.809 Tommy DiMisa: Be kind always, and I just take, you know, like we're just other people trying to get through some things, and we all need support. Second, Ever show this philanthropy and focus with my friend Dr. Larry Grubler, who you met with me years ago. Transitional services for New York, Tsi. And why Mental Health Agency.

00:07:57.820 --> 00:08:05.569 Tommy DiMisa: They serve over five, four to five thousand people in the boroughs each year with mental health challenges, and Larry said to me on that show, and i'll never forget he goes. You know what to me.

00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:35.260 Tommy DiMisa: Everybody needs some support sometimes, you know, and everybody need, you know, because I'm. Of this mindset that I you know they say one in five people, as we'll have some sort of mental health issue, You know, when I go by the people in my life, I think that's significantly higher, like I said. They say one in five people have some sort of mental health issue, and four or five people aligned. Yeah, that's what I think. I'd say the the six people I know most intimately in my life. We're six to six. I'm sure that. So that's it. That's no, that is somehow skewing the numbers for sure.

00:08:35.270 --> 00:08:47.119 Tommy DiMisa: Uh, I tell you I say all that just to say, like we have to be there for each other, we have to make an impact for each other. And what is the ripple effect of being there being supportive. And certainly what is a ripple effect of

00:08:47.170 --> 00:09:03.869 Tommy DiMisa: an organization like the Imagine awards that that does that and has highlights, you know. I'm gonna read some notes that I have, because this is what shout out to Kelly and Serene for sending this stuff over to me. I can. I don't want to say you didn't fill this out, but I know you didn't fill this out so

00:09:03.880 --> 00:09:33.340 Tommy DiMisa: so the the imagine awards is an award program that is designed for three reasons. I want to hit these. I'm going to talk about throughout the morning, but to shine a spotlight on those nonprofits that are truly unique. Those with strong leadership who are innovative in their actions and operations, more impactful on both the micro and macro perspective, and we significantly advancing programs and the sector on a regular basis. It goes on a bit. But the second thing is to foster relationships, having the ability for nonprofit leadership to come together.

00:09:33.350 --> 00:09:54.260 Tommy DiMisa: It's not a joke when I I mean it is a joke that I call myself the nonprofit sector connector, but it's not a joke when people start sending emails and introducing me that way. And that's something that I've always been a connector can, and we're all stronger, and we're all better through collaboration. So again, i'm gonna say my my connection to you and guys like David Goldstein and others who are our friends and nonprofit

00:09:54.630 --> 00:10:07.970 Tommy DiMisa: certainly just goes to me. Well, all right, Big mouth, Tommy D. Let's make this more about this particular sector. The third point is of of the imaginary words is to provide education, and it's It's a little bit cliche,

00:10:07.980 --> 00:10:22.270 Tommy DiMisa: but but you know we don't know what we don't know nonprofit leaders. Don't know it. I don't know what I don't know there's there's blind spots. There's pieces we don't see. So I have right here. You're not going to see it, because it doesn't need to the whole attic. But i'll just

00:10:22.640 --> 00:10:25.380 Tommy DiMisa: this. Says here.

00:10:25.390 --> 00:10:55.369 Ken: Can you imagine a world without nonprofits, and that's something you told me, and I stuck it on the wall there. Can you imagine a world without nonprofits? Can. The only way I could imagine a world without nonprofits is if we solve all the problems somehow, and that's not going to happen, because every time we you know it's It's like the the dam with the little whole six finger in one. It's going to come out somewhere else, you know. So every time you you solve one thing you you're creating other problems through advancement

00:10:55.380 --> 00:11:17.829 Ken: technology change. I mean a lot of the um mental health issues that are out there today is because the world is moving so much faster. We're in a situation where there's a lot of social anxiety and everything else, because we we don't know how to socialize effectively, you know. So every time we we create new advancements, we also create new

00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:25.849 Ken: problems that need to be overcome. So you're You're never going to get to a place where you know the world is perfect.

00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:42.620 Ken: Um! And I don't know that I really want to live in a world that's perfect. But anyway, you you're never going to get there, so there's always going to be a need for help. There's always going to need be a need for, you know people to work together There's always going to be a need for compassion for all of those things.

00:11:42.630 --> 00:12:02.180 Tommy DiMisa: So I I want to. There's a lot of questions I want to ask you Today's that I think. Yeah, it's something that there's a lot. I want to ask you that specifically, or can tell me this about nonprofits. How can they do this better? How can they do that better? And then I have some questions that are just gonna want to like things. That kind of make me cranky and um, and maybe we can

00:12:02.190 --> 00:12:19.220 Tommy DiMisa: find some ideas around that. And before we do that, though, just let's do it too much. It's too much coffee. No, it might be that. I mean, It's funny, you know our friend Allison was was with us at your event last night, and she kind of looked over at the table. I mean she goes. It's like nine, fifteen last night, or eight, fifty-eight, or whatever late. And she looked at me she was.

00:12:19.230 --> 00:12:47.160 Tommy DiMisa: Did you just have a sending a cup of coffee, and the funny part is I had to like two after that. So your response was, Yeah, I'm gonna have a third. I mean, what's a big deal, and I will tell you. I I had a meeting with like an an impromptu meeting on the phone. I think it will Brend and leave you up when I call them last night, but we were on the phone till about eleven o'clock until I go, Brendan. I'm literally falling asleep like I gotta go, but so I can still fall asleep on four cups of coffee at nine o'clock at night is the point. But what makes me cranky? We'll get into It's Really,

00:12:47.250 --> 00:13:00.809 Tommy DiMisa: here's what I want to do first, though, you said this idea you had it, and then it didn't come to fruition or implementation for for ten years. Can we talk a little bit about where the idea came from? And then

00:13:01.280 --> 00:13:11.530 Tommy DiMisa: you know how that related to again You're running an accounting practice. So give us like the thirty-second version on what you do professionally, and how that all sort of happen

00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:24.169 Ken: from a professional perspective. As you said, we're a full service, accounting firm eight partners, seventy professionals. We do everything, anything our clients need. We have value to every relationship that's kind of how we built

00:13:24.180 --> 00:13:46.209 Ken: um, and we're very big on education and all of those things. So we're we're kind of unique. And and when we focus on our our clients we don't just look at things from a fiscal perspective. We take a very holistic approach to working with our clients. Um, and we get very immersed in the industries that we work in? Because how can I be a resource to you if I don't know at least as much as you do about your industry.

00:13:46.490 --> 00:13:49.349 Ken: So um! When I was

00:13:49.540 --> 00:14:09.030 Ken: trying to decide where I want to go. You know, when I I worked seven years with Ernst and Young, and I left her in, and I was starting my own practice. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and it kept coming back to you know, if i'm going to be doing this, and I'm going to be doing this for the next thirty, forty, fifty years, whatever it happens to be.

00:14:09.040 --> 00:14:26.100 Ken: Um, I want to do something um in a place where I enjoy what i'm doing in a place where I enjoy doing with the people i'm doing it with, and in a place where, from an industry perspective, I could, truly, you know, feel good about the industry that I was working with,

00:14:26.370 --> 00:14:45.609 Ken: and everything just come kept coming back to the nonprofit sector that the nonprofit sector is where I needed to be. The non-profit sector is, you know, was important to me. So I I kind of jumped, you know, two feet into the nonprofit sector, And I said, this is where I want to be. This is the people I want to serve. These are the people. These are my P. People. I resonate with

00:14:46.780 --> 00:14:53.340 Tommy DiMisa: It's so true it's so true, and and it's funny like I i'll give um. I give kind of a plug it. It was the year.

00:14:53.350 --> 00:15:10.519 Tommy DiMisa: So when I I bought equity in our agency, Veg or insurance agency, now we branded as vanguard benefits. Um! It was that week, I I say, that weird week, you know, that week between Christmas and New Year's where it's like? Do I go back to work. Is there any reason to show up anywhere Is like anybody doing anything that whole week? So, uh,

00:15:10.530 --> 00:15:25.149 Tommy DiMisa: Vinnie Bloss he had probes that I sat down, and I give any credit, because he was saying he was really the one years ago who who said nonprofits was where we should agency. And uh it was a lot of for what you're talking about. And to be honest,

00:15:25.160 --> 00:15:37.779 Tommy DiMisa: we didn't really even know what that meant to go focus on the nonprofit sector. So, personally, what I did, I joined the handful of boards, and, you know, started to really network, and, like I say, had eyes on on you and what you were doing, and try to try to learn.

00:15:37.790 --> 00:15:54.810 Tommy DiMisa: Um. But it it it's funny, I say this all the time, and you get to make a decision, especially as professionals. When you're selling a service or like a product, and it is something that can go accounting or employee benefits can go any into any. Everybody needs accounting. Everybody needs employed benefits. Right?

00:15:54.820 --> 00:16:09.899 Tommy DiMisa: You can make a decision, both of you and I could have said we really want to work with hedge funds, and we could have spent the life doing that. Or we said this. And now we're the the circles, and you say my peeps exactly the circles we keep the contacts that we're hanging with.

00:16:09.910 --> 00:16:23.099 Ken: But again, think of the people that you work within this world, you know. Think of the people. These are people who are trying to change lives. I mean what better people to work with, what better people to make a difference with,

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.770 Ken: You know, as opposed to somebody. You know I worked in publicly traded companies,

00:16:27.990 --> 00:16:30.639 Ken: and I help the company be more um

00:16:30.930 --> 00:16:38.750 Ken: profitable. You know. People get bigger dividends, you know here in the nonprofit world, if we work together to develop a better model, and and

00:16:38.760 --> 00:17:07.649 Ken: you know more resources and everything else. More people eat more. People have homes, more dos and cats live. You know better arts and better culture, and kids learn and get books and everything else it's. It's just a a much better environment. You win, I I I the little hairs. There's a lot of hairs if you watch it. I got a lot here, but the little ones on the back of my neck are standing up when you said that because we made a decision, and this is it I like. I will be in this sector one way. But Buddy, mind jokes me. Me. I'm going to be

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:14.400 Tommy DiMisa: the executive director of some organization. I don't think that's ever going to happen. But but I joke with him because

00:17:14.410 --> 00:17:34.049 Tommy DiMisa: I say that's not me, man. I just want to be a fabric of this or you part of it. I just want to be in it. I want to hang out with, you know. Uh, Amy and I lean from the book ferries and Renee Flagler girls in of Long Island like you say these are our people. These are our people like they're making an impact to change the world. We got to take quick break, because that's how the show works when we come back.

00:17:34.060 --> 00:17:36.419 Tommy DiMisa: Let's go back into that question around

00:17:36.540 --> 00:17:57.580 Tommy DiMisa: you. You saw it. I know it. There's a story to that, and it's that was an awards event, because I think that's really it was those things that you saw kind of sparked. Yeah, Ken serene, is here managing partner of serene and associates creative visionary behind the long. I don't imagine awards in New York City. Imagine one, and I'm happy to say, my friend, we'll be right back. Break time.

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00:19:36.030 --> 00:19:41.699 www.TalkRadio.nyc: You're listening to talk radio, Nyc, uplift, educate, empower

00:19:46.100 --> 00:19:47.280 you,

00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:49.880 you

00:19:50.190 --> 00:19:51.030 you

00:19:51.170 --> 00:19:52.050 you

00:19:52.150 --> 00:19:53.060 you

00:20:04.170 --> 00:20:06.890 Tommy! In his,

00:20:06.930 --> 00:20:14.399 Ken: through all the static it joined to me in his attic, friendly leaving.

00:20:14.410 --> 00:20:31.890 Tommy DiMisa: I keep saying, I want mine. You you want your own attic. No, I want my own team song we get. We'll get you one. What? Whatever you want? I'm you do shows you do like these: Yeah. And you interviewed and probes and I on a show with no theme song. So here's the deal that is like a,

00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:59.669 Tommy DiMisa: you know. Look, we joked about music last night when we were together. Some of the songs I will let. I'm just going to put it out there, you know, when you go up and you get an award they play song right? So my song would always. I always say this when I get an award, if they play a song, and they say, Tommy, what can we play for you? It would be the song from the cry, Kid, you're the best around. Cha! Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha! They don't say touch of chop, but I don't know the words, but that's what I do, and I don't know the words. But last night ken it was live in Lavita loca by Ricky Martine or Martin.

00:21:00.430 --> 00:21:08.230 Ken: Did you pick that. No, no, that would not have been my choice. My my taste in music is somewhere on the

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:33.600 Tommy DiMisa: yeah. Yeah. Well, Ricky Martin, that's that's pretty mainstream. So that was I was dying. It couldn't have been a better song, I think, for them to pick for you last night, but we will get you a theme song. My theme song, I proclaim it's the only theme song in their history of theme songs that references somebody's attic. I think that's regarding the radio show of mine. It's the only song of mine that's like that. I'm silly.

00:21:33.610 --> 00:21:51.159 Tommy DiMisa: So cause is there toys in the attic. It's a so on. But this is Tommy is in the attic. That's a whole. Another thing. So, but we'll get you a theme song. That song was written by Brendan Levy and I Lyrics, by Tommy and Brandon, music by Brendan Brendan sings it, and does the whole thing. But I will tell you It's become so funny that

00:21:51.360 --> 00:22:15.300 Tommy DiMisa: my youngest, my youngest person, my my youngest child. He walks around, Sing it. Tommy is in the ad. It's like it's not. He's like remixes. It's not even the right lyrics, but he just like gives me a hard time, and we have fun with it. We will get you a theme song. That's my point. We will work it out. Kelly. Answer any. If you're listening. We need a call. We we have seven calls a week, but we didn't know the call to talk about the so. All right, Ken. Talk about stories.

00:22:15.310 --> 00:22:29.160 Tommy DiMisa: Why, what did you see in the market? What What did you see that was lacking where you said, I need to put on a big event to shine a light, to help people network and help people get educated, for in the nonprofit and for the nonprofit sector.

00:22:29.170 --> 00:22:48.729 Ken: Um again. This started about ten years before the Imagine awards actually came to fruition. Um! There are award promise for absolutely everything. Everybody had award programs. Um! There were awards for top financial advisors, awards for top, fifty women awards for the a-list and this that the other thing.

00:22:48.740 --> 00:23:07.280 Ken: And there was nothing out there for the nonprofit sector, and every time anybody tried to shine a light on the nonprofit sector, the nonprofit sector, you'd say Hey, charity, You're doing great work. They're like No, we can do this without them, and they push the light over to somebody else and talk about their sponsors and people helping them and everything else. And we're like

00:23:07.290 --> 00:23:22.399 Ken: this isn't right there. There needs to be a night where it could just be all about the nonprofit sector, and people could realize that. Um, all this magic is happening and and really focus everything on the nonprofit sector.

00:23:22.410 --> 00:23:41.219 Ken: And the concept came from kind of a couple of different places. I mean you have the Academy awards. I always kind of felt that the excitement of the Academy awards, where you know you didn't know every every other. W you You you you already know who won. You already know who's going to be there. You already know. You know

00:23:41.260 --> 00:23:53.179 Ken: we need you need to suspend the the thing about the Academy awards, or any of these other, you know. Big award programs on Tv is that? And there is that that wow moment there is that um

00:23:53.440 --> 00:24:06.390 Ken: reality and the honesty. And I think that's one of the things. When you think about the nonprofit sector, there is that incredible honesty, incredible passion, and everything that happens in the sector. And we wanted to kind of make a night

00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:20.899 Ken: that that kind of let that honesty, that passion, that story telling, and everything else that that is important to the sector kind of shine through. And it really, you know, is something that that really represents

00:24:21.010 --> 00:24:27.640 Ken: the incredible organizations and the journeys and everything. You know. We want to something that kind of mirrored that,

00:24:27.990 --> 00:24:40.580 Ken: and that's kind of what we shot, for and that's where you know this whole thing came from is is we didn't want this to be like a two-dimensional sort of thing we want the there to be multi dimensions. We want that there to be video.

00:24:40.600 --> 00:25:09.910 Ken: Um, you know, live reactions, you know small presentations, everybody getting excited people getting together. How often do you You walk into a room for a fundraising event for a nonprofit organization? You got one nonprofit organization there, and you've got their donors. How often do you get forty fifty executives of nonprofits and their boards and stuff in a room to talk and to? Really, you know, have conversation. How often do you have a situation where you get to learn about

00:25:10.010 --> 00:25:38.420 Ken: twenty new nonprofits in one night, where maybe you didn't know about them. And now you get to see their story, you get to feel about what they're doing. And now you start thinking, Hey, wait! There would be a good fit for this, these two organizations would go together really well, or hey? That's going to fill in need that I have within my organization, or hey? They're doing toys, and someone offered me a truckload of toys last week that I can't use, you know. So all of a sudden, you know, different thought patterns start to happen. And you know the

00:25:38.430 --> 00:25:45.100 Ken: the magic starts to percolate down low and and kind of explodes in in a night, and that's kind of what we were looking for.

00:25:45.310 --> 00:25:59.650 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, and you certainly hit it because it's real. It's, and and you can feel it in the room. It's one of those uh unique situations. I mean. I remember really the first time I think it was ever at the imagine. We were dead probes, and I went, and we were um,

00:25:59.710 --> 00:26:19.500 Tommy DiMisa: you know. I don't even know if you knew who we were at the time we were sitting way in the back. And um! Now you clearly did. If you were sitting way in the back. We we didn't then the thing about it. Now we get the way in the front, because you know we're we're platinum sponsor uh for a number of years now. So now we get a table at the front. But um, I will say

00:26:19.510 --> 00:26:34.829 Tommy DiMisa: it was. It's very touching the be in the room. Can people cry? People are crying, watching these videos because everybody gets a professionally done Video or excuse me,

00:26:34.840 --> 00:26:51.999 Tommy DiMisa: you know true expression in the room. And again, That's what the nonprofit sector is all about. That's why they're my peeps. It's it's real. It's just authentic. It's people changing lives and I, and it's funny. It's actually first time I ever met my friend. Yeah, our friend uh Rennie Flagler Renee down flag it from um

00:26:52.010 --> 00:26:57.809 Tommy DiMisa: from Girl sink of Long Island because her and her gang were right next to me, and they had just one. I was like,

00:26:57.820 --> 00:27:13.290 Tommy DiMisa: I can I? I don't know you guys, Can I hug you? Can I take a picture with you? I I I can't understand what you do. I mean Wh: What's better than when it's right in the name. Girls Inc. Right girls Ingle, Long Island, or I don't know the nonprofit sector connector, but like what it like when you

00:27:13.300 --> 00:27:43.280 Tommy DiMisa: But What if it's just like when it's right there? The words are there. If you don't understand, and you know, I remember, and and you know, actually Renee's organizations become a client of our firm over the years and and on and on, And do we do some cool stuff together? In fact, here on talk, radio and Yc where we do the show. They um have been the the nonprofit that we've been giving back to for the uh the end of twenty-one, and and this full year two thousand and twenty-two. So I I had forgotten even to say that. But this is these are the relationships that come out of that room,

00:27:43.290 --> 00:28:13.270 Tommy DiMisa: and i'm just one person in that room. How many of these and it goes Can I say, like I talk about the ripple effect? The ripples are endless. Man, you don't you don't know where they're going to go. They leave, You know relationships that people never knew each other or in that room, and now they know each other. Great things happen. We we've we've We've partnered with the and I've mentioned this before, but we partnered with the book fairies through that event. I didn't know who the book fairies were before that. And now, every billable hour we have, we put a book in the hands of a child through the book first, you know, and that came through the imagine words. And we've seen partnerships,

00:28:13.280 --> 00:28:23.050 Ken: collaborations coming out of the Imagine awards. We've seen organizations come together who had never met before. We've seen funding come out of the Imagine awards. Organizations who

00:28:23.150 --> 00:28:37.109 Ken: um got to meet united way. And Now we're United way funded organizations. We've seen organizations who have used the Imagine awards video to go after a grant and and procure grants that they never would have had access to, because they didn't have a video.

00:28:37.210 --> 00:28:45.060 Ken: So you know, there's There's a lot of stuff, and as you said, the ripple effect that that comes from this, you know, is is incredible.

00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:58.150 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I mean, I I just so many ideas I have right now. When we come back from another break. I want to talk about um like what the experience is like for an applicant through that whole process. So and and I will just say this: go to

00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:27.409 Tommy DiMisa: imagine awards li dot com That's for the long. I would imagine what the application for the Long Island Imagine wars it right now available, and i'm trying to get to the top of that page. Seventeen days to go to to get those applications in that application period ends November twenty eighth. Imagine awards li dot com, and i'm sure if you watch it on Facebook. Mick Collins, my buddy probably already put that out there. But check that out. I have. I have stories I want to tell anecdotal stuff we come back about, you know, just the experience being even in New York City

00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:28.610 Tommy DiMisa: last month

00:29:29.010 --> 00:29:30.510 Tommy DiMisa: and seeing

00:29:31.320 --> 00:29:53.969 Tommy DiMisa: somebody came up on stage, was so impressed, and was like we sold the sponsorship that we've never sold. And I say we as part of the committee right? I mean. Let's keep it till we come back. But that was like in the room. Somebody experienced something and said, i'm going to now be a diamond sponsor, I said, Let me come back, and i'm still telling the story. Anyway. Great ken we'll be right back, My buddy Ken and I in the Attic plans be a focus right back.

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00:30:56.990 --> 00:31:21.150 everybody. It's Tommy deed and non-profit sector connector coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio and Ny z I hosted program philanthropy, and focus non-profits in cockroach each and every day, and it's my focus to help them, amplify their message and tell their story. Listen each week at ten A. M. Eastern standard time until eleven A. M. Is from standard time. Right here on talk radio.

00:31:22.150 --> 00:31:31.650 www.TalkRadio.nyc: You're listening to talk radio and Yc. At Www: now broadcasting twenty four hours a day.

00:31:49.650 --> 00:32:12.650 Tommy DiMisa: The house baby. That's right just below the roof in the i'm in the attic. I'm trying to think of. He is my friend. He likes nonprofits. His name is Kay, to be continued. Listen. You got plenty of creative people on your team, and I was, you know I was talking to one of them last night, and she told me how creative you are, and I did not know I I mean

00:32:12.970 --> 00:32:31.749 Tommy DiMisa: I just wasn't aware I heard heard your he of a singer heard you? I'm not a heck of a singer. I've written country songs, but one heck of a dancer. I did. Here is that accurate? I do this, and I like I've heard if you're at, and I've never seen this, because I've never been like at a wedding, or anything like that with you. But

00:32:31.760 --> 00:32:33.270 Tommy DiMisa: what I was told was,

00:32:33.280 --> 00:33:03.000 Tommy DiMisa: I didn't know I would say all this today, but what I told is like. If you're at a party or a wedding, you're dancing like the whole time. Is that true? That's right. It is. I had no idea who would know I was all about debits and credits for you, Sarini. It is. It is, I mean, all, all, all accounts are dancing full. Exactly. It's full. Yeah, exactly So we were we just I want to go. I shared the website just now. I just roll like five more things I want to say. While I was looking at the website for New York City. Imagine where I mean I never meet avenues for justice and Angel Rodriguez, if it is in the the Imagine awards last year in New York

00:33:03.010 --> 00:33:29.399 Tommy DiMisa: City. Right? I never meet my new friend, Bobby Brown, who I was talking to yesterday, who's the newest executive director of young New Yorkers, and it's all because of these relationships. I I never meet Lisa Lewis, who Kelly wanted. Kelly answer reading. Want to make sure I met from Omnium Circus, and Lisa is coming on philanthropy and focus. So it all that incredible, incredible organizations, these are all organizations that are out there every day changing lives. And again, you know they're

00:33:29.410 --> 00:33:31.200 Ken: They're not household names,

00:33:31.450 --> 00:33:37.810 Ken: you know, and and that's that's the thing I mean. You know there's there's a limited amount of money that goes around,

00:33:37.820 --> 00:33:54.040 Ken: and you know we have to try to make these more household names. We need to show the great stuff that they're doing so that people. And and this goes back to what you said just before the break, so that people open up their wallet and try to make a difference. And and yes, when we were at the event last month.

00:33:54.050 --> 00:34:13.239 Ken: Um, you know, Webster Bank was so moved by you know the event and the incredible stuff and the stories that we're being told that they jumped on stage and said, Hey, we're gonna take a diamond sponsorship here, Um! And we're going to support this organization in a much bigger way, and we're going to ensure that every single nonprofit who makes it to the finals,

00:34:13.250 --> 00:34:39.459 Tommy DiMisa: it gets a thousand dollar prize, so that at least they walk away with something that you know, and that's the thing, and that's And I remember saying this, and you may remember this you may not, but we did an event actually in our office building out Melbourne in the basement, and I I kind of it, was a panel discussion or friend. Christine Deska was was moderating a title of a panel. If i'm not mistaken, it was it was yourself in Charles Ev Dose, and I can't remember who else was on that panel, Charlie. I saw him yesterday. Um

00:34:39.469 --> 00:34:57.049 Tommy DiMisa: rise Life, spirit, and uh Rising spirit fries Life Services Spirit of Huntington, my crew? Um. And on that panel but one of the questions I said, I said, Yeah, but ken you were talking about like what I would call strategic relationship strategic alliances between nonprofits and for profits, and

00:34:57.060 --> 00:35:03.799 Tommy DiMisa: and and at the time I was I I Not that I know a lot now, but I knew a lot less that. And and I said,

00:35:03.810 --> 00:35:23.089 Tommy DiMisa: you you're talking about like partnerships, and how nonprofits need to really see it as a partnership when they're approaching sponsors or donors. And I said, Yeah, but ken it's not supposed to be quid pro quo right, and I I know that's That's wrong. It is a it's not a penny, and it's scolded me on it, and I I think it is supposed to be quit pro call. So talk to me about that

00:35:23.100 --> 00:35:34.499 Ken: um from from that perspective. When you think about nonprofits, I mean, you know. And and the easiest way to explain is to kind of give an example I get asked all the time to sponsor the alphabet.

00:35:34.510 --> 00:35:43.850 Ken: Uh, I apologize, but I hate the game of golf. I I am. I'm not a golfer. I never will be a golfer. Um! I I will never show up at a golf tournament, whatever.

00:35:43.870 --> 00:35:48.539 Ken: Um. So asking me to sponsor a golf outing

00:35:48.730 --> 00:36:01.900 Ken: look. If I got to do it i'll do it, and i'll. I'll take a whole sponsor, a dollar a hundred and fifty dollars for me, or whatever The cheapest thing I can do is because it's not me. It's not part of who I am. It's it's not resonating with me. I'm not connected to it or anything.

00:36:02.130 --> 00:36:21.719 Ken: But if you come to me and you talk to me about, hey, I want to have a relationship with you throughout the course of the year. Um, I want to create a um a platform where I can really look to understand what it is that drives you that makes you interested in our organization

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:24.819 Ken: and let me center something around that.

00:36:25.060 --> 00:36:30.760 Ken: Okay? And then let me also promote you for promoting us,

00:36:30.890 --> 00:36:46.989 Ken: and uh give you a a platform to kind of cross, pollinate, and cross, promote each other all of a sudden. The relationship is a whole lot different, all of a sudden share is a somewhat of a two-way street all of a sudden. I'm doing good,

00:36:47.000 --> 00:37:13.100 Ken: but it's benefiting me also. You know and business owners. I mean part of what they're looking to do is is there's a big emphasis, and you talk to. You know some of the major corporations out there. They all talk about the need, for there to be a higher level of social responsibility. You know. Um, their customers are demanding it. Their staff are demanding it. You know that customer I mean that social responsibility piece needs to be part of corporate culture today.

00:37:13.110 --> 00:37:14.270 Ken: Um,

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:24.329 Ken: But if i'm going to be, and I I don't mean this in a kind of a selfish sort of way. But if I'm going to be part of this social responsibility, component and kind of help, a nonprofit

00:37:24.740 --> 00:37:38.329 Ken: Um. Most business owners are going to be looking at it and saying, Well, that's great. I'll do it. But if I can get some benefit from it, whether it be volunteering where my staff can go and and do team building through volunteer efforts like they do with habitat for humanity,

00:37:38.340 --> 00:38:06.090 Ken: or whether it be um, you know, through the ability for me to um put that within my marketing materials and say that you know I support this organization on on a very more personal level. Um, whether it be that the organization is sending me messaging and videos from some of the ways my money is being utilized within the organization, so I can get a deeper connection to the organization and maybe put that within my social media um outflow.

00:38:06.490 --> 00:38:36.249 Tommy DiMisa: So there's a lot of different ways. You can do it. But you have to think differently now as a nonprofit organization. Yeah, I I think if you think if I get into it one sec, I think you know, in terms of you know the transactional thing is like, Hey, can you give us two thousand five hundred? So we could put your name on this sign at our Galf outing, and you sponsor beat the pro, or can we, over the next three years have a relationship, so it's a relationship is going to be much bigger than two thousand five hundred dollars. It is right, of course it is, but but this is a mindset

00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:46.729 Tommy DiMisa: situation, and not to beat up on the sector, but we're all trying to learn. It's about educating and getting better right. It's about like you said We don't know what we don't know but that so that strategy and I, you know it, look

00:38:46.740 --> 00:39:14.679 Tommy DiMisa: bar none serene, and associates is putting out incredible amounts of content and incredibly educational content, and some of the and these are some of the themes, though, that you and I've talked about what I've heard you say, or or I've asked you and it. It's just about these folks that are have to see things differently. We have to evolve, you know, with the way that might have been okay, and it probably was okay because it works. People did that back in the past. But over the years now, and how long has it been in the relationship since

00:39:14.690 --> 00:39:26.920 Ken: since Founder Amy's Aslansky of book fairies came to you, and and now it's been a couple of years. We started. We started our relationship in January of two thousand and twenty.

00:39:26.950 --> 00:39:36.810 Ken: So where I got to think this for second, twenty, no January, two thousand and nineteen. We started it's January, two thousand and nineteen, because we're in our one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine in the first year twenty

00:39:36.820 --> 00:39:49.389 Ken: twenty, one No, i'm sorry. I take that back. It was January twenty, twenty. This is our third year in relationship, and over that three years it's been about one hundred and seventy-seven thousand books that we put in the hands of children.

00:39:49.400 --> 00:40:13.209 Tommy DiMisa: Okay, pause Time out, flag in the play. What is the ripple effect? What is the impact? They saw? Eileen just said, Hello on Facebook, Eileen, Monogan and Amy and Team down there at Book fairies. God, ken what is the impact? Of One hundred and seventy-seven thousand! You don't know the answer. I don't know the answer. It's It's incredible, the impact. Okay, They would have gotten

00:40:13.220 --> 00:40:27.229 Ken: two hundred dollars a year, or maybe if they ran to me every year, and and what did they get? They got a hundred and seventy-seven thousand a hundred and seventy-seven thousand books in the hands of children.

00:40:27.370 --> 00:40:41.339 Ken: They got um an ally within the firm. They got um. We helped them to put together their largest fundraising events, so we brainstormed and help them create their largest fundraising event which generated last year, I think, one hundred thousand dollars.

00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:50.840 Ken: Um. So again, by tapping into and partnering effectively, you're going to get a hell of a lot more than just getting a sponsorship.

00:40:51.340 --> 00:41:06.609 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I i'm writing this down because it guys take this stuff away when he says that partnering effectively. Partner, Ring right not, hey? I'm the nonprofit. You should give us this so we can put your logo on there, and we can help people. No How about, hey?

00:41:06.620 --> 00:41:20.929 Tommy DiMisa: I'm a business person. I'm. A leader of a nonprofit. You're a business person a little bit for profit. What do you need, Mr. Business, owner. How does this work for you? Because, Ken, I know for a fact, and i'm going to ask you. But culturally the conversations that happen around your office.

00:41:21.190 --> 00:41:24.709 Tommy DiMisa: It is every associate in your office aware of the book. Fairies.

00:41:24.850 --> 00:41:42.930 Ken: Um, most of them are. We push information out. Um, we haven't. Actually, we have an internal newsletter, and that's um good point. We have to probably push it out again because we've brought on a bunch of employees over the last six months. But yes, we we've had book ferries come to our our office events.

00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:49.610 Ken: We've had book ferries, talk to our office during staff meetings, and kind of explain what we do in the partnership we have and what they do.

00:41:49.620 --> 00:42:04.170 Ken: Um, it's on all of our um what we call it. The proposals that go out the door. So um, and it's if you look at you know um my! When I send out emails and stuff, it's right there on the bottom, it says, you know. Ask me about our partnership,

00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:30.800 Tommy DiMisa: you know, and it's so it. It is a very important part of who we are as a firm. It's it's kind of baked right into our Dna. It's baked right into the Dna. Again he talked about. Education is important to his firm education is a part of which one of the tenants of the Imagine awards, and he's partnered up with an organization that is helping educate people. I I listen. I've had Eileen uh on the show. I've had Amy on the show over the years. And um,

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:32.389 Tommy DiMisa: just to say this,

00:42:32.730 --> 00:42:35.540 Tommy DiMisa: the lack of uh, you know

00:42:35.920 --> 00:42:37.689 Tommy DiMisa: the lack of literacy

00:42:37.750 --> 00:42:59.660 Tommy DiMisa: changes the trajectory of someone's life incredibly in a negative. You know it's just straight up it. Illiteracy is a huge problem. It leads to people not obviously not getting certain jobs. People end up incarcerated, and I don't have the statistics here for you today, but i'm sure if you go back to one of my other episodes. We talked about them specifically, but it's the the impact

00:42:59.670 --> 00:43:28.930 Tommy DiMisa: that Amy says Lansky was trying to just get a handful of books for a book drive for her uh for her local uh uh district in her neighborhood, and asked the friends and stuff, and they, before she knew it, had a garage full of books, and now I guess it's ten years or something. Already the organization has given over three million books. If i'm not mistaken, ken over three million books. I lean Tax me if i'm wrong, and i'll say i'll say i'll correct myself, but I know like that's incredible. Plus I had a Guinness Book of World Records

00:43:28.940 --> 00:43:40.050 Tommy DiMisa: Book. Ha, ha! Wink Way Book of Records, but they had that of um. I see Eileen liking and and sharing what we're doing here. Thanks. I mean um.

00:43:40.310 --> 00:43:54.830 Tommy DiMisa: That's impact ken now, people and and they they bring books to folks who are incarcerated. They I've been out there, and I have my my older daughter and I did a day of service out there one Saturday. Um several times, but one specific is Saturday, and my daughter and I are out there,

00:43:55.550 --> 00:44:14.409 Tommy DiMisa: and it's incredible. I don't know if you ever been there when they do these, the uh, the these teachers come in with like suitcases, literally suitcases, and you're able to take whatever you can take, and they're sorted by, uh, by age, groups, by interest levels all different things,

00:44:14.420 --> 00:44:25.220 Tommy DiMisa: and I remember my daughter will be go. Oh, you like the um um! Well, God! What's the dog, boy? Books or dogman, or whatever the you like those for your students. I mean Ken. Here on Long Island like where I live.

00:44:25.230 --> 00:44:55.220 Tommy DiMisa: They have a library in these classrooms. There are schools and districts here on Long Island that don't have a library right at all. So they're a and it's not even it's not even though it's not. It's it's it's It's it's tragic. Yeah, I mean, there was a school that they were building. If i'm not mistaken, it was like southeast queens. They were building this new school, and each year they were adding a new grade into the school. So each year they had to build a new library, you know, and that was I I get these little hairs again, man, I get in a

00:44:55.230 --> 00:45:25.220 Tommy DiMisa: I I got the fever for the flavor. I mean. This is like what it is like this, is it, Eileen? Amy would love you, Ken. I love you for two in that partnership, because you're now part of the change. You and your and the firm, and you know what I want to put this aside because we keep hearing that younger people, the millennial generation which the millennials are in their forty is now getting divorced. So millennials are not. They're not just playing game, boy, on the couch, right? But but the millennials. But no, as a society of human beings like this is what we're supposed to be doing.

00:45:25.230 --> 00:45:37.449 Tommy DiMisa: We're supposed to be making other People's lives better, and and you now have ingrained that into the Dna of your firm. So we are going to go another break, but I could pause it. So tell me what you're going to say. You look like you had a comment.

00:45:37.460 --> 00:45:52.599 Ken: No, I I I I was just actually gonna say, is, we were talking about um. You know the building a library. There was one school in Harlem that they worked with, where that school in Harlem had a detention room, and the detention room was full all the time,

00:45:52.610 --> 00:46:13.260 Ken: and uh book fairies went and got them to switch the tension room into a library. And now there are less kids in trouble. There are less kids that need the detention services, and they're using um the books in the library. Um, and that's part of what they issue was. They didn't have any place to go. They have anything to do. So they got themselves in trouble, and now they're in a situation where

00:46:13.270 --> 00:46:43.259 Tommy DiMisa: it's It's more productive time than what it was, how how I mean. Just think of what we're talking about everybody! How many lives are impacted! How many families are impacted by that? It's It's so special man can. We could have chose hedge funds, you and I, you know, but I think we made the right decision. I could never have chosen. I know it was an option, but it was there. This was always the option. One hundred percent, no doubt about it, all right. When we come back we really need to do a few things we need to talk about. You know the process, because i'm getting a text message from my friend Kelly, who said,

00:46:43.270 --> 00:46:55.009 Tommy DiMisa: The deadline is Monday, November twenty eighth at midnight, the deadline for Long Island magic awards, November twenty eighth at midnight. Go to imagine awards alli dot Com. So I want to talk about. We come back. What do we need?

00:46:55.220 --> 00:47:09.810 Tommy DiMisa: Meeting committee Members obviously sponsors for the organization. But what is the look and feel of the application face. So people understand that I know we've done like webinars to educate potential applicants. But can we talk about that? We come back? How's that?

00:47:13.080 --> 00:47:37.239 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Everybody? It's Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connected coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio that Ny: Z: I hosted program. But I have to focus nonprofits impact us each and every day, and it's my focus to help them amplify their message and tell their story. Listen. Each week at ten Am. Eastern Standard time until eleven Am. Is from standard time. Right here on talk radio, Dot: Nyc:

00:47:37.620 --> 00:47:38.839 Um:

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00:49:07.370 --> 00:49:10.109 Tommy in his

00:49:11.020 --> 00:49:17.020 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Tommy. You go up two flights the stairs from the kitchen to the attic all right. So listen, Ken.

00:49:17.050 --> 00:49:46.879 Tommy DiMisa: One of those secret. Do you want to know? What secret do that do, do you? You are? Why not? Yeah. You know what I wanted to be when I grow up, or what I used to say, I wanted to be when I grow up, and I know what it probably still will be when I grow up, and I'm have it connected well as well as that. I wanted to be a game show host. So this is the lightning round? Welcome to the lightning route, I mean. There was a guy called a Guy Smiley, if you remember Guy Smiley. So he was like the man on the street like in a sesame street. I I wanted to be Guy Smiley.

00:49:46.890 --> 00:49:56.820 Tommy DiMisa: That was kind of it. And then there was a guy called Mr. Game Show, which was like this. This statue Guy would like to do these things, and I was like That's what i'm going to do when I grow up. It's a cross between those guys and

00:49:56.830 --> 00:50:17.739 Tommy DiMisa: mark summers from double there. So this is the lightning round. Go for it. Let's do it. Hit me with it, Man, what does this look like? So i'm a nonprofit executive leader. I'm a board chair, you know i'm somebody who just gets services from a nonprofit, and I want them to apply. What does that look like? What does that process look like when they apply? How long should it take them? And then

00:50:17.750 --> 00:50:47.729 Ken: what happens when they make it through the process where they go?

00:50:47.740 --> 00:51:14.979 Ken: So i'm going to make it into the semi-finals, and you can apply for uh, in more than one category. The only categories that you cannot apply for together is you can't be both social impact and Rising Star because they're basically the same award one is for under two million. One is for over two million dollars, but otherwise you can apply for multiple categories, and we've had people make it into the semifinals and finals in in multiple categories. So that's something that you know, if you fit in multiple categories go for it.

00:51:14.990 --> 00:51:20.379 Ken: The application is, is not an extensive application. It shouldn't take you more than

00:51:20.500 --> 00:51:27.579 Ken: twenty minutes to an hour to complete um. Really, what we've seen from the uh

00:51:27.590 --> 00:51:48.670 Ken: committee and from the judges that people want to see um. They want to see impact. They want to know what impact you're having. If you can kind of talk about impact more from just an anecdotal perspective and talk about impact from a real world impact perspective that's going to go a long way. So get the message out about impact. Get the message out about leverage. How are you able to leverage your results?

00:51:49.080 --> 00:52:13.429 Ken: I give some real life examples. Give some stories and stuff that that if you can touch a person um, you know that's gonna go a long way. So you know, get those stories in, and um, you know the application. It's. It's not a a difficult application to fill out. Last year on Long Island we had about one hundred and sixty applications in uh with the extra category this year we're expecting that application process to get closer to two hundred

00:52:13.440 --> 00:52:27.020 Ken: applications in But again, think about it. You've got two hundred applications in twenty-four people will make the semifinals uh every one of those twenty four people that make this the i'm sorry you got twenty-four people make the semi-finals. Sorry, let's try that again.

00:52:27.030 --> 00:52:50.569 Ken: Um. We got forty-two people making the semifinals because there's seven in each category that make the semifinals um once those organizations make the semi-finals. Then someone from the committee goes out and interviews them, and they become the advocate for the organization. Let me pause you there because That's my favorite part of the committee like. Wait a minute, and I'm always like the fair part of committee service, because

00:52:50.800 --> 00:53:18.289 Tommy DiMisa: you know No, wait, wait, hold on. I love these organizations. Now I get to go, spend an hour with them, and learn really more about it. Like it's been that's not fulfilling to everybody, but it's certainly fulfilling to those of us who love this stuff. I remember I was telling a story last night I went out to an organization you. I I was telling Brendan leave you this story last night, and I said maybe Ken would remember, and there was an organization that had done like a farm to table in an old church with like a beautiful chapel out in Long Island, and it was the first time I ever did

00:53:18.300 --> 00:53:32.539 Tommy DiMisa: um uh it. It was the first time I served on the committee, and I got to go out there, and I got to meet the nuns, and it was just so cool and so special, and you know and and talk about advocating. I get like you. You've seen me in these meetings.

00:53:32.550 --> 00:53:46.270 Tommy DiMisa: I get like these are like my people now like I'm like, and and again as appropriate. But you know, look a little bit forceful, because I want, you know, because you're vying for your your people. You know

00:53:46.280 --> 00:54:15.450 Ken: it's. It's not necessarily science in per se. What we do is we go through. We read all of the applications in each category. The committee consists of about fifteen people, and the committee goes through, and they review these applications. They mark off which ones they think um meet the criteria of the category the best, and then it becomes a big discussion, and everybody is talking about and advocating for the different agencies, and we come to some sort of general consensus in terms of

00:54:15.460 --> 00:54:37.929 Ken: you know it's not unanimous. It's a general consensus we pick, who, we believe the set seven best in each category are going to be again. Those go on to the judges panel. The judges get the um write ups that we do as committee members. As I mentioned, we go out and and interview, and they also get the application. And then the judges. There's a a a secret panel of seven judges

00:54:37.940 --> 00:54:44.100 Ken: who review the the forty two this year. Applications. They're going to break it down to the final twenty four finalists

00:54:44.410 --> 00:55:03.460 Ken: each of The twenty-four finalists will get a video each of the twenty-four finalists will get a thousand dollars, thanks to um our uh Long Island based diamond sponsors sterling risk. Um. And then, you know with respect to that. Then you get the uh, the the judges pick the winners

00:55:03.470 --> 00:55:16.099 Ken: of the category, so each category will have a winner, and the winner gets five thousand dollars, and they get breaking rates. Um! Because there is a certain level of breaking rights that seem to go with the Imagine awards these days, if there's a certain level of of

00:55:16.110 --> 00:55:33.759 Ken: prestige that goes, and then, uh, we also have for those organizations that have shown that they are really really um there. Every year they get it. Their leaders true leaders in the sector. We've actually created a hall of fame long, i'll imagine, where it's. Hall of fame,

00:55:33.770 --> 00:55:46.709 Ken: and we have two members so far of the Long Island. Uh, imagine awards Hall of Fame. We have island, Harvest, and Cp. Of Nasa. We invite them back every year to be there as our guests, and and even those organizations that um

00:55:46.720 --> 00:55:58.420 Ken: you know that don't win. They get to come to the event they get to be at the event. We offer free tickets to You know some of our semi-finalists and some of the applicants. Um! It's a great room to be in. It's a room you need to be in.

00:55:58.580 --> 00:56:26.469 Tommy DiMisa: You learn so much. You meet so many great people who care about the sector again. How often do you get to be in a room where everybody cares about nonprofits where everybody cares about people? You know it. It doesn't happen all that often. No, it's a pretty special room. You can't beat it, and I will say I I know of anecdotal stuff that happened just this year alone that some folks were in the room who maybe had never been in the room before, or some folks that had never been in the room. But their company had been sponsoring.

00:56:26.480 --> 00:56:56.470 Tommy DiMisa: You know. I I can think of certainly a story which you said about Webster, but I know there some others are like. Wait a minute. We're not high enough on the totem pole. We need to be deeper and again not to put names out there. But I think it was somebody else specifically that had never been that the event and and was finally there. And it's kind of changed It's it. Okay, I get it. Now, Ken, How do I do this? Right? Yeah, it was. He was sitting at my table, and he, basically, you know, right in Front row, sitting at the table. And he basically. Said, All right, you got me. Yeah, He got to be there. He had to experience it, though, right it's not like he didn't know you.

00:56:56.480 --> 00:57:26.460 Ken: You're doing this all these years, but you know how to it. It really again, you know um, and it's not because it's an event that that we're a a big part of, but it's It's just. It's very different from a lot of the other events that are out there. Um! There's a different level of energy that's in the room, and it comes from You know all of the nonprofits who are doing such great things, and you can't help but smile, and you can't help

00:57:26.470 --> 00:57:28.750 Ken: but cry, and you can't help but

00:57:29.120 --> 00:57:48.279 Ken: dig into your wallet and or text, and donate and try to make a difference. Because again. You're You're dealing with so many special organizations that are doing so many special things that are helping so many people in need, and these are people who could be your neighbors, or could be your family members, or could be anyone,

00:57:48.290 --> 00:58:05.360 Ken: and they don't discriminate, and they don't care, and they they're they're selflessly doing something. And and how could you not want to be in that room? One hundred? So alright, So let's say I do want we're out of time. But I do want to be in the room. I do want to be on the committee. I do want to be a sponsor. Who do I call? How do I do that?

00:58:05.370 --> 00:58:32.809 Ken: Um, as you've been saying all along? Um, you can reach out through uh Imagine awards. Lona um alli dot com dot org Well, it's dot com. It should be dot org by dot com. Um, We are a nonprofit. Yeah, we didn't do that before, because this show I only bring on leaders and nonprofits, and you are a nonprofit. So yeah, the imagine words as a nonprofit organization, it was it kind of established for this purpose. But you know, reach out to us. You can reach out to Kellyanne.

00:58:32.820 --> 00:58:59.069 Ken: Um, I will. Reds or any associates. It's K. A. Serini at Serena associates dot Com. You can reach out to her. Um! She's more than happy to put you in touch. Get you an application, um, you know. Make sure that if you want to be a judge. We're looking for judges, too. You can put in an application to be a judge. We're looking for committee members. We're looking for sponsors. We're looking for people to show up. We're looking for, You know. Anybody who wants to make a difference in this world or a difference on the Island or New York City.

00:58:59.080 --> 00:59:28.880 Ken: Please just reach out to us. We want to hear your your voice. We want to hear your story. We want to help you to kind of move through this thing. If you have an application, you're not sure what to do. You're not sure um. You know what some of the stuff on it means just reach out to us again. We'll either get you a video. We'll spend some time with you again. The goal here is to to spotlight as many amazing organizations as we can, and we got to leave it there. My friend Kenserini, managing director of partner of serene and associate, visionary founder of the Imagine awards in my buddy,

00:59:28.890 --> 00:59:35.089 Tommy DiMisa: and apparently a great dancer. Make it a great day. Everybody will see you later on. Thanks a lot, Tommy, Appreciate it.