I didn't choose JF&CS, JF&CS chose me! After my first job in development at a different agency, I mulled over going to medical or law school or staying in development. Two years ago I decided to continue working in development because I believe when working at a nonprofit there is rarely the need to question whether you did the right or wrong thing at night. The impact of working for a nonprofit is always positive and far-reaching. It involves challenging and fast-paced work, more so than people anticipate, because the development team needs to keep programs funded, donors content, and be an upstanding pillar of the agency's reputation.My role on the JF&CS Development team is data-driven and includes processing donations, generating financial reports, and conducting prospect research so that the frontline fundraisers can connect with donors in a personalized way. When we were interviewing a candidate for a position in our department, she asked me a poignant question: "How do you stay connected to the mission when you're dealing with data all day?" I responded easily: "It's a nonissue! I get excited to tell a Senior Development Officer or Program Director when a major gift comes in that I know they have been a part of cultivating. Even though I am not a frontline fundraiser, I am on the frontline of confirming donor intent and recognition. I also volunteer at the fundraising and cultivation events where I get focused opportunities to feel the pulse of the mission."
JF&CS is way of life and it's a joy to be part of a team of varied talents excitedly working towards the same goals: more awareness, more volunteerism, and, yes, more financial support to carry out the agency's vital work. A contribution is meaningful whether you have the capacity to donate $10, $10,000, or several hours of your time. In my role here I've observed that being philanthropic can be influenced by personal interests or come in moments of deep contemplation about the greater good. It also arises when a person is at a fundraiser with loved ones and fellow community leaders and is inspired by how collective influence can improve lives. However the feeling strikes, when a person donates, they are sure to experience warm feelings about their gift.
Christina Horvath joined JF&CS in January 2014 as the Database Administrator for the Development team of Institutional Advancement. She has a bachelor of science in health science from the University of Connecticut and studied Hungarian language and literature at the Corvinus University of Budapest. Christina previously worked in development at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton and the UConn Foundation. In her spare time she enjoys tennis, ballet, skiing, and reading.
