Today marks my ninth day on staff with Greenlights, which means I’ve got nearly one day under my belt for every year Greenlights has been in existence, and I couldn’t be prouder! In my short time on staff, and longer as a member, I’ve connected with Greenlights’ vision, “Strong communities through exceptional nonprofits.” I don’t know if it’s the warm, fuzzy feeling it instantly instills in me, or the can-do energy it inspires, but I just can’t help but feel good when I think about this simple declaration. Best of all, we’re achieving it! And by “we” I mean all of the nonprofit community – together.

With Thanksgiving around the corner and Greenlights’ 10^th anniversary year drawing to a close, togetherness is in trend and I can’t think of a better time to give thanks to our member organizations – the talented, hard working do-gooders who work tirelessly to strengthen our communities. While the weather changes and holiday spirit moves in, we know that you all remain steady, poised to facilitate community engagement and strategically support the growing demands of your mission. This is an especially busy time of year for nonprofits and we want to remind you that we’re rooting for you!

Give yourself a pick-me-up by taking advantage of some of your Greenlights’ membership benefits. Better yet, get the most out of your membership by sharing the benefits with your whole staff this Thanksgiving season:

• Take advantage of deals offered by our Business Partners

• Get help with back-office tasks from Easy Office

• Purchase low-cost Directors and Officers liability insurance from Wortham Insurance & Risk Management

• Book free meeting space at the Mitte Foundation Carriage House (downtown) or Greenlights’ offices (north-central)

• Apply for a 501 Council capacity service grant for consulting services (2011 deadline: 11/30/11)

• Redeem free workshop voucher(s) (amount varies by membership level) and enjoy significant discounts on additional skill-building workshops

• Schedule your free hour of consulting

• Promote your news, events and job openings on our website

And remember, you can share Greenlights’ nonprofit tools, tips and opportunities with everyone in your organization. Invite your employees to sign up to receive our monthly e-newsletter, Greenlights2Go.

Not a member? Join or renew today and share the benefits with your organization this Thanksgiving season.