In under 7 minutes, Kathy McAfee, America’s Marketing Motivator, stirred the senses of 1,400 distinguished guests attending the YWCA’s In the Company of Women fund raising luncheon on March 26, 2009 in Hartford, Connecticut, to produce an unprecedented amount of individual contributions, despite then current recessionary gloom and rising unemployment figures.

“As a board member, speaker, emcee, auctioneer and professional fund raiser for nonprofits, I’ve witnessed hundreds of appeals for funds over the past 35 years.  Kathy McAfee’s masterful ask at the YWCA In Company of Women Luncheon was the BEST APPEAL that I’ve seen, barring none!  She not only captivated her audience, she motivated them to action.” – John H. Motley, Partner, MotleyBeup LLP

Watch the above video. The live appeal was not able to be videotaped on the day of the luncheon, so we filmed a re-enactment of the “YWCA Green Shoes Appeal” to give you a feel for the motivating “ask.”

Save the Date for April 7, 2010 for the next YWCA In the Company of Women luncheon with keynote speaker, Michele Norris, host of NPR’s All Things Considered.

• Learn more about corporate sponsorship opportunities.
• Why not become a table captain and bring 10 of your closest friends to this incredible fund raising event?
• If you are interested in hiring professional speaker Kathy McAfee to give the appeal at your non-profit fund raising event, please contact her at (860) 408-0033.

The story behind the Green Shoes story. Watch this video interview between Marge Piccini and Kathy McAfee and learn how this powerful appeal was created. The appeal known as “The Ask” portion of the fund raising  luncheon was brought to life with a powerful personal story that resonated with just about everyone in the room.

Photos from the 2009 YWCA  luncheon with keynote speaker, Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle.

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