Raising Money from the Modern Family
Susan Sachs Fleishman is the type of supporter many a nonprofit would love to draw into their ranks. In addition to her extensive volunteer work spanning nearly three decades, she donates about $8,000 annually, mostly to organizations in her native Baltimore, and has written into her will charitable bequests likely to total more than $1 million.
"It is a really important part of the life I have put together for myself," the retired corporate-marketing communications director says.
Still, for all the friends and acquaintances Ms. Fleishman has made through her nonprofit work, occasionally she forgoes events for one reason: She is unmarried.
Long divorced, with one adult child and one grandchild, Ms. Fleishman, 73, says it can be socially daunting to navigate a gala or theater crowd solo. Once she voiced concern to her alma mater, McDaniel College in Maryland, ahead of a donor dinner and was assured she would be at a table with acquaintances. Not only was her seating assignment not as promised, but dinnergoers’ class years, written on name tags, were unreadable, making it trickier to introduce herself to others. Ms. Fleishman left before the steak was served. . .