KATIE KING | December 13, 2017
AVLF’s newest development staff members explain how they got into this work, what they love about working at AVLF, and what holiday giving means to them.
Throughout that last year, we’ve kept you updated about all of the new staff hires at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. We hired new staff to increase the impact of the Safe Families Office and the Saturday Lawyer program, AVLF’s flagship program. We expanded to six new schools for the second year of Standing with Our Neighbors – and needed a few people to help out with that. It’s easy to feel like our staff has doubled in the last six months.
But what you haven’t read about is how our development team has been working around the clock to keep these programs funded and running smoothly. Like the rest of AVLF, our development staff has grown to meet our program’s increasing needs.
Meet Development Coordinator Diana Guyton and Development Assistant Ashleigh Starnes. They are quickly transforming the way our development office runs.
How did you come to AVLF?
Ashleigh Starnes: I was on a Fulbright in Turkey teaching English. I was planning on returning for a second year, but when I was at home for the summer, my program was pulled because of the political situation there. I began looking for new opportunities, but I really wanted to work in a nonprofit space. I started working at AVLF in October of this year. Previously, I went to the University of Georgia got a degree in linguistics and English.
Diana Guyton: I’m an Atlanta native. After high school, I moved to New York to attend Columbia. But my first summer in undergrad, I came home to intern at the Wren’s Nest House Museum, and got my first exposure to nonprofits in Atlanta and programs that serve communities in the Historic West End. I went back to New York and graduated with a bachelor degree in creative writing and Hispanic studies.
Then in 2014, I moved home for good and served as the interim program director at the Wren’s Nest for a few months before landing a job as a community engagement associate and facilitator at StoryCorps in Atlanta. I loved being back in the nonprofit world. I was at StoryCorps for about two-and-a-half years before coming to AVLF in January of 2017.
“It’s easy to do development work when you are passionate about the organization.”
Both of you are new to development work but have jumped head-first into it. What makes you excited to fundraise for AVLF?
DG: All of my previous nonprofit jobs have been in programs, but I have never before worked for a nonprofit that does as much direct service and as much tangible good as AVLF. It means so much to me that the work I do in development enables our program staff who have the expertise—and the desire—to make people’s lives better. Staff who work every day to get people out of dangerous situations. I love helping that work to continue.
And I love telling people about AVLF and getting them excited to donate to us. I really believe that all of our programs are extremely important. Without them there would be a huge void in access to justice and access to legal representation in Atlanta. It’s easy to do development work when you are passionate about the organization.
AS: I work behind-the-scenes coordinating all of AVLF’s fundraising efforts. So even though I’m not the one directly asking people to donate, it’s a really great job because I always know exactly how important the work I’m doing is to make sure the office runs smoothly. It’s really important to me that this organization can continue to do the work it’s doing in the community and knowing that I am part of that.
What do you think is the most important impact AVLF is currently having on the city of Atlanta?
AS: I think the way AVLF impacts the legal community is really incredible. I think our outreach into that community to enable them to best serve our clients and the people who need it most is exceptional. That sort of channel is crucial in getting people the help they need. It seems like attorneys really respect AVLF and pay attention to what we have to say. They know we’re doing a good job. It shows in both the emotional support and financial support they give us. It shows in the attorneys who volunteer with us.
DG: It’s inspiring to work for a legal nonprofit where you can see the direct impact we are having every day. We look at distinct problems and create direct solutions that truly impact people on an individual level. And when you add all of these interactions up, it’s making a huge impact on our city at a time when gentrification is displacing a lot of long-time residents, especially renters. And at a time when violence against women doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
We raise awareness and we educate and we do outreach. But instead of doing this in an amorphous, intangible way, we’re stopping evictions and protecting survivors from violence further violence. I’m really a tactical thinker, and I love the tactics AVLF is using to make Atlanta better. We’re doing individual things for real people, and it changes peoples’ lives.
I think AVLF’s outreach into that community to enable them to best serve our clients and the people who need it most is exceptional. That sort of channel is crucial in getting people the help they need.
People talk a lot about holiday giving around this time of the year. What does holiday giving mean to you and why do you think it’s important?
AS: Christmas has always been very important to my family, even though we’re not very religious. We care a lot about the gifts we give each other. We think about it a lot. As I get older, I really try and think of ways to give meaningful gifts to people in my community. I think of extending that spirit of family to people outside of your family is really important, especially in times like these where we’re driven very far apart from each other and more and more detached from each other. I think it’s so important to extend that radius of care to your neighbors.
DG: With the year ending, the holidays are a time that we do a lot of reflecting on the past year and what we’ve accomplished and what we’ve cared about. I think it’s beautiful that we have traditions that take that moment of reflection and translate it into celebration and generosity. There’s probably not a better thing to do with your money than to share it with the people who need it most. Donating your money to worthy causes and worthy organizations is a really strong way of affirming who matters to you.
Consider making a holiday gift to AVLF this season. Your money will go toward impacting even more Atlantans in 2018.