Alan Hassenfeld: Passion is Key
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
When asked what motivates him to get involved to such a degree, Hassenfeld says, “You have to be passionate about it. Whatever the organization you’re supporting, it has to speak to you.”
Four Criteria for Support
With so much need in our community, Hassenfeld has four criteria for deciding whether or not to support an organization. “First, I want to know who’s on the board, and I want to know how committed those board members are. Are they all giving to the organization? Granted, not all board members have the same resources, but I think it’s critical that everyone be invested to some degree. I think some folks get involved in philanthropy at a corporate level, but they don’t give personally, and that’s key.”
Hassenfeld also wants to know how the community is supporting it, as well as what the organization is doing to support itself. “Do they have a sustainability plan that will enable them to be self-sufficient? If not, that’s a cause for concern.”
Rhode Island’s Nonprofit Challenges
Regarding Rhode Island’s charitable community, Hassenfeld is also concerned about the proliferation of area nonprofits. “There are groups who have missions that overlap 80% with other groups, but they don’t want to consolidate.”
He, on the other hand, is happy to partner on projects…and Hassenfeld frequently invites others to work with him. “I encourage Hasbro employees to get involved. Each employee has four hours a month of paid time to volunteer in our community, and employees often join in on mission trips through Operation Smile [Hassenfeld is on the board of governors]. Those experiences are powerful: through them, people see how a simple $500 surgery can change a child’s life immediately.”
Acting Locally and Globally
Hassenfeld is committed to supporting organizations that are tangentially related to Hasbro’s audience: children and families. Recently, that commitment has led to the creation of women’s centers in Afghanistan and Darfur which provide educational, health and microfinance services.
Although Hassenfeld believes in supporting global organizations, he also lobbied UNICEF to offer more opportunities to aid children in the United States. “Fifteen million kids go hungry every day in America, so clearly there’s more work we need to do here.”
And it’s clear that Hassenfeld isn’t planning to sit on the sidelines anytime soon. “I really believe that we must all be agents of change…each of us can make a difference. And as my father taught us, our role is to bring sunshine where there’s darkness.”
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