Our Story

In TONI's blog by Toni Nagel-SmithLeave a Comment

Our Name — it is possible

It is possible has been a phrase that Toni Nagel-Smith, our founder, has been using for many years. To her it means: anything is possible,  you just need to realize that in order to begin.  You need to find good information and good folks to consult with.

 

Our Founder’s Thoughts

My name is Toni Nagel-Smith. As a young Social Worker,  I arrived in New York City in 1968.. I was given my best gift  –  a very special book – the red book.  Within those remarkable pages one  could find every group  whose goal was to provide a service to the people of the city.  It gave a brief description and then all the contact information. It worked……you then got on the phone and got answers  or guidance on where to go next. In those days I truly felt I could go to the source whether it be a big or a little guy. I did not always  get the answers I wanted but knew I had a fighting chance. I was in a big city but because of the red book it sometimes felt like a small town.

My dream is that itispossible.org function as a very personal  site…feel like a small town. I especially want a place where the little guy  and the little group gets showcased. I want a site where the aspiring do-gooder has a place to ask a question.  I want people to talk to each other about themselves and the projects they are involved with that promote social good.  I want folks to recommend books and articles and blogs and websites  to inspire others to action.  I had a dream for myself of recapturing a pre-cyber style of helping and communicating  yet using all the technological tools available now. I want itispossible.org to be simple , easy to use and feel personal.

You may contact me directly at toni@itispossible.org.

Our Consultants and Volunteers

Kudos to Ann Zipkin for her patience and creative talents. Thank you to Chrissy Heckart and Heather Huffnagle for their help and support and enthusiasm. And thanks to Jane Hetherington for all her work when this project first started.

Also thanks to the micro volunteers of sparked.com.  Their insights have been very helpful as we fine tune the site.

Our Funding

At this time, itispossible.org is funded entirely by its founder.  As the itispossible.org community grows and the work load increases, we will have to determine what is the appropriate route to financial sustainability. Itispossible.org has consultants, volunteers and friends in the wings who will make themselves available to help with planning.

Our Logo

Our logo and many of our website graphics were designed by Ann Zipkin, of ann-design.com. Our logo is based on a wire sculpture by the artist, Casper Smith, of CasperSmithArt.com. It represents the state of chaos that is often felt when you start something new and are overwhelmed and confused. With time and information, the chaos starts untangling and the beginning and the end points become clear.

Toni’s Blog

The blog is the personal musings about the progress of itispossible.Org. In the future we will be welcoming guest bloggers to add their insights into doing good.

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