Chris Andersen has a passion for building relationships that are far more than just transactional. For more than two decades, those relationships have shaped his work with nonprofits.
For Chris, professional fulfillment comes from connecting the community with Ellipsis’ mission. His philanthropic efforts help the organization continue supporting the kids and families it serves. Chris’ commitment is year-round. He understands that his job runs 365 days a year to ensure every need is met. It’s the little achievements and milestones of kids and direct care staff that push him to continue his work.
What is your position with Ellipsis, and what does a typical day look like for you?
I'm the chief philanthropy officer. I guess it's a fancy way of saying that I just simply connect people who want to make a difference with opportunities that do exactly that: make a difference.
As for a typical day, I'm still waiting for one. No two days are ever the same, but my responsibilities include fundraising, overseeing the grant writing system, donor relationships, special events, marketing and helping tell the Ellipsis story throughout our community. I might be meeting with a longtime supporter one day; the next I'm working on a grant proposal, then I'm planning a special event. The one thing that stays the same between all those different days is building relationships.
How long have you worked here, and what initially drew you to Ellipsis?
I've been with Ellipsis for four years. I've been in nonprofit work for 24 years.
I was working in high-tech sales in Austin. It was just, “What have you done for me lately?” You can land a major account, or you can land a major sale, but you've got about 90 seconds to enjoy that, then it's the next one and the next one. It definitely wasn’t rewarding. So, when I had the opportunity to jump into nonprofit work, it took me a while to be able to really consider it, and then I started thinking about the good I'm able to do with whatever organization I'm working for. It really changed my career path and changed my outlook.
Have you had any other roles at Ellipsis? How has your journey within the organization shaped your perspective on the need for the programs and services the organization provides?
I haven't. I came on as the chief philanthropy officer in September 2022. But it's been very interesting to see how the department, but more importantly, how the organization has really morphed, transformed and adapted to the environment that's constantly changing.
The longer I work here, the more I see that the need is rising. I would love, and I think every single staff member at Ellipsis would love, to see us put ourselves out of business because we've done such great work, that our work is not needed. We know that's not going to happen, unfortunately.
I think the part that really strikes me is seeing someone's work, especially with a legacy organization, specifically with Youth Emergency Services & Shelter (YESS), supporting us for more than 50 years. That's half a century. To know that their passion hasn't changed, even as programs have changed and our name has changed, but they believe in what needs to be done for these kids and that they continue to do what they do is extremely generous.
Please share a story about an experience that reaffirmed why you do this work. What made it so meaningful?
I'm so fortunate that through my career in the nonprofit sector, I've been able to meet some pretty amazing individuals. They have the ability to make transformational differences in organizations’ missions, and they do frequently. But to be able to meet them from a business perspective as chief philanthropy officer, to donor, and then ultimately, for some of these folks, I get to call them friends. For one particular couple, I’ve gotten to know them and be invited into their home, and know what their passion is, and that they believe in what we do every single day. There are going to be some bumps along the road. There's going to be some challenges, but their support is unwavering. And when I see the kids walking through the building, I see our staff every single day, walk through the buildings, working with the kids, and to know that we have champions out in the community like that, it's just unbelievable.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in this job, and how do you overcome them?
The biggest challenge from a nonclinical perspective is that the needs of the kids and the families we serve don't ebb and flow with funding. They're always there. We're open 24/7, 365 days a year. When we lost power at our South Campus during the derecho, things kept going. During COVID-19, things kept going. But the need is real, and it is ongoing. It doesn't take a holiday. There is no Christmas break. There is no spring break. There's no summer break. It is all the time. We’re always trying to compete for philanthropic dollars out in the community. Central Iowa in general is such a giving community, but there are a lot of organizations out there, so we're competing with other nonprofits, because all of us need support. I think that's a challenge, but we're fortunate to be in a community that has some pretty amazing folks who continue to support all aspects of the community.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about the work you do?
One thing I am proud about with Ellipsis is the fact that the department refers to itself as philanthropy, not fundraising, because that's just about accepting money. It's not about advancement or development, because both those terms are somewhat ambiguous. You can advance a mission; you can advance an organization. You can also advance an agenda. You can advance an army. You can develop a plan, and you can develop individuals, but philanthropy is so much more than all of those. It's not just about raising money. It’s building those relationships behind every single donation, regardless of the amount. It's someone who believes in a mission because, again, they can give to any organization they want. But they choose to give to us, and they believe that we can make a difference for the kids and the families we serve.
If you could describe your job in three words, what would they be and why?
Relationships first and foremost. It's not just a matter of knocking on a door, asking folks to write a check. Or just having a tin cup in our hand and saying, “Hey, we've got a great mission. Please give to us.” There are 99 other organizations right behind us, so if we don't differentiate what we do and the great work that is done by our staff, we're not going to be very competitive for those dollars.
Opportunity because those relationships, those connections to our mission, create possibilities that might otherwise not exist. Our needs go beyond the the state rates, while we're working to be able and legislators and the Iowa Department of Health and Human services and so many people are working to be able to increase the rates, they don't cover all of our costs. So it's those opportunities to be able to connect with our mission.
Hope because we're giving hope to the kids and the families we serve. We're giving hope to the staff that provide those services, showing them that they're making a difference, and also hope to the people who believe in our mission.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career in youth services or mental health support?
I think a lot happens behind the curtain. Someone may never fully know or realize the impact they've had on someone's life. Not every single success comes with a celebration, but it's the little achievements that mean so much to the kids and families we serve. It would be impossible to share those all the time with everyone. Being able to see those little successes, those little achievements mean a lot, and it's because people support us.
What’s one thing about Ellipsis that makes you most proud to be part of the team?
Without a doubt, it's the staff. Going out and meeting with donors, corporate partners, community advocates and so many people, and almost every single time I meet with someone, they find a way to thank me for the great work that we're doing. I'm very quick to thank them for their praise, but I also gently remind them that I'm in an office.
It is our staff. It's our direct care workers. It's our supervisors. It's our caseworkers. It's our program directors. They're the ones who see our kids every single day. They get up, they come to work, they commit themselves to the work they do, and that's amazing. I also share with folks that I can't do what our direct care staff does. The trauma that they're aware of with the kids, and to be able to divorce themselves from that and be able to go home and not think about it, I wouldn't be able to do that. They are unbelievably strong.
How important is it to continue to support the staff, kids and families that come through your doors through fundraising?
You know, our work is 365 days a year, and that's not just our direct care staff but also for philanthropy. Every single day, we need to be able to make up that difference between the services we provide and what the state rate covers. While it's every single day of the year, this is an important part of the year because this is when people are giving the most. To be able to make an impact now, before the end of the calendar year, means a lot.
This is kind of our Black Friday when it comes to philanthropy. Of course, it's not just a single day, but it ends up being about 6 to 9 weeks where we are out talking with anyone we possibly can. We spread the word about what we do, and the outpouring of support we get around the holidays is incredible. We have so many groups who reach out asking, “What can we do for the kids?” We want the holidays to be special for them, especially if they don't have the opportunity to be around their own family. Whether it's helping with our wish list through donations or providing services to be able gift-wrap presents for the kids on Christmas Day, it's just unbelievable, the outpouring of support.
Outside of work, what’s something that brings you joy?
My wife and I love traveling, particularly in our RV. We love exploring places we've never been to before and going back to places that have really touched us. I think there's a distinct difference between traveling and vacationing; we definitely travel. We’re not about putting our toes in the sand; we want to go explore. We want to learn everything there is to learn about our destination or even along the way. We're looking forward to the next adventure.
I also love woodworking. I love just taking an ordinary piece of lumber and turning it into something that's useful and beautiful. There’s something therapeutic and rewarding about it, and that's twofold. One, it’s the product you're able to see at the end, and the other is that still having 10 fingers at the end of your project is always a huge plus.
Have you read any of our other Staff Spotlights? Find a collection throughout the Ellipsis Blog.
