David Dow's Swim for Trim (and Lumber)

Dear Friends,

Does the world around us – local, national, and global make you feel hopeless? Do you feel helpless – like nothing you can do will really make a difference? Are you tempted to tune out, give up, and just stop trying? PLEASE DON’T.

Every day nonprofit leaders, extraordinarily caring women and men, get up to tackle our society’s most complex issues. They don’t have enough resources, time, or money, but despite this they remain committed to making a difference through their mission or ministry.

Five years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, I started to make it my life’s mission to support these nonprofit leaders; to help them help others, by working with them to have more resources to do their critical work. Now, maybe more than ever before, nonprofit organizations need all of our support, our gratitude, and our actions. Loss of federal grants and funding, philanthropic overreach, and diminishing donation bases threaten the nonprofit sector as never before. Each of us needs to come to their rescue for the sake of our communities, country and world.

In 2025, our company Schooley Mitchell, the largest independent cost reduction consultancy in North America, announced an initiative to increase the visibility and resources to the important work of Habitat for Humanity. Since 1976, HFH has been building homes, community, and hope – “Putting God’s Love into action”. During the month of September, our 300 offices in the US and Canada will be working with HFH by volunteering, building houses, and raising money.

Habitat for Humanity McLean County, my local affiliate, has been addressing McLean County’s housing crisis, one family and one home at a time since 1985. They are on the front lines in our community of building strength, stability, and sustainable self-reliance through shelter.

To shine the spotlight on this critical work and to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity McLean County I have committed to swimming 50 miles during the month of September. A one-man swim-a-thon. But I need your help and am asking you to care and to contribute generously to this noble cause of building more houses for worthy families who just need a hand up, not a handout. My stated goal is to raise $5,000 but I’m hopeful together we can crush that goal. We’re off to a good start with a $1,000 donation!

Please click on the link below which will take you directly to Habitat for Humanity’s website and payment page. Your donation can immediately be put to good work. HFHMC will provide you with confirmation and a receipt for your tax-deductible donation.

Feeling helpless or hopeless solves nothing. Small ACTS of kindness and caring can make all of us feel better, engaged with our community, and can collectively make a huge difference. In fact, these acts of kindness are life altering for families every day that are the recipients of shelter through Habitat for Humanity.

w/Grace and Gratitude,

David

PS If you’re worried about me swimming all 50 miles, don’t be. I swim 30 to 40 miles per month so by the time September comes I’ll already have over 250 miles in for the year – I will not let my side of the deal down. How about you?