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Winter Roots podcast: Building Community with Front Porch Forum
27 Plays10 days ago
The Winter Roots podcast features thoughtful, practical conversations with nonprofit leaders about the nuts and bolts of nonprofit work. We're proud to have Front Porch Forum as a partner in this work!
Each conversation is shaped by real questions submitted by nonprofit professionals who participate in the Winter Roots learning community. The result is grounded, experience-based dialogue that reflects what people are actually wrestling with in their day-to-day work.
Winter Roots is a seasonal learning space rooted in reflection, shared wisdom, and humane approaches to nonprofit work. These podcast conversations are designed to stand on their own — whether you’re part of the Winter Roots community or discovering it for the first time!
Find out more about Winter Roots: https://www.harlownonprofitconsulting.com/the-way-we-work-winter2026
Connect with Abbey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harlownonprofitconsulting/
Connect with Susannah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannah-kerest-7044199/
Find out more about Front Porch Forum: https://frontporchforum.com/
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Transcript
Introduction to Winter Roots Podcast
00:00:01
Abbey Harlow
Hello and welcome to the Winter Roots podcast. I'm Abby Harlow and I'm really glad you're here. If Winter Roots is new to you, it's a free, seasonal, virtual learning space that brings together over 300 people from across the country and Canada working in and alongside nonprofits.
Organizing Impactful Gatherings
00:00:20
Abbey Harlow
It's rooted in the belief that how we gather matters just as much as what we're learning and that this sector needs more spaces that center care and connection alongside strategy and skill building. These conversations are one way we extend that gathering. So even if this podcast episode is your only point of entry into Winter Roots, you're part of it.
00:00:42
Abbey Harlow
And we're glad you're here.
Conversation with Front Porch Forum
00:00:44
Abbey Harlow
This is a special episode of the podcast where we chat with one of our partners in this work, Front Porch Forum. Front Porch Forum is Vermont's locally owned online space built to help neighbors connect and build community.
00:00:57
Abbey Harlow
We're joined today by Susanna Karist, the Marketing and Communications Director for Front Porch Forum. Susanna brings with her over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector from large universities to grassroots organizations. With that, let's go ahead and begin. Susanna. Thanks for being here.
00:01:16
Susannah Kerest
Hi, Abby. Thanks so much for having me.
00:01:18
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, I'm excited for this conversation.
00:01:19
Susannah Kerest
Yeah, absolutely.
00:01:21
Abbey Harlow
Would you like to begin by telling us a little bit about Front Porch Forum for those who maybe aren't familiar or who have only used certain parts of it?
Understanding Front Porch Forum
00:01:29
Susannah Kerest
Sure, absolutely. And i just want to congratulate you, Abby, on gathering... such ah a large audience of people who are putting in so much time and care and heart and talent into the nonprofit sector, which is near and dear to me.
00:01:46
Susannah Kerest
And I know that not everybody listening is in Vermont.
00:01:48
Abbey Harlow
Thank
00:01:49
Susannah Kerest
And so Front Porch Forum really is a space dedicated to this state, but it's not without ideas that you can't take into other communications elements that you're working in.
00:02:02
Susannah Kerest
So just as a little side note for people who are not listening. ah So Front Porch Forum, I actually started working at Front Porch Forum a couple of years ago after, as you mentioned, a long career in the nonprofit field. And honestly, it's a it's a business, it's an organization that I had kind of a crush on when I moved to Vermont because I found it to be such a source of community connection and information and a way for me to put roots down here in my home, in my hometown and neighborhood.
00:02:38
Susannah Kerest
So Front Porch Forum, as you said, is an online community space dedicated to each city and town in Vermont. So every town has their own forum.
00:02:51
Susannah Kerest
And we're about 20 years old, so we are pretty deeply entrenched in the in the population here in Vermont, and we celebrate over 250,000 members.
Community Building and Moderation
00:03:03
Abbey Harlow
wow
00:03:04
Susannah Kerest
And Vermont actually only has 270,000 households, so we we um We are in a lot of back pockets and laptops and iPads across the state.
00:03:09
Abbey Harlow
sorry.
00:03:15
Susannah Kerest
And so we reach a lot of folks. And what makes Front Porch Forum different is than other online spaces is that, A, our mission, we are very, very committed to helping neighbors connect and build community.
00:03:31
Susannah Kerest
and B, we are moderated. So that means that every posting that goes on Front Porch Forum has been reviewed by a Vermonter and making sure that the terms of use, you know that that the author has complied with the terms of use.
00:03:49
Susannah Kerest
And that is with so much intention and that is to make it a civil neighborly place to be. And that's that's so important to us. that people feel like front porch forms a safe space.
00:04:05
Abbey Harlow
That's, yeah, that's just on a personal note, Front front Porch Forum. When I moved back to Vermont a little over 10 years ago, it was the first resource people told my husband and myself about, oh, you have to get on there to just sort of connect with your community.
00:04:18
Susannah Kerest
Right.
00:04:20
Abbey Harlow
We needed some things for the house. We were both um owned our own businesses, so connecting in that way. And to this day, it is the one email I read every day because I want to know what's going on in my town.
00:04:32
Abbey Harlow
And it's amazing.
00:04:33
Susannah Kerest
Exactly. And I think a lot of people are like you where it's, you know, they move in and their new new neighbor hopefully comes over with ah a banana bread or something and says, welcome to town.
00:04:42
Abbey Harlow
isn' it
00:04:43
Susannah Kerest
You've got to join Front Porch Forum.
00:04:45
Abbey Harlow
Absolutely. um Should we jump in? I have some questions for us to talk through.
00:04:52
Susannah Kerest
Sure, absolutely.
00:04:52
Abbey Harlow
how does that sound? Okay. um So this first one you you talked a little bit about, um but I'd love to hear any more thoughts you have on this.
Creating Digital Community Spaces
00:05:00
Abbey Harlow
From your perspective, what makes a digital space actually feel like a community rather than just another platform to use?
00:05:09
Susannah Kerest
um You know, that's a great question. And it's one ah that Front Porch Forum really is thoughtful about sort of the design of our forum issues that come out each day. So like you said, you receive an email. um A lot of people also use our app. So, you know, people can access their Front Porch Forum however they want to They can go on the website, they can get the emails, or they can use the app. um But Every issue is is by design with community in mind first and foremost. And so on Front Porch Forum, you have to use your real name.
00:05:49
Abbey Harlow
Mm.
00:05:49
Susannah Kerest
and where you actually live. So anything that you're posting, you really ought to be able to say to your neighbor when you run into them in the grocery store.
00:06:00
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:06:00
Susannah Kerest
So it's not the kind of place where you can hide behind a fake name or, you know, throw jabs at people with, you know, with some kind of pseudonym or an anonymous label.
00:06:15
Susannah Kerest
So that's partly why it really does feel like community because you can read a posting from a school board member or from a neighbor or a local nonprofit and be like, oh, I know that person or, oh, okay.
00:06:29
Susannah Kerest
Oh, there's not interesting. You know, so-and-so is working there now.
00:06:32
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:06:33
Susannah Kerest
And so you, you kind of see over time the messages coming out from folks and you start to recognize their their names.
00:06:33
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:06:41
Susannah Kerest
And then ideally our goal is not to keep you sucked into the platform, right? So most online spaces are designed for addiction and designed for habitual use.
00:06:56
Susannah Kerest
We are designed to check, read, and then log off and go interact with the world in real life.
00:07:03
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:07:04
Susannah Kerest
And we really hope, and we've heard so many beautiful stories, but what we really do hope is that, you know, even if it's somebody selling winter tires or, looking for magazines to do their vision board, that they actually will interact and meet that person.
00:07:24
Susannah Kerest
And we hear so many friendships have been launched from, you know, from ah ah what seemed like maybe a transactional interaction.
00:07:29
Abbey Harlow
okay
00:07:33
Susannah Kerest
And so that's what we hope makes Front Porch Forum feel like community.
00:07:39
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:07:39
Susannah Kerest
And I also think voice matters. It's not a very formal place. And I've got some postings to share with you later. i mean, we, I always encourage in any communications realm to, to sound as natural as possible, to sound like a human being.
00:07:56
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:07:57
Susannah Kerest
This is not press releases. This is not flyers. This is person to person asking for help or celebrating something or announcing something.
00:08:08
Susannah Kerest
an event, but doing so like you would, as I said, like if you bumped into somebody on the street.
00:08:16
Abbey Harlow
Yeah. And that's that's such an interesting point you make about it being designed um to to look at and then take it out into your community.
00:08:26
Abbey Harlow
And i'm I'm thinking immediately in my head about those instances for me. You know, like in our town, we have a walking group and that gets posted in Front Porch Forum. And then, or I've had to
00:08:35
Susannah Kerest
um that's...
00:08:38
Abbey Harlow
had to re-home some of the the things that my children have outgrown and it involves, you know, meeting meeting together. But I put it that put that on Front Porch Forum um and and yeah, how it's just this driving community space to gather um in person as well. So that's, I love that idea.
00:08:59
Abbey Harlow
um What do you think, what's something people or organizations often or can misunderstand about using Front Porch Forum?
Leveraging Front Porch Forum for Nonprofits
00:09:08
Susannah Kerest
You know, Abby, this is such a good question because I just want to shout it from the mountaintops to all my nonprofit friends out there.
00:09:13
Abbey Harlow
oh
00:09:15
Susannah Kerest
Use your front porch form. Here's why. Because we spend so much time as nonprofit communicators on our social media,
00:09:29
Susannah Kerest
and feeling like we need you know to be putting together really snazzy video or infographics and that we've got to be really regular and we're worried about our followers and our likes and our shares.
00:09:48
Susannah Kerest
And, um, or we're putting a lot of blood, sweat and tears into our e-newsletters or our mailed newsletters, which as we know, you know, postage is so expensive. Although i am a believer in mail.
00:10:00
Susannah Kerest
Um, i
00:10:02
Abbey Harlow
Me too, but yes. yeah
00:10:04
Susannah Kerest
but you know, all of that work, that hard work that, um, nonprofit, uh, folks and fundraisers are doing, are to like a kind of a limited audience. It's to the people who have subscribed to your newsletter. It's to the people who happen to be in your database. It's to the person who maybe is following your account.
00:10:25
Susannah Kerest
So it's like a really, it's a slice of your, um it's a slice of your town or your region. Whereas Front Porch Forum is like, used by really broad demographics. It is for everyone. And so when you're posting there, you're bumping into all kinds of people that wouldn't normally be following your work.
00:10:50
Susannah Kerest
And there's great advantage to that. I just talked to a guy the other day who loves from Porch Forum and he has ah front loader, which is, you know, some heavy machinery, tractor stuff.
00:11:05
Abbey Harlow
Right.
00:11:06
Susannah Kerest
ah And
00:11:07
Abbey Harlow
Yep. Non-Vermonters who might not understand this.
00:11:11
Susannah Kerest
Yeah. And he saw some posting from a community garden group.
00:11:11
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:11:16
Susannah Kerest
And he's like, i don't garden. I've never done any community garden for sure.
00:11:20
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:11:20
Susannah Kerest
But they had contracted with some tree cutting group to like leave a bunch of mulch on the side of the road. But they realized, oh my goodness, we can't move this mulch.
00:11:31
Susannah Kerest
And they were looking for someone on Front Porch Forum to help. And so, you know, ah now he's like their regular guy moving mulch with his front loader.
00:11:39
Abbey Harlow
Oh, I love that.
00:11:40
Susannah Kerest
And um And he's like, I never would have been following this group. I just happened to see it and I'm a helpful guy and I've got this equipment. And i so then because I have this equipment, I feel like it's my responsibility to to help.
00:11:54
Susannah Kerest
um And so I think people forget that when they're looking for volunteers, they're looking for dollars or they're looking for supplies, especially, or they're hosting an event or...
00:12:11
Susannah Kerest
any number of things that they're going to find a fresh audience on Front Porch Forum. Now some people get frustrated because they think well it's not that much of a reach it's only in my town.
00:12:23
Susannah Kerest
um But I think people what people don't realize is that depending on where you live that is either many hundreds or thousands of people who are reading reading your post.
00:12:32
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:12:34
Susannah Kerest
So Yes. I know that people have a long list of places where they want to, you know, if they're having an event, you know, they've got six or seven different places they want to post that.
00:12:47
Susannah Kerest
Boy, I would definitely put Front Porch Forum as number one. Like, it's a missed opportunity. And I do, that's part of my job. And that's one of the things I've been like beating the drum about in the last two years since I've started at Front Porch Forum is like, use your postings, nonprofits.
00:13:03
Abbey Harlow
Mm hmm.
00:13:03
Susannah Kerest
Yeah.
00:13:04
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, absolutely. And I know, you know, anecdotally, just to to bring it back to my front porch forum community, there's so many times my friend group or neighbor group will be in touch.
00:13:16
Abbey Harlow
Oh, did you see that thing on Front Porch Forum? I didn't know about this thing happening at Town Hall. There's a Contra dance, there's a bingo night, blah, blah, blah. That's the only place I would have seen it. And yeah, let's go.
00:13:27
Abbey Harlow
And it's it's such a such a great point that it's ah a place to get it in front of of a fresh set of eyes that's not, you know, you're the same place you always put it that that folks might not engage with it there.
00:13:40
Susannah Kerest
Right. And i mean, obviously your loyal supporters and your loyal volunteers, you know, do need to be treated with
00:13:41
Abbey Harlow
Yeah.
00:13:48
Susannah Kerest
ah that sort of close familial feel and the long stories and the, you know, the longer celebrations and the the greater detail. But I definitely just want to encourage everybody who's in Vermont to, you know, to lean into their Front Porch Forum.
00:14:03
Susannah Kerest
And if they ever have questions, you know, they can reach out to me. And we also have um Vermonters working seven days a week, literally on email at membersupportatfrontporchforum.com.
00:14:12
Abbey Harlow
Oh, okay.
00:14:15
Susannah Kerest
So like, if you have a question on a Sunday, you can reach out and be like, hey, you know, how do I do this with my account? Or why isn't that showing up? um So, you know, it's very much a human local business and, you know, we're we're here to help.
00:14:31
Abbey Harlow
That's so cool, yeah. um When nonprofits specifically use Front Porch Forum, what does it look like for them to show up as neighbors rather than maybe organizations wanting to broadcast updates?
00:14:44
Susannah Kerest
Yeah. So um Front Porch Forum is designed for neighbor to neighbor connection. And we sort of prioritize that. So if you're reading your Front Porch Forum issue, you'll notice that the neighbor to neighbor discussion is is higher up in your issue.
00:15:03
Susannah Kerest
Whereas maybe like a select board meeting announcement, that's this really super long agenda. That's going to be lower in your, in your feed there. um
00:15:12
Abbey Harlow
Hmm. Hmm.
00:15:13
Susannah Kerest
So we do prioriti prioritize that neighbor discussion because that is the height of community building to us. Nonprofits are like a close second. We invite nonprofits to,
00:15:27
Susannah Kerest
have a like a special account. So when you sign up like Abby as a person should be, you know, Abby, the neighbor, but then for your business or your nonprofit, we invite people to sign up for like a second profile where their title, the name of their organization or the name of their business is first is like right up there. So when they're posting,
00:15:53
Susannah Kerest
their organization's name is is at the top of the posting every time.
00:15:59
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:15:59
Susannah Kerest
And I think that's just an important way to alert people like, oh, like, okay, just psychologically like, oh, okay, this is an organization. Let me think about that differently.
00:16:11
Susannah Kerest
So we just do and but ask people to sort of differentiate their organization you know, oh, my dog is lost and that's from their neighbor account versus, you know, seeking food supplies for the community dinner for my nonprofit. And that should come from two different profiles.
00:16:29
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, that makes that makes a lot of sense. Thank you.
Listening to Community Needs
00:16:32
Abbey Harlow
um what What role does listening play for nonprofits on Front Porch Forum? you know How can paying attention to what neighbors are already talking about shape better programs, better communications, better partnerships for the nonprofits in Vermont?
00:16:51
Susannah Kerest
You know, that's a good question. and I think it really so depends on sort of the work that you're in. um
00:16:59
Susannah Kerest
I really, obviously you and I are readers of Frontwards Forum.
00:17:02
Abbey Harlow
Thank you.
00:17:03
Susannah Kerest
And I think that's another tip I would give to anybody in the nonprofit realm for their organization or for their business, which is to pay attention and make sure their their fingers on the pulse of what's happening in their community.
00:17:17
Susannah Kerest
And they might notice certain things. Um, they might notice people asking for assistance. Sometimes, you know, we're, we're not a place where there's a ton of GoFundMe's and sort of crisis type of requests, but there certainly are times when people are ah struggling and do share that, or maybe they have an injury or,
00:17:47
Susannah Kerest
they're elderly or et cetera, and are asking for help.
00:17:49
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:17:49
Susannah Kerest
So there's a lot of people who do seek assistance on front porch forum, which we think is a brave and vulnerable thing to do. And we, we welcome that. And so you can reach right out to, you know, if somebody is like, I, you know, my husband just died and I can't shovel my driveway, like a nonprofit,
00:18:11
Susannah Kerest
leader of an organization that has, you know, ah an association with that kind of work can reach right out to that person and say, Hey, we're happy to help.
00:18:19
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:18:19
Susannah Kerest
Um, they can also see, um, you know, people are looking to start bands. People are looking for running groups. People are looking to share vegetables. So, i mean, depending again, depending on,
00:18:37
Susannah Kerest
the kind of work that your nonprofit is in, you can reach out to folks, but you can also sort of just take the temperature of how things are. Most particularly, we are eager to be a place of support in times of crisis.
00:18:53
Susannah Kerest
As you well know, Abby, and over the past couple summers, the flooding in Vermont has been really quite dangerous and and scary.
00:19:03
Abbey Harlow
you have.
00:19:03
Susannah Kerest
with long-term sort of reconstruction projects having to happen in in numerous towns in in Vermont and, you know, past hurricanes, pandemics, et cetera, et cetera.
00:19:17
Susannah Kerest
that we want to be a place where people can go offer help and seek help and, you know, really be a source of connection in those times of crisis. So again, we, we certainly would hope that people are reading their front porch forum so that they can, you know, know where the the crisis points may be in their town.
00:19:36
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, absolutely. And I, a couple examples of that popped into my head and, you know, one is with folks asking for help. I almost think of Front Porch Forum as ah community micro mutual aid network because that does, you know, you see people, yeah, when you see, you do see people saying, oh, I need help moving my, my, you know, my partner, is sick or through their back or something and and we and I need help you know doing such such such and such and such and people will chime in or if there's an organization they can connect them to, they'll chime in.
00:19:51
Susannah Kerest
Yeah, ah we love that.
00:20:11
Susannah Kerest
Yeah.
00:20:11
Abbey Harlow
And I also think of it as a from a nonprofit's perspective, um almost like a referral. i For example, I'm thinking specifically of there's a nonprofit in our state called Dad Guild that I that i follow from afar and I just love everything they do.
00:20:28
Susannah Kerest
Oh, yeah, we love Dad Guild.
00:20:29
Abbey Harlow
Yeah.
00:20:30
Susannah Kerest
I think they're the best.
00:20:31
Abbey Harlow
Yeah. um And I've i've seen on on Front Porch Forum and other places when when ah men or fathers will show up and say, you know, is there anything like
00:20:41
Susannah Kerest
Yes.
00:20:42
Abbey Harlow
such and such in my area and somebody always responds and they say, oh, you have to check out Dad Guild. So I also also think of it as a referral to these organizations.
00:20:49
Susannah Kerest
That's such a good point, Abby.
00:20:50
Abbey Harlow
Yeah.
00:20:50
Susannah Kerest
Yes. Yes, absolutely.
00:20:52
Abbey Harlow
um
00:20:52
Susannah Kerest
It is a place where people are not only all looking for plumbers and painters and can share those resources, but you're right. You know, I'm lonely or I'm struggling and they say, hey, you know, have you thought about X place?
00:21:06
Susannah Kerest
Or, you know, maybe you are looking for a theater opportunity and, oh hey, have you checked out our community theater? So you're absolutely right. It's a great place for people to to refer or for others.
00:21:21
Abbey Harlow
Yeah. um
00:21:23
Susannah Kerest
we um I was just going to share with you, I'm looking at a posting right now.
00:21:24
Abbey Harlow
Oh, go ahead. Yeah.
00:21:29
Susannah Kerest
It hasn't even been published yet. It's coming out of Brattleboro. But it's just an example of, you know, clear, concise, but ah such an obvious need. The Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development is seeking a donation of a full-sized fridge in good condition for their family shelter.
00:21:46
Susannah Kerest
Nine families moved in when the shelter opened in December and an additional four families will be moving in soon.
00:21:46
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:21:52
Susannah Kerest
Another refrigerator would make the shared living more comfortable. So, and then there's the name and phone number of the person. Like you could just imagine the number of people reading that and thinking,
00:22:03
Susannah Kerest
Oh, you know, our kids are off at college now. We have this fridge in the garage that we're barely ever using. Let's totally donate that. And also, what else do these families need?
00:22:16
Susannah Kerest
Like, I'm going to call this person and see how I can help. And so, you know, it just, you know, one little posting can, I'm sure that this person will be, I hope, inundated with offers.
00:22:29
Abbey Harlow
Yeah.
00:22:30
Susannah Kerest
And then sometimes you also see, you know, people who are inundated with offers and they say, hey, thanks so much. You know, we were offered four refrigerators, but, you know, so we don't actually need any more. But if you're looking for one, you know, we can help.
00:22:42
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:22:43
Susannah Kerest
So again, like you said, it's like kind of that mutual, that mutual support.
00:22:48
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, absolutely. And there's there's something i think that is just so such a different perspective in a wonderful way about asking your community instead of putting something out there potentially. i'm Not that you know there there aren't other places to get the word out, but just I think of this specific example you shared, this organization maybe putting it out on their website or their um other social media pages, but there's something so wonderful about saying, oh, I'm going to put this on my community platform and it will reach my community. And so it it has almost a different feel to it that's more um neighborly targeted, um
00:23:31
Abbey Harlow
yeah warm, warm. I don't know. i It just seems like a great avenue for those kinds of resources for for organizations.
00:23:37
Susannah Kerest
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
00:23:39
Abbey Harlow
Yeah. um I have one last question for you, and I think a lot of the folks who listen to this might be able to relate. um A lot of Vermont and elsewhere nonprofits are tiny.
00:23:53
Abbey Harlow
Sometimes one one staff person or mostly volunteers or things like that.
00:23:56
Susannah Kerest
Yeah.
00:23:59
Abbey Harlow
How can Front Porch Forum be a useful tool for community building without becoming another thing to maintain?
Effective Use of Front Porch Forum
00:24:06
Susannah Kerest
Another thing, seriously. i do always advise people to, so we invite nonprofits to post four times a month for free.
00:24:14
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:24:15
Susannah Kerest
So, you know, it's not the kind of thing you need to do daily. So four times a month for free, you can subscribe with pretty affordable sort of monthly subscriptions if you are in a position of needing to post more often than that.
00:24:27
Susannah Kerest
um But I will say to people, like, put a reminder on your calendar, like on Mondays, like post every Monday, et cetera.
00:24:37
Susannah Kerest
And, but I am totally familiar with wearing many hats. You're the fundraiser. You're the chief communications officer. You are the person who needs to go pick up the donations. You're the person who needs to process the donations.
00:24:48
Susannah Kerest
You're doing it all.
00:24:48
Abbey Harlow
Right, right.
00:24:49
Susannah Kerest
um And so it is totally overwhelming. And I have people said hurt I have heard people say like, i can't post in one more place. Like I'm already struggling to keep up with these other places. And I think I'll just, you know, I'll go back to,
00:25:07
Susannah Kerest
Front Porch Forum being your community space. It is, and you know if you're kind of thinking big picture, it's your only locally owned communications platform.
00:25:21
Susannah Kerest
It's keeping money in Vermont.
00:25:21
Abbey Harlow
Right.
00:25:22
Susannah Kerest
So all of the advertisers are local businesses. It's all employees in Vermont. So you know as you as you prioritize your outreach efforts, and if it's important to you at all, just think about
00:25:31
Abbey Harlow
right
00:25:38
Susannah Kerest
you know, what's going to be most effective. And you can even do some testing, right? Like put that call for a refrigerator out on Facebook and on Reddit and on Front Porch Forum and in your e-newsletter and see what happens. And, you know, a little testing I think goes a long way to helping to identify you know, what's the best use of your time.
00:26:01
Susannah Kerest
We also invite you to, you can like share a profile. So if you can't keep up, you know, you could identify a volunteer who can post on your behalf and you can sort of share your account with them.
00:26:14
Susannah Kerest
So we welcome that.
00:26:14
Abbey Harlow
Right.
00:26:16
Susannah Kerest
um And one of the things I think that so many of us who have worked in the nonprofit field spend so much time leading up to an ask or an event or,
00:26:29
Susannah Kerest
you know, some big occasion and then it's over and we kind of forget about the follow-up, which is where I think the relationships really are built. And you have to sort of remind people of,
00:26:43
Susannah Kerest
how powerful something was. i found a posting out of Westford from the Westford Music Committee thanking people for the huge crowd that turned out for a concert at Common Hall last night.
00:26:53
Abbey Harlow
Hmm. Hmm.
00:26:58
Susannah Kerest
Spectacular music and a special thanks to the several folks that gave a few extra dollars to support the hall. This beautiful old building has to be one of Westford's greatest treasures, but very expensive to maintain without much financial resources. Every time I drive through town, this is what I see as the anchor of our village's charm, a rare gem and gift to us all.
00:27:18
Susannah Kerest
And so I think like... You know, I didn't go back to see if the Westford Music Series did a lot of promotion for this event leading up to it. But what a lot of people don't do is like the the appreciation afterwards.
00:27:32
Abbey Harlow
Right.
00:27:32
Susannah Kerest
And I think this kind of resonates for me because as a community member, I might be like, o you know, next time they next time this group is doing something, I should show up because it sounds like it was a huge crowd, A.
00:27:47
Susannah Kerest
um And I think often we are desperately trying to get people to show up to things and it is such a struggle.
00:27:53
Abbey Harlow
Right.
00:27:54
Susannah Kerest
So here's an opportunity to say like, oh, there was a huge crowd. And that signals to people in your community, like, this these are movers and shakers. Like, you should show up to this.
00:28:05
Susannah Kerest
And it's, you know, you don't need to be shy.
00:28:05
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:28:08
Susannah Kerest
You you can come. ah And just, you know, what a special event it was and, you know, sort of what what impact it has, sort of the ripple effect. And so when you're busy and you're like this the single person at your nonprofit, know,
00:28:25
Susannah Kerest
If nothing else, i would I would also really prioritize the messaging after any event or campaign that you're running. And that should be really on all of your communication platforms, is is that follow-up.
00:28:40
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:28:41
Susannah Kerest
Because I think those can be really super powerful.
00:28:44
Abbey Harlow
That's such a good point and something I think so many nonprofits think about and talk about, but sometimes, you know, you feel petered out after an event, but it can be so after everything that's got led up to it, but it's so important.
00:28:53
Susannah Kerest
Yes, exactly. yeah
00:28:59
Abbey Harlow
You know, when I work with nonprofits or just a talking with someone, just saying, okay, you're going to have this event and you've made a plan for before the event, what's what's your plan for after?
00:29:09
Abbey Harlow
Because that's where some of those really important things begin. So that's, That's such a great point about using it in that way, too.
00:29:16
Susannah Kerest
Yeah, I'm so old school, too. I mean, I love a handwritten thank you note. i
00:29:20
Abbey Harlow
oh me too.
00:29:21
Susannah Kerest
I mean, i can I can imagine i can hear the eye rolling from here. But, you know, people do not have time for that kind of thing. um But that kind of follow up, I think, really just is is so important.
00:29:36
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, absolutely. um This is just a very ah random side note because of these examples you've shared. I just love them and they, um on ah on a personal level, I'm always very interested in like town histories on a sort of granular level. For example, my mother got me 1975 Wallingford, Vermont, um sort of community history book for, ah for Christmas.
00:30:10
Abbey Harlow
And I'm just loving hearing all these snippets from other towns.
00:30:11
Susannah Kerest
Oh, neat.
00:30:13
Abbey Harlow
um And it's just, it's just so great to hear. This has been fabulous. Mm
00:30:19
Susannah Kerest
Well, we really encourage, I love to see, i mean, it is such a treat for me to get to see sort of what people in different towns are posting about. um I think it's in Craftsbury.
00:30:28
Abbey Harlow
hmm.
00:30:30
Susannah Kerest
i think there's somebody... don't quote me, although we're quoting me right now. i It's in Crosbury or around there that someone is frequently posts like what happened in town 100 years ago today.
00:30:44
Abbey Harlow
oh that's cool.
00:30:45
Susannah Kerest
and that's a really cool sort of series that this individual is doing. And we welcome historical societies to be sharing little history snippets. I think, again,
00:30:58
Susannah Kerest
Maybe you don't even realize how interested you are in the history of your town, but you bump into it and it's it captures your imagination for just a minute. And maybe you look at um you look at a building a little differently next time you're going through the center of town.
00:31:12
Abbey Harlow
Yeah.
00:31:15
Susannah Kerest
So I think that's super cool. I love a little history lesson now and then.
00:31:19
Abbey Harlow
That's off awesome. um Thank you so much, Susanna. First, do you have anything else you want to add about
Signing Up and Participating
00:31:27
Abbey Harlow
Front Porch Forum? And what's the best way for someone to get started with Front Porch Forum if they're not already?
00:31:33
Susannah Kerest
Yeah. um Well, you've been generous with your time. so I feel like I've, you know, I've had the chance to really give everyone a ah good overview. And you can tell that I'm enthusiastic about about it.
00:31:44
Abbey Harlow
It's so great.
00:31:45
Susannah Kerest
I just... You know, honestly, the people that I've worked at a lot of organizations and I have done also some consulting in different for a period of time with lots of nonprofits. And so I've met a lot of people. I've worked with a lot of leadership and, um,
00:32:06
Susannah Kerest
The people who work at Front Porch Forum our are almost the smartest, most community-minded people I've ever worked with. And so I just value um my opportunity to get to to sit with them each day and to we're always thinking about how can we help people to better connect?
00:32:18
Abbey Harlow
Oh.
00:32:29
Susannah Kerest
How can we get people to connect in real life? how You know, how do we support these beautiful community dinners that we read about? How can we encourage people to host block parties?
00:32:40
Susannah Kerest
So, you know we're, it might just seem like this really simple transactional email that you're getting in your inbox most days. Um, But there's actually a lot of thought and care behind it. And so, you know, you may not see any like dramatic changes coming, but we're always just trying to model. um Oh, actually, funny little story.
00:33:04
Susannah Kerest
If you have an extra minute, Abby's last week, I don't know if you have noticed this, but on Thursdays, we always post one message.
00:33:05
Abbey Harlow
Oh, yes.
00:33:11
Susannah Kerest
That's the best of FPF.
00:33:13
Abbey Harlow
Yes, yeah.
00:33:14
Susannah Kerest
And so on Thursday, We essentially, because every posting is moderated, every single one is read it read by one of my colleagues. Some of the extra special ones that seem like they are funny or good storyteller or a great example of community building They will put a little tag on it and then I'll review them. And then we vote as a staff. We have a staff of 30. We vote as a staff for which one we're going to select. And then we ask the author for permission. And so on Thursdays, we post it.
00:33:52
Susannah Kerest
And last week was one about an individual in Burlington who has a pear tree. And she was encouraging neighbors to consider planting their own fruit tree in their front yard because she kind of feeds the neighborhood with her pears.
00:34:10
Susannah Kerest
It's kind of like a my understanding is kind of like come one, kind of come all, help yourself.
00:34:14
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:34:15
Susannah Kerest
And she thought, wouldn't it be cool if there were lots of different fruit trees where we could have this kind of community sharing? And so she posted on Front Porch Forum. We selected it as the best of FPF.
00:34:27
Susannah Kerest
She is now hosting a Zoom session for like 50 people from across the state who were intrigued by this idea. And she's gotten some, I don't know, landscape professional who knows something about fruit trees, um who's going to speak.
00:34:42
Susannah Kerest
And i just love it. It's just
00:34:45
Abbey Harlow
It's so cool.
00:34:46
Susannah Kerest
It's so cool. ah
00:34:47
Abbey Harlow
the
00:34:48
Susannah Kerest
And so these things happen organically and we really just want to support that organic growth. And so i think a lot is possible through this kind of community building.
00:34:55
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:34:59
Susannah Kerest
And I just love when, you know, our nation and our world is in crisis. But I do look at our local communities and I feel so hopeful.
00:35:10
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. I i totally agree. um Thank you. And um if if someone isn't on Front Porch Forum, what's the best way?
00:35:22
Abbey Harlow
Do they just go to a website?
00:35:22
Susannah Kerest
Yeah, they go to frontporchforum.com and they fill in you know, they might be like, oh my gosh, you want my address and everything? And yeah, we actually do because we need to make sure you are really you and you really reside or work wherever it is that you are.
00:35:31
Abbey Harlow
Mm-hmm.
00:35:37
Susannah Kerest
Because again, you know, we take we take your privacy and your security very seriously. And so we do not want... people from outside to be trying to sort of infiltrate. So we're very serious about when people sign up, it might even take a day for your account to get approved. But then you're rolling and it's kind of a forever relationship, you know, like you, Abby, I've been here almost 16 years and I think I joined, you know, on day one and read every issue in my town.
00:36:10
Susannah Kerest
And, you know, so it's super easy to sign up. and And if you ever do have questions, like I said, member support at FrontPorchForum.com has Vermonters like behind their keyboards ready to help.
00:36:22
Susannah Kerest
If you have any questions, then there's a help center on the website and and all of that. But and tell a friend um because the more Vermonters that are using Front Porch Forum, the more powerful that community building can be.
00:36:37
Abbey Harlow
That's great. Thank you. And I'll, I'll put that all that information in the show notes for people to reference as well. um
00:36:43
Susannah Kerest
Perfect.
00:36:45
Abbey Harlow
Thank you again so much. um This was absolutely delightful and your partnership and this is so appreciated. And this conversation was just so great. And I know folks listening are gonna get a lot out of it. um So thank you, Susanna. Thanks again.
00:37:01
Susannah Kerest
Well, thank you for having me. And again, I applaud you for your work and creating a gathering space for people who are working so hard and are so committed to the missions of their organizations. And so you are doing great work and, you know, we really celebrate that and thank you.
00:37:18
Abbey Harlow
Yeah, thank you.