Victoria Castro of Community Health of South Florida (CHI): How We Can Leverage The Power Of Gratitude To Improve Our Overall Mental Wellness
Be thankful for your life. And that includes not only the good, but also learning how to be grateful for even our challenges and misfortunes. I’ve learned that sometimes when we’ve struggled, say, for example, we may have lost a job, or a relationship failed, if you can take the long view, which is the honest view, more often than not, these challenges have led to better circumstances, opening up new doors and avenues. Accept your whole life. All of it. Every lesson in life is a win.
As we all know, times are tough right now. In addition to the acute medical crisis caused by the Pandemic, in our post COVID world, we are also experiencing what some have called a “mental health pandemic”.
What can each of us do to get out of this “Pandemic Induced Mental and Emotional Funk”?
One tool that each of us has access to is the simple power of daily gratitude. As a part of our series about the “How Each Of Us Can Leverage The Power Of Gratitude To Improve Our Overall Mental Wellness” I had the pleasure of interviewing Victoria Castro, Director of Development at Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI) is a proven fundraiser for health organizations that impact her community. She brings over a quarter century of successful fundraising and development expertise to CHI, which provides affordable quality primary and behavioral health care to nearly 80,000 residents in South Florida. Her current focus is to finish a capital campaign which will establish the only Children’s Crisis Center in the region. Gratitude is the lifeblood of Ms. Castro’s work, what drives her and what most often motivates the donors she is expert at finding.
Castro worked for two decades for the University of Miami (UM), rising through the fundraising ranks at UM’s Miller School of Medicine, culminating in her role as the school’s director of development. She was subsequently tapped as senior director of development for UM’s School of Business Administration, that included a health sector management and policy program. Before joining CHI, she served as senior vice president of development at the Jackson Health Foundation. At CHI, Ms. Castro is formalizing CHI’s fundraising program while raising needed funds for a standalone Children’s Crisis Center set to have a major impact on children’s mental health.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about you and about what brought you to your specific career path?
I began my career path in my early 20s. At that time, many people like me who found themselves later in life in professional fundraising careers didn’t begin by thinking they would do so. There was no fundraising degree to pursue that I knew of. So, I began as an executive assistant to a director of events at a university, and from there my career progressed over 25 years increasingly toward professional fundraising, and culminating with my work now for Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI), a critical health care provider in South Florida reaching people who might not otherwise get the care they need, including children with severe behavioral issues.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
My career is really about building relationships. And I can share with you a story that really speaks to that. I had one donor ask me to go with them when they were going to get their cancer diagnosis which was expected to be positive. The donor did not want to go alone. This really meant a lot to me because those who respond to our funding requests are not just figures in a transaction, they are human beings supporting us. This person needed my support, and I was there to give it. In a way, we were closing a circle in what fundraising is really about, being invested in others, and having enough faith and trust in each other to take this journey together.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why do you think that resonates with you? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
Some “life lesson quotes” I tend to live by are from one of the many books I’ve read on how to best conduct one’s life. These particular quotes come from The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz with Janet Mills. I’ve taken these “agreements” and had them framed and put on my desk as a kind of life guide and reminder. They are:
- “Be impeccable with your words,” which to me is about being precise, honest, and clear, saying what needs to be said without misdirection.
- “Don’t take anything personally,” which for me is about truly considering where people’s reactions may be coming from, and recognizing that we may get reactions from people that really have little to do with our own behavior, and more about the person doing the reacting. We can’t judge, because we don’t know what those people are really going through.
- “Don’t make assumptions,” which to me is about the power of our own mind to lead us astray into imagining negative things that haven’t even happened. We have to resist making these assumptions and have the faith to let things play out until we see the final results, which are often much more positive than we may have imagined.
- “Always do your best,” and to me this is about resisting the habit of putting too much pressure on ourselves, which can affect our mental health. I think if we can accept that it is enough to do your best, good outcomes will follow. And if they don’t, we are free to give ourselves permission to let that go.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story about why that resonated with you?
The book that probably has most impacted my approach to fundraising, a book recommended and given to me by my mentor when I was beginning to do this work, is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. I think my mentor saw my reading this book as part of the training to become a better fundraiser. What stood out for me was the suggestion that one should become genuinely interested in other people, and that’s what building relationships is and what fundraising is really about. I may want you to give me a gift now that can help make the world a better place, but I also want you to stay with me and be part of this journey as we build this better world together.
Also, the book talks about the value of being a good listener and to encourage people to talk about themselves. Well, people love sharing their interests and why shouldn’t they? In this way, it’s much easier to align their interests with the fundraising goals the organizations I’ve worked for may have. I can direct them to the best projects they may be suited for supporting, helping not only the organization, but providing a vehicle for the donor to express their own goals and interests.
I had a low-income patient come to our facility, for example, as we provide health care services to all, and we got into a conversation, and by the time it was over, though she had limited resources, she pledged $20 to our Children’s Crisis Center. Why? Because our goals were completely aligned, and we learned this through conversation and being genuinely interested in each other and listening. She too wanted the best for the children of her community, and those $20 count and you can be sure I let her know! She put us $20 closer to our goal.
Finally, Carnegie speaks of giving folks an opportunity to save face. You can’t just pressure people. You have to also give them a way out. You can say, “hey, we’ll circle back at another time.” That’s perfectly ok.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
The most exciting project for me is that I’m helping to establish a fundraising program from the ground up for CHI, which is doing essential work for communities that extend from the urban core in our region, to rural areas where groups such as migrant workers wouldn’t be able to access health care any other way. When it comes to our facility’s work in creating a healthier community, philanthropy fits perfectly allowing the most fortunate in our community to join in supporting CHI, ensuring there isn’t a health care gap.
Now, the priority project stemming from this work is the creation of a standalone Children’s Crisis Center, the only such facility in the region. This is going to be a huge benefit to the community, helping 1000 children annually while providing 20 more beds for Miami-Dade and Monroe County to help children who need crisis stabilization.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I had an incredible mentor for 25 years, Marsha Kegley, now retired but was the associate vice president of advancement at the University of Miami. She was instrumental in my growth and in opening my eyes to the transformative possibilities of professional fundraising, seeing what I was capable of before I could see it and introducing me to the wonderful feeling that comes with connecting a donor to the right cause. The synergy of the motivated donor linked to the right project is extremely powerful, allowing me to feel great about my work.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now that we are on the topic of gratitude, let’s move to the main focus of our interview. As you know, the collective mental health of our country is facing extreme pressure. We would like to explore together how every one of us can use gratitude to improve our mental wellness. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms. How do you define the concept of Gratitude? Can you explain what you mean?
For me, gratitude is simply being grateful for what we have. With the uncertainty and pressure we are facing together through this pandemic, being grateful extends beyond the material. It’s about all that plays a positive role in our lives from the health we may be fortunate to have, to the friends and family around us, to the good parking spot we may have found on a certain day. The point is to acknowledge the good that comes to you, and to remain alert to that.
Why do you think so many people do not feel gratitude? How would you articulate why a simple emotion can be so elusive?
I think the failure to feel gratitude stems in large part from any fear or uncertainty we are facing, taking us down the wrong path of worry over what’s to come. Achieving gratitude can be a struggle as life is unpredictable, but we must stay committed to acknowledging the good all around us.
This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be constructive to help spell it out. Can you share with us a few ways that increased gratitude can benefit and enhance our life?
Increased gratitude relaxes us because we aren’t so focused on our fears. So, when we are relaxed, we can achieve a state of relative contentment and we are able to manage our lives better. It makes it easier to deal appropriately with our community, our family and others. Gratitude therefore helps us better achieve life balance, keeping us on an even keel, and not dominated, or sidetracked by our fears or worries.
Let’s talk about mental wellness in particular. Can you share with us a few examples of how gratitude can help improve mental wellness?
It’s interesting to consider how gratitude functions for the donors who pledge support for projects that improve our community. These donors, are for the most part driven by gratitude for what they have, to give back. And when it comes, for example, to the donors giving to the CHI Children’s Crisis Center, they will tangibly help improve the mental wellness of many children, and therefore contribute to our community’s overall mental wellness. So, you see, gratitude works in a kind of cycle of good.
Ok wonderful. Now here is the main question of our discussion. From your experience or research, what are “Five Ways That Each Of Us Can Leverage The Power Of Gratitude To Improve Our Overall Mental Wellness”. Can you please share a story or example for each?
Be thankful for your life. And that includes not only the good, but also learning how to be grateful for even our challenges and misfortunes. I’ve learned that sometimes when we’ve struggled, say, for example, we may have lost a job, or a relationship failed, if you can take the long view, which is the honest view, more often than not, these challenges have led to better circumstances, opening up new doors and avenues. Accept your whole life. All of it. Every lesson in life is a win.
Journaling is important. Writing down what makes you feel good or bad is good for you. It’s cathartic, letting us process the good and the bad, and helps us find greater clarity about what we experience. Greater clarity means we get to know better who we really are and that’s fundamental to mental wellness. And when you focus on jotting down the good in your life you may find that that list may be much longer than you would have imagined.
Expressing your gratitude by saying “thank you” in a mindful and present way. We run through our lives so quickly. The more that phrase is part of our vocabulary, the better off we will all be because it connects us person to person. We are healthier thinking as a community, than as atomic parts.
Give back. Giving, as with the donor I mentioned that gave $20, allows us to be part of something much greater than ourselves, to participate in a cycle of change for the good of our community. This helps our mental health. Try it and you will see what I mean. I live and breathe the giving life and it has given more back than I can put into words.
Take action. Don’t be afraid to do good on your own, or to be part of the conversation of giving back, to lead in the things that matter to you most, and no matter in how small a way that might be. It could mean giving to a church. It could mean taking up a collection for someone in need, or starting an online fund for those who have suffered a misfortune. But the point is don’t let fear hold you back. Join the conversation. By taking action to heal things around you, you will inevitably promote your own well-being and mental wellness, and if you are paying attention you will certainly grow as a person.
Is there a particular practice that can be used during a time when one is feeling really down, really vulnerable, or really sensitive?
When I face emotional challenges the most useful practice is journaling. It lets you organize your thoughts. In my case I use journaling to organize for the positive. A typical entry might read, “Well, I got a ‘no’ from this donor, but I got a lead for another one.” I’m always making that list of the good things that happened and it helps me achieve a sense of accomplishment no matter any rough patches during the day. Sometimes we can feel like we’re running on a wheel getting nowhere, but when you journal you can stop time a little and start realizing the things that were moved forward and that will help you get out of your funk.
Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that you would recommend to our readers to help them to live with gratitude?
Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday. She features a different influencer every Sunday and her whole point is to empower people through the power of gratitude. Exploring the challenges many of her guests have been through, is a big part of the program, and that is a critical reminder that none of us escape challenges, and that we need to commit to thinking about creative ways to manage and get around these challenges, and that includes nurturing our sense of gratitude, to change our lives for the better no matter where we are right now.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
One thing I’ve learned fundraising for this Children’s Crisis Center is that seeking mental health can be a taboo topic for some, when it shouldn’t be. That can be because people are embarrassed about getting help, or they don’t know where to find it, or there could be a cultural stigma associated with such help. So, I would like to be part of a movement that promotes the positive side of seeking mental health, so that people recognize that it is part of completing our overall good health.
How can our readers further follow your work?
