Introduction
For 140 years, YWCA Columbus has been a force for equity and social justice, providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, childcare, leadership programs, and advocacy to women and families across Central Ohio. Guided by its mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA Columbus serves thousands of individuals each year through housing, education, and community programs.
As the organization grew, so did the complexity of managing product donations across its Family Center, Women’s Housing, 26 before‑ and after‑school sites, two childcare centers, and multiple community programs. By late 2025, the team needed a modern, transparent, and efficient way to manage in‑kind giving—one that matched the scale and urgency of their work.
They found that solution in Mindful Giving.
Interviewee: Alexa Molitor, Volunteer & Donations Manager, YWCA Columbus Ohio
The Challenges
Before Mindful Giving, YWCA Columbus relied heavily on an Amazon Wishlist and ad‑hoc drop‑offs. The process was unpredictable, not trackable, and incredibly time‑consuming for their small two‑person team.
Lack of Visibility & Donor Information
- Items arrived without warning, often without donor names.
- “We didn’t know what items were coming, when they were arriving, or who was sending them.”
- Gift receipts were inconsistent and rarely included full names.
- Staff often had to send broad, generic thank‑you messages because they couldn’t identify donors.
Mismatch Between Needs and Donations
- Donations arrived weeks or months after requests, long after the need had passed.
- “We would suddenly get a windfall of blankets, and maybe we didn’t need all of them two months after the fact.”
- Urgent needs (like bottles or sippy cups) required mass emails, often resulting in duplicate asks to the same donors.
Manual, Inefficient Internal Processes
- Staff manually entered donor information into their CRM for only a small percentage of donations delivered in person.
- Online orders were nearly impossible to track.
- “Practically impossible” is how Alexa described matching donor gifts to actual needs.
- No financial valuation of in‑kind gifts existed prior to Mindful Giving.
Donor Experience Gaps
- Donors often asked, “Did you get my donation?” and staff couldn’t confidently answer.
- The Amazon Wishlist was unbranded, cluttered, and exposed internal staff lists.
These challenges created operational strain, inconsistent donor stewardship, and limited visibility into the true impact of product donations.
The Solution
Alexa discovered Mindful Giving while researching what happened to Amazon Smile. What started as curiosity quickly became a transformational shift.
Why YWCA Columbus Chose Mindful Giving
- “Mindful Giving solved problems in a way we didn’t think was possible.”
- The platform offered:
- A branded, modern giving experience
- Donor transparency and full donor information
- The ability to run multiple campaigns at once under one URL
- Centralized management for all programs
- Real‑time tracking and reporting
- The ability to quickly swap out items during urgent needs
Internal Buy‑In
When Alexa presented the platform to the finance team, the response was immediate:
- “Well, of course. This is an easy yes.”
- “The information we will get from new, current, and recurring donors is well worth the cost.”
- “The ease of the donation process is far beyond the amount of money spent on the program.”
New Capabilities
- Ability to track donor behavior and retention
- Visibility into which items move quickly vs. sit idle
- Uniform, relevant items arriving consistently
- Ability to request specific clothing sizes—including plus sizes for the first time
- Quick campaign pivots (e.g., from toys to essential items)
Note: The following image is of a demo Mindful Giving admin dashboard
for illustration purposes only.
The Results
The impact of Mindful Giving was immediate and measurable, especially during the 2025 holiday season.
Holiday Giving & Essential Needs Campaigns
785 items purchased for holiday giving. Notably, 177 toys, 129 activity books/art supplies, and 62 jewelry/makeup accessories.
- Valued at over $10,000
1,290 essential items purchased. Notably, 114 coats donated in the exact sizes needed.
- Valued at nearly $9,000
Donor Acquisition & Engagement
- 123 total donors
- 81 were new donors
- 2 LYBUNTs (last year but unfortunately not this year) returned
- 22 SYBUNTs (some year but unfortunately not this year) returned. 12 hadn’t given since 2020.
- 8 donors gave $500+
- 1 donor gave over $11,000
- Donors came from 8 states beyond Ohio
Corporate & Group Engagement
- Four organizations sent out the YWCA Columbus Mindful Giving link as a part of their year-end giving program, each giving between $400-$1300. One of those partners brought 23 new donors to the YWCA Columbus.
- A local club moved their entire giving list onto Mindful Giving, resulting in more teen and men’s items—categories often overlooked.
Operational Efficiency
- Staff could finally quantify in‑kind giving.
- Donor stewardship became personalized and immediate.
- Campaigns could be updated in minutes, not weeks.
- Even with minimal promotion in January, 11 additional orders came in.
Alexa summed it up simply:
“Very good choice. We’re glad we moved in this direction.”
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Staff and Donor Feedback
Staff Feedback
- “Way better. Way easier. Donations are more in line with what we need and when we need it.”
- Loading product options takes time, but “it gives much more information, ease of donating, and clear reporting in the long run.”
Donor Feedback
- “So easy to use, loved the system, felt right.”
- Donors appreciated transparency and the ability to choose exactly what to give.
- When early technical hiccups occurred, donors proactively reached out because they trusted the system.
Human Impact Stories
Mindful Giving didn’t just improve operations—it changed lives.
Coats for Winter
Before Mindful Giving, YWCA Columbus entered winter with no coats in stock.
After launching the platform:
- They received 114 coats in the exact sizes needed.
- “We went from ‘We don’t have any coats to provide’ to now asking, ‘Do you have a coat?’”
- “I cannot overstate the value of those 114 coats.”
A Stroller That Changed Everything
One family had a child on the autism spectrum who urgently needed a stroller to navigate daily life. YWCA Columbus had struggled to keep strollers in stock, or even receive them, as they are a high-demand item among their families.
Alexa added the request to Mindful Giving, asking for five strollers.
What happened next stunned the team:
- Within 24 hours, one stroller arrived.
- After hearing how her gift helped the family, the donor was so moved that she returned to Mindful Giving and purchased the remaining four strollers.
- Alexa shared, “It was magical. I cried.”
Today, YWCA Columbus has both strollers and car seats back in stock, waiting for families who need them; something Alexa “never thought I’d be able to say.”
Conclusion
Mindful Giving empowered YWCA Columbus to transform product donations from a chaotic, unpredictable process into a strategic, donor‑centered engine for impact. With real‑time visibility, donor transparency, and the ability to run multiple campaigns across diverse programs, the organization now receives exactly what it needs—when it needs it.
As Alexa put it best:
“The Mindful Giving platform is new. There is a lot that is still being developed. Each time a new feature is rolled out, a new way to use it is unlocked. It just keeps getting better.”
Ready to Transform Your In-Kind Giving Strategy?
Nonprofits across the country are discovering what YWCA Columbus learned firsthand: when donors have clarity, choice, and transparency, they give more. And they give more often. If your organization wants to streamline product donations, reduce staff workload, and create a donor experience that feels modern and meaningful, Mindful Giving is ready to help.
You can explore the platform, ask questions, and see how it works for your programs by scheduling a personalized demo.
