FundRaiser Champion John Mok-Lamme is busy-- going to school and working full time as Executive Director of Karis, Inc. Yet when you talk to him, it’s his big heart that comes through not the tasks he has on his plate. He fit in the interview with me between two pressing tasks, and we had only a few minutes to talk before he was going to step into a sound booth for a radio interview. In that time, two important characteristics came through clearly—first that he knows how to get a lot done in a short time and second that he’s the kind of person you want at your back- warm, intelligent, and committed to being of service in his community.

As a FundRaiser Champion, he has used FundRaiser at more than one nonprofit. He cofounded Karis, Inc., where he works now and also led to a community wide effort to establish The House, a branch of Karis, which is the only licensed teen shelter between Denver and Provo Utah.

In his personal life, family and children are also central to what gives him joy. "I’m a big family guy. I have two beautiful children. I do a lot of coaching and hanging out with the kids," says John. One of his favorite things to do is to spend time outdoors hiking with his children.

"I come from an immigrant home and that had a big impact on me. My faith also plays a big role. For me the idea of people helping people—the ethic of helping-- and that we are all equals is a good fit for me."

In particular he finds his faith helps him keep a sense of hope with his work. "I think it is easier to work in the nonprofit world with some faith that things will be OK. Having a sense of calling is important. In my faith, I’m an Evangelical Christian. What I really like about my faith is the orientation towards love, the ethic of love and caring. I also really like the emphasis on the scriptures and on trust.

"That’s all connected in with my background, too. I grew up Italian, in an immigrant home with a lot of Italian influence. There was a strong emphasis on being there for each other in a personal way, and also that the community we live in is important. That’s why I like the FundRaiser. That feeling comes through to me," says John.