Regular readers know that I work in the non-profit sector, I run a community center for low income folks. Anyway with times being so tough for many, I feel the need to make a little service announcement, also since I have been slacking on posting lately, figured it’d be nice to stick something up.
Anyway just like individuals are not immune to the economic woes that are gripping the country, neither are social service providers. We see more and more folks seeking our help but as a insider I have a newsflash for you. We don’t have more money either, in fact most agencies are experiencing severe shortages. For agencies that receive government assistance, these are rough times indeed. For agencies like mine that rely on the goodness of individual donors we are being hammered at a time we have more families looking for help. Giving is dropping at a time when need is increasing, not good times at all.
So what does that mean to you? It means now would be an excellent time to get involved, many agencies love to use volunteers. No time, maybe you can donate your old clothing…though I must say make sure its in good shape. Too many times our agency gets stuff that we just cannot use because its in such poor condition. Think of it like this, if you were broke and had to use a free clothing closet, would you want to wear this? If the answer is no, then don’t give it to a agency that serves the poor.
Lastly most agencies and that includes my own organization think the best gift we can get is your cash. As I tell folks all the time, volunteers and items are nice but its cash that keeps the lights on. Don’t have a lot of cash? Well even $5 or $10 a month can make a difference if enough folks contribute.
So as a social services provider, I say there is no time like the present to get involved. Many worthy organizations in your community may not exist in a year or two without your help. So get involved at whatever level you can afford.
Have a great weekend!
