This year, a national insurance company began airing commercials focused on community service, boasting a website to connect people to opportunities in their respective communities. One ad, in particular, features a man who appears to be haunted by the headlines surrounding him, and finds comfort in making a difference through volunteering with several non-profits.
The ad states “the season of giving is over, but the need remains.” Not only is this a brilliant marketing strategy – airing in January when our resolutions are still quite resolute – but it couldn’t be more true. Ten small words together encompass the struggles that plague most non-profits in the coming months during the “off-season” for giving. Food banks that were full to capacity are barren by now, and the operational efficiency of many non-profits will be tested during this time.
To increase operational efficiency at ReSources Vail Food Bank, consider donating items that are required provisions for each family in need. These items include peanut butter, cereal, canned meats, rice or pasta and beans. Another great way to expand your outreach is to increase the quality of your donations. As the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (an affiliate of the Resources Vail Food bank) states on their website, “food can and should do more than resolve immediate hunger – it should nourish, protect, and heal the body. An endless cycle of distributing unhealthy food doesn’t solve problems; in fact, it contributes to them.”
Providing your food bank with good quality foods improves the health and well-being of the recipients and aids long-term operational efficiency by decreasing medical and financial needs. Operational efficiency is ever-expanding at ReSources Vail Food Bank, and programs are expanding to match. Senior meal delivery is planning to double in size, the backpack program has grown, and The Vail Depot is expanding its hours this month as well.
Whatever your motive for volunteering, this is the season you are needed most. Check out www.resourcesvail.org for opportunities in your area.
The aforementioned website is www.neighborhodofgood.com. Whatever your goals for service are this year, you’ll find plenty of ways to contribute in and around Tucson.
Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
— Will Rogers
Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.
— Christine Todd Whitman
