SHARE Launches Holiday Campaign ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Vesper Service Network supports the work of not-for-profit organizations that are making a difference in their communities, by helping them engage people and resources in their missions. We love to promote the great ideas and important work of our members. This month we'd like to tell you about SHARE, an organization which builds community and brings hope through meeting the everyday need for good, nutritious food.
In communities throughout the nation, SHARE not-for-profit food-buying clubs help thousands of families save money on food. The amazing thing is that the hard work and dedication of SHARE volunteers to their communities are what make those savings possible. Each month, SHARE volunteers distribute high quality food at huge savings. Everyone is welcome to participate-there are no eligibility guidelines or income requirements to purchase food through SHARE affiliate programs. During the holidays, SHARE brings its extraordinary volunteer networks, proven distribution systems and incredible buying power into partnership with churches, social service agencies and other organizations. These organizations can purchase and/or distribute complete Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner Packages through SHARE-often at significant savings compared to grocery store prices, and with much more convenience. Holiday campaign partners often take on the fun and rewarding task of distributing these dinner packages to families in need in their communities. Or they may make a holiday campaign donation, and the SHARE programs will identify deserving families in the community.
The SHARE holiday meal campaign can help extend the impact of your organization. It doesn't matter whether your holiday outreach budget is large or small-by working with SHARE, you can make that budget stretch even further. To find out more about how you can participate in your area, visit the SHARE Wisconsin website for a complete listing of SHARE affiliate programs throughout the country: www.sharewi.org/SHAREAffiliates.html
SHARE Wisconsin, which serves 7,000 families throughout Wisconsin, northern Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, has details about its holiday dinner campaign at www.sharewi.org/2008STSCampaign.html or call toll-free 800-548-2124 for details on how you can get involved. Like you, SHARE understands the importance of helping families in our communities meet their basic needs. SHARE invites you to join in sharing the spirit of giving that is at the heart of our holiday traditions. |
Personal Coaching for Grant Writing Success ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you ever wished you had someone looking over your shoulder as you put together a grant application, helping you through the process, and giving you constructive feedback? Someone who has written successful grant applications and knows the process?
Grants As You Go is exactly that kind of help. This on-line coaching experience, led by Dr. Sally Stanton, will guide you through the process, from concept to completed application. Along the way you will learn the fundamentals of successful grant applications through a combination of live webinars, podcasts, peer learning discussion, and seeing samples of successful grant applications. And every participant will have their proposal reviewed individually by Dr. Stanton, and by our advisory panel of foundation executives.
The next eight-week session of Grants As You Go kicks off October 8, 2008. To register, or learn more, go to www.GrantsAsYouGo.com. |
Volunteering in the U.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A recent study shows that for a second year, the Midwest scores highest as the region with the most volunteering, and Minneapolis / St Paul ranks the highest among larger cities. Congratulations to all of our Twin City readers & fellow Midwesterners! In all, there were 60.8 million Americans volunteering in nationwide organizations in 2007, putting 8.1 billion hours into volunteering to make a difference in their communities. All of those hours of service are worth $158 billion in time - value that is certainly needed, as times get tougher; according to 'Volunteering in America Research Highlights', "as the economy slows and (not-for-profit) organizations struggle to provide services on smaller budgets, volunteers become even more vital to the health of our nation's communities". Read more at http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/assets/resources/VIA_Brief_FINAL.pdf
In addition, the largest percentage of volunteers served through religious organizations (35.7%). As a 'matchmaker' for people of faith looking for ways to better their community and faith-based not-for-profit organizations that need assistance, Vesper Service Network is proud to be a part of this nationwide trend. To date, VSN members have given a value of $21,700 back to their communities by using the skills they use every day at work to help faith-based organizations in their community. To keep track of how the Vesper Service Network community is making a difference on a local level, feel free to check the VSN value meter at http://vesperservice.ning.com. |
Tip of the Month: How to Choose CounselLike finding a grantwriter (unless you're planning on growing your own), finding counsel for a not-for-profit organization can be a very difficult task. These tips from Giving USA might help: http://www.givingusa.org/counsel/index.cfm |
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