When I first heard about the Couponing for Community drive around this time last year, I knew it was something that I was eager to participate in. As a stay-at-home-mother of three children, I often find myself wishing I could do more to help others. But, when you have five people living on one income, finances are tight! One of the things I like best about Couponing for Community is that it makes it easier for all of us to give big while actually spending very little (or give VERY BIG while spending a little more)!
How I Organized a Local Donation Drive in a few easy steps:
Last year, I teamed up with a friend and the two of us placed a few phone calls. We received the go ahead from two local libraries and our local YMCA to place empty boxes in their lobbies for the week. Then we emailed all of our friends and asked the libraries and the Y to help us spread the word via their email lists, as well.
At the end of the week, we had collected 365 items; enough for a local needy family to receive a new item every day for one whole year! We were beside ourselves. Driving over to pick up the items and drop them off at our local food pantry only took one morning to complete. Realizing the great impact it had on our community, we would gladly have done even more!
Now, I don’t run a couponing blog with thousands of followers (I do happen to run a website, but it is focused on family events in the town where I live). But, I didn’t let that stop me from organizing my own local drive…and it doesn’t have to stop anyone else either! If you are a fan of the Couponing for Community program and have a desire to rally up those around you to make a greater impact for those in need, you have all you need to run a successful drive of your own: passion.
How YOU Can Do the Same:
Passion is contagious. If you are excited about the C4C program, let it show.
-Tell your friends and neighbors.
-Share the Couponing for Community Facebook page on your Facebook wall.
-Send out an email to your friends, family, and others in groups you may belong to and let people know they can bring items to your home.
Or, go one step further and contact your local library, YMCA or other local community center and ask if you can set up an empty box in their lobby for the week. You can also contact local business owners or your local Chamber of Commerce or other business association to see if any other businesses would be interested in participating. (Maybe you can recall the businesses that had Toys for Tots boxes in their lobbies a few months back. Start there!)
Having a box in the lobby of a business is not a great imposition in most cases. Yet, the increased foot traffic and visibility that a business will receive can be very helpful to them! In this economy, small businesses love opportunities for publicity that are easy on their budgets.
Spread the Word!
I hope this has helped inspire you to start your own C4C drive. I can tell you from personal experience that the rewards far outweigh the effort and, if you have children, this is a very family-friendly, hands-on project that can help you to teach them by example. So, go on! I challenge you to send an email right now to your friends, neighbors and family and invite them to join us as we help even more families this year than last!
Note from Kaley: Then be sure to join in the FUN by adding your donation totals during the week of May 6-12 on the C4C Facebook page. Let’s blow our 30,000 item goal out of the water!
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Aimee is a mom of three small children who was tired of sifting through magazines and skimming websites to find local events and decided to start North Penn Under Ten so that her region with its population of over 90,000 could have a site of its own.
Thank you, Aimee!