Planning key to holiday helping

THEY DELIVER: Panera Bread employees help with the distribution portion of the December 2014 Children's Friend annual holiday drive. / COURTESY CHILDREN'S FRIEND
THEY DELIVER: Panera Bread employees help with the distribution portion of the December 2014 Children's Friend annual holiday drive. / COURTESY CHILDREN'S FRIEND

Saying no is tough.

That’s especially true when those doing the asking are offering help to those less fortunate. But that’s exactly what some local nonprofits have to do during the holiday season.

“When people ask, we do the best we can to fit them in, but generally we have more volunteers than we can [accommodate],” said Hugh Minor, director of communications at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “We try to provide as many opportunities as we can, but we can’t always fit everyone in.”

Often, Minor said, unanswerable requests come from local business, large and small, that want to send employee groups to the food bank for hands-on service projects. Though he couldn’t attach a number to the amount of businesses the food bank has to turn away, he said there is an uptick in requests during the holiday season.

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It’s a common dilemma in the nonprofit community. Luckily, the parties involved often do find creative ways to work around the problem. Planning early is often the key.

“We know that gone are the days that you can call [a nonprofit] up and say we have 30 people who want to come next week,” said Carolyn Belisle, managing director of community relations at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. “These nonprofits are running day-to-day businesses. It can be very disruptive for an organization to accommodate volunteers without ample planning and thoughtful consideration as to how to maximize employee services and skills.”

Blue Cross is a longtime philanthropic partner of the food bank. This holiday season marks the company’s third annual Gobble Games, an employee-based food drive to benefit the food bank.

Last year, the drive collected just under 10,000 food items. Belisle said part of what makes the drive successful for both parties is that it is run with an “intentional structure” that ensures the food bank gets a large supply of needed items and that employees stay engaged through friendly competition.

This year, Amica Mutual Insurance Co. is joining the giving drive.

Meredith Gregory, charitable-giving coordinator, said Amica was thrilled to accept the friendly competition invite.

“The focus is two longtime companies coming together to collect food for needy families and having our employees engaged and excited about the challenge,” she said. “From working with nonprofits we’re aware that they can be overwhelmed [at the holidays]. If we do projects, we want to make sure it’s beneficial to them.”

Another concern for nonprofits is when businesses or individuals seek out volunteer possibilities during a specific season when an organization’s work requires extensive volunteer training.

That’s sometimes the case at Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, where volunteers are undergoing critical training to provide services, including sitting with patients who are receiving end-of-life care. Though the organization doesn’t see a large number of group volunteer requests, Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Relations Charles Iacono said there is an increase in volunteer requests during the holiday season.

“The desire to volunteer [here] is often from an individual’s experience,” he said. “We do see a huge increase in philanthropic support during the holiday season.”

Iacono said there are often small businesses that inquire about seasonal giving. When groups from these businesses cannot be trained in time to volunteer, they often instead make a donation to HHCRI in lieu of holding an office holiday party or giving employee gifts.

“We feel very blessed and fortunate to be one of the nonprofits that individuals [and companies] make a philanthropic priority,” Iacono said.

Minor said the food bank advises volunteers it has to turn away in much the same manner. They are encouraged to host their own food or fund drive, like the Gobble Games. Groups can schedule regular volunteer days throughout the year. Several Rhode Island companies, including Citizens Bank, do this, Minor said.

“Employees get to come out and experience a positive activity and bond and connect as an organization, so that’s why corporations like it so much,” he said.

Children’s Friend, which works to improve the lives of the state’s most vulnerable children, has a long list of corporate partners for its annual holiday drive. The project allows companies to “adopt” families in need and fill their holiday gift wish lists, which often include items such as coats, socks and blankets.

The distribution portion of the program takes a lot of time and manpower. So volunteers, says Stacy Couto, vice president of external affairs, are needed.

“Absolutely, we would be able to plug business groups in,” she said. “But, the earlier they call, the better.” n

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