Whether you own a small start-up or head up a large corporation, your company’s mission probably isn’t just about profit margins. It’s about giving back to the community that invests in your business and finding volunteer opportunities for companies that mirror or are related to your organization.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities have become an important element to many meetings as planners seek experiences to strengthen attendee engagement and have a positive impact on a community as a part of their Arizona meeting. In Chandler, several opportunities are available for companies and in-person events to be socially responsible and support volunteer initiatives that benefit children, families and serve the overall well-being of the Chandler community. Here are some organizations where groups can make a difference throughout the year:
Feed the Children
Feed the Children is a national nonprofit relief organization that has tackled childhood hunger—as well as provided clothing, medicine, and other necessities—for 40 years. Feed the Children operates a distribution and volunteer center in Chandler to better serve families in the Southwest who live below the poverty line.
Volunteers can sort and screen products, and help assemble boxes of food and household essentials distributed to families in need. There are also opportunities to staff the Feed the Children Teacher Store, which gives teachers in Chandler and Mesa Title 1 schools a place to shop for free classroom supplies and books. Companies also can make corporate product donations, sponsor a child, start a fundraiser, participate in workplace giving programs and donate a vehicle.
For Our City - Chandler
The group of nonprofits, faith-based organizations and businesses in Chandler started For Our City - Chandler in 2009. It collaborates with different organizations to host seasonal projects such as heat relief, Operation Back to School, For Our City Day, Thanksgiving food boxes and holiday drives. Volunteers are needed for all events, including providing prep before and on the day of events. In addition, volunteers and companies can donate water, food and school supplies, sponsor events, provide in-kind donations and serve on planning committees.
For Our City also supports several ongoing projects, including Let’s Pull Together, ChangeUp, and I-HELP. In addition, volunteer groups can perform yard work and home repairs, and cook meals for the homeless. An ongoing project at Willis Jr. High School helps collect school supplies and clothing, and seek bus drivers and mentors.
AZCEND
Formerly Chandler Christian Community Center, AZCEND was founded in 1966 and supports many community endeavors that nourish the mind and body. Besides operating a food bank and supplying emergency and supplemental food boxes (as well as running two family resource centers), it manages I-HELP: Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging, offers case management, emergency and rent utility assistance through the Community Action Program (CAP), and early childhood literacy programs for child under the age of 5. AZCEND also manages the Chandler and Gilbert senior centers, which includes providing nutritious home delivery meals and activities for seniors.
Group and individual volunteers assist in a variety of programs including the Family Resource Center, Community Action Program, food bank, senior centers and I-HELP. For example, volunteers can sort and bag food for distribution, deliver meals, work on special events, be a literacy mentor or activities assistant. Bilingual skills are an added bonus.
Feed My Starving Children
As a Christian nonprofit, Feed My Starving Children works with organizations and ministries to end global childhood hunger through distribution of food packs. Arizona is one of four states with permanent packing sites. Volunteers are needed for two-hour shifts—at the permanent facility in Mesa and at MobilePack events—to hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags, which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets and shipped to partners around the world.
Other ways to give back include sponsoring an online fundraiser, donating to a MobilePack, contributing to the organization through a payroll giving program, and making a matching gift or monthly donation.
For more ideas and information about adding CSR activities into your next meeting, please connect with the Visit Chandler sales team.
