In the past 3 years and 11 months, One Can A Week has collected more than 23 tons of food and $10,000 in cash from the Miles Neighborhood, a working class community near Broadway and Campbell.
The end result is more than 11,900 parents and children have been fed three means in one day. And based on the buying power of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, ($1.00 = $9.50) the $10,000 donation produced the equivalent of $95,000 in food and services.
Other One Can A Week Programs in TucsonThere are currently 6 other neighborhoods and organizations picking up the One Can A Week gauntlet and collecting food and dollars for the Community Food Bank.
The Rincon Market on 6th Street is the prototype of the capitalistic function of the program. Patrons donate small change and dollar bills each week in a collection jar by the cash register. Those cash donations are then used to purchase can goods in the grocery section of the market. Over the past two years the Rincon Market has donated over 4.5 tons of food.
Maria Maes, a high school student in the Catalina Vista Neighborhood collects approximately 35 lbs. on average per week accumulating over a ton of food in the past two years.
Frank Flasch encouraged most of the HOAs in his Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood to participate in One Can A Week. To date they have over 9 HOA participating with more coming board. They collect an average of 55 lbs. per month. In a year that will amount to over two tons of food.
Mayor Jonathan Rothschild’s One Can A Meeting program began in October, 2012 and involves a number of prominent organizations in Tucson such as PICOR, Lewis and Roca, Providence Services, City of Tucson, Planning and Development Services Department and The Arizona Theatre Company. These organizations will prove to be more productive in the holiday season.
The Miles School in the Miles Neighborhood is now in its third year of donating to the Community Food Bank through the One Can A Week program. Each school year a different class is assigned the task of collecting food from the other classes. In addition the students visit the food bank and learn to shop at local supermarkets.
Senior Companions a part of Our Family Services, a national volunteer service initiative is continuing their commitment to One Can A Week for another year. When asked, all the volunteers said yes to their commitment to the Community Food Bank.
One Can A Week Programs Around the CountryA number of cities in the country including Phoenix, AZ; Millburn, NJ (near Short Hills): Atlanta, GA and Wake Forest, NC. have One Can A Week programs.
Of particular note is the Lion’s Club participation in Athens, WV. Students in a political science class at Concord University set up a One Can A Week program in an effort to replicate the level of participation we were experiencing here in Tucson. Their results were the same as ours.
Fifty percent of the neighbors in the selected neighborhood participated in the program on a consistent basis. In addition, the students presented their findings to a local Lion’s Club that eventually took over and continued their food donation program.
Other One Can A Week Programs in TucsonThere are currently 6 other neighborhoods and organizations picking up the One Can A Week gauntlet and collecting food and dollars for the Community Food Bank.
The Rincon Market on 6th Street is the prototype of the capitalistic function of the program. Patrons donate small change and dollar bills each week in a collection jar by the cash register. Those cash donations are then used to purchase can goods in the grocery section of the market. Over the past two years the Rincon Market has donated over 4.5 tons of food.
Maria Maes, a high school student in the Catalina Vista Neighborhood collects approximately 35 lbs. on average per week accumulating over a ton of food in the past two years.
Frank Flasch encouraged most of the HOAs in his Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood to participate in One Can A Week. To date they have over 9 HOA participating with more coming board. They collect an average of 55 lbs. per month. In a year that will amount to over two tons of food.
Mayor Jonathan Rothschild’s One Can A Meeting program began in October, 2012 and involves a number of prominent organizations in Tucson such as PICOR, Lewis and Roca, Providence Services, City of Tucson, Planning and Development Services Department and The Arizona Theatre Company. These organizations will prove to be more productive in the holiday season.
The Miles School in the Miles Neighborhood is now in its third year of donating to the Community Food Bank through the One Can A Week program. Each school year a different class is assigned the task of collecting food from the other classes. In addition the students visit the food bank and learn to shop at local supermarkets.
Senior Companions a part of Our Family Services, a national volunteer service initiative is continuing their commitment to One Can A Week for another year. When asked, all the volunteers said yes to their commitment to the Community Food Bank.
One Can A Week Programs Around the CountryA number of cities in the country including Phoenix, AZ; Millburn, NJ (near Short Hills): Atlanta, GA and Wake Forest, NC. have One Can A Week programs.
Of particular note is the Lion’s Club participation in Athens, WV. Students in a political science class at Concord University set up a One Can A Week program in an effort to replicate the level of participation we were experiencing here in Tucson. Their results were the same as ours.
Fifty percent of the neighbors in the selected neighborhood participated in the program on a consistent basis. In addition, the students presented their findings to a local Lion’s Club that eventually took over and continued their food donation program.
One Can A Week Mission
The idea was very simple. Ask neighbors weekly to help feed the needy in Tucson by donating just One Can A Week. This request suddenly opened many serendipitous doors.
- Nearly 50% of a neighborhood will responds weekly to the food drive.
- Neighbors become excited and engaged in the community service program
- Neighbors will stay involved in the program as long as the Coordinator shows up on their doorstep each week. As of November 19, 2012 neighbors in the Miles Neighborhood have participated in the One Can A Week program for 202 straight weeks.
With such a profound success rate it is now my mission to introduce One Can A Week to other neighborhoods in Tucson and around the country to help end hunger and subsequently engage at least 50% of our country’s citizens in community service.
One Can A Week Organizational Strategy
When creating One Can A Week I realized I could only personally collect so much food in a few hours on Sunday. (Sunday was chosen because that is the one day of the week that folks are home on a consistent basis.) I also decided that Coordinators should only work in the neighborhood in which they live.
Other criteria:
Adherence to the strict meaning of the word charity – Every food donation and every penny is given to the Community Food Bank.
Total transparency – All donation records are based on Community Food Bank receipts only.
Entrepreneurial participation – Each neighborhood Coordinator independently initiates a One Can A Week program and is totally responsible for weekly collections and records. If there are any irregularities, the Coordinator is called into question, not the One Can A Week program.
No nonprofit status – Many people are concerned that their donations will be used for purposes other than to help individuals. The web and newspapers are filled with stories of abuses and even major charities are not immune to such shenanigans. One Can A Week will never file for nonprofit status with the IRS. This is in line with my thinking that a charity should be a totally charitable venture. Therefore, no income or expense will be paid for from any donation to One Can A Week.
“The Food is there, we just have to pick it up.”
How to Grow One Can A Week Food Donation Pick Up and Delivery Service
We know people will donate food every week if someone visits their home. We also know, with the inauguration of Mayor Rothschild’s One Can A Meeting program that offices all over town collect or would like to collect food but they do not have the know-how or the way, for that matter, to deliver their donations to the Community Food Bank. It is just such a hassle for them.
The Community Food Bank does pick up food but they have schedules and cannot act quickly, if at all, to random calls for pick up service especially if those donations are under 50 lbs.
The Mayor is spreading the word that food donations can and should be collected in city and business offices around town. His office calls me to pick up those donations. Recently I heard from Heather Thrall in the City of Tucson, Planning and Development Services Department. After I arranged the donation pick she sent me an email, “I commend you for your service to this community, it's beyond kind and very needed.”
Presentation to Schools, Churches and Clubs
Now that One Can A Week has an impressive track record it is time to contact and make presentations to organizations around town. All this requires is printed brochures, gas money and a reliable vehicle.
Current Costs and Expenditures
Several years ago Quaker Foods gave me a $500 grant which covered gas and signage for the Cabriolet and volunteer hand carts. Also a friend gave me a 1992 Ford Taurus which lasted several years. It had to be junked recently. He also provided an HP Laptop. Another friend gave $150 for gas, auto repair and printing expenses. Everything else I about $400 from teaching the computer.
How a Sponsor Can Help
At this juncture, a $1,000 per month sponsorship would meet all of my needs allowing me to pay for auto insurance, auto maintenance, gas, brochures and the like. I built One Can A Week to what it is today on my social security income, imagine what I can do with a little more revenue.
What is the Benefit for a Sponsor?
There’s good will for you, your company or organization, of course, but just as important is the fact that you are supporting the engine of a very successful and unique community service program, not just giving money to an established charitable organization.
As with all One Can A Week participants, you will receive quarterly reports on how your “charitable investment” is doing.
If you become a sponsor and you deem it appropriate, the name of your company or organization will appear in the Weekly Email Update, the blog websites and on all One Can A Week promotional materials and signage.
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| Community Food Bank Receipt |
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| One Can A Week Quarterly Report |
SPECIAL NOTE: Please make checks payable to Peter G. Norback and mail to: 1428 E. Miles Street, Tucson, AZ 85719.
One Can A Week is not a business entity and does not have a checking account. One Can A Week is a charity concept in the public domain.
One Can A Week is not a business entity and does not have a checking account. One Can A Week is a charity concept in the public domain.
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