210th Week Update - Miles Neighborhood Food Collection Project

Hi Folks,

“Charity Takes Small Piece of the Pie”

There’s a headline you won’t see in the local newspaper or online any time soon. It’s not provocative and nobody got hurt. Unfortunately, what piques everyone’s interest and sells newspapers is humans getting over on other humans. On the other hand, humans helping other humans without any jaded self interest, that’s just not news.

But it is news. Such behavior is as rare and as valuable as the Hope Diamond. Whenever I have a conversation with folks about charities in general the first thing that comes up is how they are ripping off the donors by painting homes, throwing parties and generally misusing funds. This makes every charitable organization suspect and donors reluctant to get involved.

But there is one charity I know for sure that is above reproach and it is our very own Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Bill Carnegie, the CEO, along with his board and staff run one of the most efficient and effective food banks in the country. Charity Navigator, a prominent charity rating service, gives the Food Bank 4 Stars out of four. But the Food Bank’s audited annual report says it all. Only 3% of the revenues they receive go to pay for fund raising and administrative costs. That’s 3%.

So the next time your friends talk about not-so-charitable charities, you can tell them you donate to one every week that knows what it means to have and keep the public’s trust. Those are the words I use every time the subject comes up and is the reason why I work so hard on One Can A Week. Our Food Bank is one of the best in the business of helping feed hungry kids and families.

One Can A Week is Making Some Noise

We showed up on one list in the Community Food Bank Annual Report 2011 – 2012. One Can A Week is among the 14 Food Drives that produced 10,000 Pounds & More. That’s a pretty select crowd which proves again that donating just a little on a very consistent basis really makes a big difference.

 

 

Ward 6 in the Lead

For some time now Council Member Steve Kozachik has encouraged his constituents to donate a can of food to the Food Bank every time they used one of their free meeting rooms. The last pick up was in late October so in a little over two months Ward 6 has collected 154 lbs. of food. That’s a very effective One Can A Meeting program.

Take Your Pup to Work Day

Now that there’s only Adam, I’m figuring out ways to bring him along on all kinds of little trips where he won’t be left in the truck alone. Today he helped me make a deliver to the Food Bank. When it came time for the cart photo, I got this terrific idea. It immediately became clear that Adam was not at all impressed with my creativity nor the situation I put him in.

We collected a total of 144 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $66.00, $55.00 in checks and $11.00 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter