Drives that collect food, clothing, and necessities for those in need often bring out a smile from even the most steadfast cubicle curmudgeon. In addition to boosting employee morale the most important outcome is that those who are in need get help from those who can — and are willing to — share. So, how do we go about organizing these events? Here are some suggestions that will work all year round and keep us focused on the fact that no matter how difficult our situations, there are always those whose need is much greater than ours. We all know the tried and true yearly events, but here are a few not-so-run-of-the-mill suggestions for events along with ways to make them flow smoothly. PERMISSION: Before you organize any drive, make sure that it has been approved by management and those who make the decisions. You do not want to put yourself in a position where a simple Christmas food drive becomes a legal issue because it is not inclusive of other beliefs. The legal team or management should always give you the green light before anything is planned. DELEGATION: Lest all the responsibility fall on one person, have at least two or three people who are willing to help you with the event. Management should always be involved, if possible, because they are responsible for the activities of their unit and do answer to those higher up for any problems, difficulties, or dilemmas. Need knows no season, so while Christmas is a popular time, make it a point to do things for those less fortunate at different times during the year. FOOD: Collecting cans or non-perishable food items is very big around Thanksgiving or harvest time, but sponsoring a different family once a month or taking a refugee shelter as your company philanthropy allows us to be mindful year round and is a great alternative to the “once a year” mindset. Refugees who are in the process of starting a new life in a different country are often in need of basics and having a drive to help get them started is a great way to give someone a new chance at a great life. As for hard work and effort, a “dress down” or casual dress day is a super reward for a job well done. If there is a huge surplus of cans at the end of the collection, call several local homeless shelters and divide the cans or call just one and choose a different charity each year. No matter who gets the food that year, one thing is certain. Poverty and need will still be around next year. You might want to make a rule that no one can bring in canned spinach or any vegetable that they would not want to eat themselves! BABY ITEMS: There are so many facilities that cater to the needs of young mothers, but most cannot keep up with the demand for items such as car seats, diapers, baby food, etc. Choose one facility that helps underprivileged mothers and have a baby drive. For those of us blessed with the ability to give our children more than they need, helping children who cannot help themselves is a double blessing. SCHOOL SUPPLIES: A fantastic way to give back to the community and provide a much-needed service for local children is by organizing a “back to school” drive. For many children who live in poverty, simple items such as crayons, pencils, notebooks, and backpacks are real luxuries. Organizing a drive and pairing up with underprivileged schools in poverty stricken areas will benefits the children of the community in so many ways. Think back to your days in school and how much those brand new supplies meant to you. Having a drive to give those simple items to children in need could change the way they feel about school altogether and maybe even change the future for a child who is challenged by generational poverty. CLOTHING: There are more seasons than just one. Children who get coats during a coat or clothing drive in winter will still need clothes in the summer. Why not have a seasonal drive and collect new or gently used clothing for a local women and children’s center? Often, the families who go to these places leave their homes with nothing because they are in fear for their lives. Making sure that these families have suitable seasonable clothing may be just the incentive they need to make a clean break and start over again. TOYS: Christmas is the big toy holiday, but children in the pediatric wing of a hospital or battered children’s homes still have other holidays where they might be overlooked. Why not choose a local orphanage or abused children’s center and organize a special “Un-birthday” drive? Have everyone who would like to contribute choose one small toy item and wrap it just like a birthday present. Collect the presents and celebrate all the “un-birthdays” at the orphanage. After all, birthdays only come once and year and may or may not be celebrated. Un-birthdays are all the other days of the year and will put smiles on the faces of children who might not smile again for a long, long time. The logistics of organizing these drives is pretty simple. You must coordinate with whatever charities you choose and make sure that all their guidelines are followed. If you organize it, be prepared to be the one to drive, collect all final products, and follow through/see it through to the end. The part you play in helping those in need is, in the end, its own reward. 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