For passionate students, community service represents an integral aspect of pouring into one’s neighborhood. From volunteering with local nonprofits to cleaning up community parks, young people can find various avenues to provide their diverse counties with a helping hand. As teens continue to search for ways to aid others, creating a donation drive can serve as a significant, personal way to account for the specific needs of an area or group of people. Drives may appear as a challenging feat; when one follows these outlined steps, however, the path toward purposeful community service becomes increasingly clear.
Although creating donation drives does require a significant degree of planning, the payout of these events can benefit underserved communities. Additionally, drives can represent a bonding experience for communities, encouraging citizens of all ages to organize toward a common goal. According to Greater Giving, a nonprofit fundraising website, donation drives can foster inclusivity and increase awareness of pressing issues, which can serve as a catalyst for intentional service in the future. For students especially, creating donation drives can help instill confidence and leadership; spearheading a cause, generating awareness and delivering results can equip students with the skills required for internships or career ventures.
“I organize[d] a card drive for patients who are in my mom’s hospital because she’s a nurse and she would be able to deliver them to the hospital for me. Basically when I was in student government] in middle school, I asked the teacher rep to get all the teachers to have their homeroom write cards for patients and I also checked in with all the teachers as well to see if they got the message. I gave them a couple of weeks to craft letters, and I went by each classroom to pick all the cards up. I organized the letters all into a box and my mom took them to work and they were distributed. This project was helping the patient community since a good portion of them often don’t get visitors since they are elderly. The project was just trying to show that their community is there for them,” magnet junior Collin Thompson said.
Step One: Choose a specific cause
When designing a donation drive, establishing a particular cause to focus on sets the premium foundation for a successful project. Whether one plans to gather cans for a local school pantry, generate clothes for a community closet or raise sanitation products for a homeless shelter, targeting a specific cause or community can ensure the donation drive does not lose purpose. Focusing on a specific city or county in a person’s area can also guarantee that drives will maintain their intention.
Step Two: Set clear goals (and a clear plan!)
After determining a specific cause, creating a detailed plan with thorough goals can also set up a donation drive for success. Mapping out the length of a project, as well as any specific checkpoints, will provide students with a clear flow of the orders of operation. Drive organizers can also set up various collection points in their schools to increase the visibility of their projects.
Step Three: Involve the community
Including members of one’s community can encourage collective support for any project. Setting up an advocacy event at a local park or gathering donations at a community center can mobilize different aspects of a neighborhood and include people of all ages in the serving process. Rallying support from different pockets of one’s community can also encourage future support for other endeavors and engender a cushion of assistance.
Step Four: Leverage resources
As the world continues to modernize, an increased number of resources emerge at a young person’s disposal to support projects. Leveraging social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn can allow for causes to reach wide audiences and cast a significant net of support. Outsourcing assistance in different aspects of school with teachers, counselors and other classmates can also increase aid; when members of a school community reach out to their respective clubs or community groups, they can spread the message of a donation drive to diverse aspects of an area. Flyers — both digital and physical — can also call attention to the initiative’s message and goals by featuring key information. For NC organizations like Rally Club, Key Club and Interact Club, these methods of advertising represent successful venues for raising awareness for their endeavors.
Step Six: Celebrate results — then learn from experience
Once all of the sanitary products, gloves, canned goods or old shoes arrive, individuals who coordinate the drive can bring their donations to the community in need. Drives can conclude as volunteers craft kits, drop off the materials at a local donation center or ship the spoils to another location. After completing a project, reflection represents a key aspect of learning from a donation drive and establishing how the results can guide future endeavors.
“I think community service is important because it helps with growth as a community and as a culture. Since the world is so globalized now, it’s hard to form a good relationship as a local community. Community service is a great step towards a community culture, as it teaches people to be appreciative of their community and the people who inhabit it. This definitely helps if there are diverse students, as it would promote a love for diversity within communities, and show that there’s a place for everyone in communities,” Thompson said.
In diverse areas such as Cobb County, creating equitable, available donation drives may serve to help people of different races and socioeconomic statuses. As of 2019, over 450 homeless persons resided in Cobb County; of that number, nearly 60 of those individuals experienced chronic homelessness, when a person has experienced homelessness multiple times. Through community service initiatives, individuals who may struggle with consistent homelessness or displacement can receive relief and support from those in dire need. Through following these actionable steps, students can learn how to be of thoughtful service in different pockets of their communities.
For individuals who live in multi-ethnic municipalities, community service represents a noteworthy way for young people to deepen their local ties. Establishing a pattern of altruism within one’s school can create a positive ripple effect, one fueled by dedication to helping others. Serving the community will benefit all who engage, and it remains tantamount for students to start that trend early.