Mobilizing the community to take on Poverty
More and more people are having difficulty affording the necessities to survive and thrive in their lives and depend on shelters, food banks, and government supports.
On the other hand, fast fashion, excessive consumerism and inefficient supply channels send an abundance of goods into the landfill.
For example, 1.3 billion tons of food, 92 million tons of textiles, and 9 million tons of furniture are thrown out every year.
In a world of excess, we believe that a community led supply ecosystem can help address society's most urgent issues of poverty and food insecurity. Our vision is that every community will have a supply network that operates exclusively for the benefit of vulnerable populations, and employs disadvantaged people in the process.
Our Main Elements
Empathy
The core reason we exist is because we believe that empathy and supply chain sustainability go hand in hand. No person should be left without, especially when our landfills are increasingly filled. Empathy can solve many problems.
Network
We aim to bring different stakeholders together for the benefit of people facing difficult circumstances. This includes businesses that can donate products or services, and organizations that are in the front lines.
Technology
We are creating a platform to help identify needs of the community and to help manage your in-kind program. Inventory, accounting, predictive supply and sourcing from businesses in the community and more.
Problems With In-Kind Donations
It’s no secret that in kind programs have their share of challenges. We are here to address some of these challenges.
In-Kind Donation Management
We are creating a collaborative platform for your organization to implement within the in-kind program so that people facing poverty can get the essentials they need, when they need it. Our goal is to provide your organization with the tools to help you manage your program, and an effective data strategy for your in kind program
Identifying Urgent Needed Items
Our first goal is to understand what goods are needed in the community at any given moment, and identify potential supply partners to help fill the need. We do this by enabling you to keep a current ‘Needed Items List’ that will be integrated into a community database that can be widely shared among the community. The database will combine different points of supply and match the need with the supply where possible. Immediately upon changing or adding a need, suppliers and donors can instantly see what specifically is required.
Making It Easier For Your Donor
Stage 2 is utilizing the community need database to build tools for your donors that may help increase your conversion rate. Its easy to become overwhelmed by the ‘busyness’ of life. We know that sometimes its a mere lack of time or ability to take action for something that isn’t normally part of our daily schedule. Enable your potential donors to take immediate action donating new or used goods or to rally their network to help supply the needed items.
Different Options Presented
Allow your in-kind donors to take action in a number of different ways.
Scheduling
Integrated scheduling of picks ups or drop offs to ensure your staff are prepared.
Front End Forms
Donors will fill out date and time of delivery and identify donation specifics prior to drop off or pick up. Ie. What is being given? Condition?
Accounting
Automated donor accounting to capture fair market valuation of goods, tax receipting, and more.
Creating a Care Campaign
Any supporter of your organization can proactively start a campaign to gather needed items, or to raise money to purchase goods.
Complete Visibility to the Needs and the Supply
The community needs database aggregates all data together and enables a management platform for your organization for more effective in-kind management.
Reporting and Trends
Historical reports and predictive insights based on your real data.
Community Needs
Kept up to date by the front line workers, the platform will proactively look for supply from the community.
Inventory
Developing the processes to effectively capture inventory as in comes in and goes out.
Accounting
Automated accounting to capture fair market valuation of goods, tax receipting, and more. Integrates into your accounting software.
Donors
Capture important information from your in-kind donors. Build stronger relationships and keep connected to those that support you.
Partners
Keep track of important community partners that work with you to fufill your in-kind needs. Talk directly to them through the platform.
Schedule
Keep up to date scheduling for drop offs and pick ups. Plan your volunteer and staff hours more effectively.
Creating Tools for your Front Line Staff
Stage 4 condenses the platform down into a mobile application to enable your front line staff tools for quick in-kind task management. Enable your staff members and volunteers to track, gather data, and generally manage the in-kind donations.
Needs
Keep the needs of the community up to date and sharable with anyone that can take action
Inventory
Categorize and inventory every individual or multiple item sets. Log as much or as little detail to ensure you can keep a pulse on the flow of goods. If you need to purchase any item, do it from directly from your dashboard.
Donors
Keep track of your in-kind donors and tie into your existing CRM software.
Reports
Keep a pulse on every detail coming from your in-kind program. Identify trends, forecast needs, and monitor your programs effectiveness.
Items Distributed
Below are the items that we have been able to distribute to fill a need. We will continue to grow relationships within the community so that all surplus product is distributed to where the need is. Sign up below to be part of this growing network of good!
Hooded Sweaters
Jackets
Pairs of Socks
Cloth Masks
Rain Coats
Healthy Meals
Register a 'Digital Donation Box'
We are increasingly moving to a digital economy. There is less in store interaction and more online purchasing. This could mean that the donation box set up in a local store, isn’t seen as much as it used to be. We are bringing this concept in line with the digital economy and enabling donors to support organizations in the community, where they commonly shop. E-commerce shops will be able to support your in-kind needs through a simple plugin to their website that will showcase urgent needs of the community through a ‘GIVE’ button. We take care of the logistics.
Community Focused Rewards Program
We are creating a community focused rewards program. “Give More, Get More”, meaning people who give back through donations, volunteering, or even sharing your cause on social media, are able to redeem discounts or rewards at local businesses.
Store Front Signage
Businesses can have signage to indicate they are part of the Care Network.
Website Recognition
Online recognition and showcase enables rewards to take place through online channels.
Rewards Program
Redeem any kind of reward that is listed through our business partners.
Physical space is difficult to manage and expensive to operate. Our plan involves utilizing underused storage space, and eventually setting up localized distribution centers that every organization can utilize to create a more cost effective storage and distribution center. Think about this as kind of like an ‘Amazon for In-Kind’. Retail markets have perfected the ‘Just In Time’ supply model but for some reason we still struggle to get needed goods and food to people that are struggling.
Better Storage
Organizations never have to turn away a donation again because of space. Community storage enables to a greater focus on the donors so they feel valued every time.
Better Timing
Receive any good at any time. Any donation, regardless of the need, becomes one that can be 'banked' for a later date when an organization needs it most.
Product Philanthropy
Retailers often need to get rid of large volumes of goods. Could be anything from food, clothes, and even furniture. The community storage will enable you to build relationships with these retailers and take the inventory to help support your community.
Community Management
Share the burden of management and cost of inventory management with other organizations in the community.
Catalogued For Your Organization
When a donor drops off goods for your organization, it will be catalogued and inventoried on behalf the chosen organization.
Create Employment
We believe in a model in which people that are frequently overlooked for a typical job, are employed to support their community. Volunteers are welcome, but our focus is creating job opportunities for people who need it.
Thrift Store - Online
Setting up and operating a thrift store takes a lot of time, and requires many people. Our community focused model will enable any organization to set up a digital thrift store. All profits from a sale go to the organization that brought in the good. Get more back for your collection efforts.
Thrift Store - Physical
As part of our operation in managing the flow of goods in and out, our collaborative model creates a branded retail store that any member of the public can shop at. Every organization gets the benefit of a thrift store, without the headache of managing it. All profits from a sale go to the organization that brought in the good.
Voucher Program
Organizations can issue vouchers or 'Care Cards' to the people they are supporting. These cards offer an exclusive buying program for people in need to shop at the thrift store or with any of our network partners. Every person deserves the dignity of choice, and this program will create a bridge between receiving free goods and buying at retail prices.
Join The Network
