The last 12 months or so have been tough. Really tough. But our Council Bluffs community is strong and many people – like you, undoubtedly – have stepped up to help their neighbors. All of us in the Council Bluffs metro area owe each other a big thank you. We all assisted each other through an unbelievably difficult time.
The stark reality is though that our local nonprofits are still struggling to keep up with ongoing, increased demand. And with COVID preventing in-person fundraising events, a significant revenue stream has been cut to a trickle. Also, 2020 was the final year for Pottawattamie Gives in our community.
Yet, hope remains. It’s time for a new large-scale, collective effort to lift Southwest Iowa.
SHARE Omaha’s Do Good Week: April 19-24, 2021
SHARE Omaha, which also serves dozens of nonprofits in Southwest Iowa, is encouraging us all to imagine what our impact could be if we all stepped up together, for an entire week.
Get ready for six days full of goodness in April.
Do Good Week, presented by FNBO, is five days dedicated to meeting a wider variety of nonprofit needs in our community – followed by a day of celebration. It’s a week that can expand your altruistic horizons, and help you think about what giving back means in your life.
Learn more and save the date at SHAREomaha.org.
Good for You
Giving back and doing good things is not only beneficial to the receiving nonprofit and Council Bluffs, it’s good for you physically, mentally, and socially. That warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you do something nice for someone else is real: generosity has been shown to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and performing acts of kindness has been proven to make people happier.
Giving the Goods
While any donation of time, items, and money is appreciated, how do you decide for yourself how much of your resources to give? First, you need to decide where to give.
Ask yourself:
- What local causes are important to you?
- Do you prefer to give to a larger nonprofit working on bigger issues or a smaller nonprofit that may be on the front lines of helping individuals?
- Check out the SHARE Omaha profiles and websites of the nonprofits you are considering. Do their values align with yours?
Next, decide how much of your resources you’d like to give. Consider making charitable donations a part of your year-round budget. Set reminders for ongoing donations after Do Good Week. SHARE Omaha is available to help you support Council Bluffs nonprofits year-round!
How to do the Most Good
In this strange time we’re experiencing, volunteering has changed. Because of public health considerations, organizing volunteers is not always feasible for nonprofits.
What nonprofits really need today, tomorrow, in April and beyond, is money. Cash is indeed king, and it’s the most valuable gift you could give your favorite Council Bluffs organization.
All of Us
When we all contribute gifts of time, dollars, and items, we are taking action today that will impact future generations of Council Bluffs residents tomorrow. This first-ever local Do Good Week, presented by FNBO, is our joint rallying call for everyone — individuals, families, and employees alike — to act now and join us in doing good in every way we can.
#DoGoodWeek
This blog was written by SHARE Omaha.
