Feeding Our Spirit
Timelines. Budgets. Contacts. Deadlines. Menus. Speakers. Transportation. ROI. Décor. Entertainment. Audio Visual. Invitations. Status Reports. Debriefings.
There are a million tiny little details to go into events and it is so easy to find yourself getting burned out occasionally, especially when juggling multiple events at one time. This is one of the reasons why community involvement is so important to us. Yes, it certainly adds more tiny little details to our daily life, but these tiny little details all play a vital role in changing and improving the daily lives of others and that makes all the difference. Knowing that our tasks and decisions about a community event will have real impact on the quality of life of someone in our community who is served by the organizations we serve, it replenishes and revitalizes our minds and spirits.
There are so many worthy organizations in our greater Philadelphia area, and it was hard for us to narrow our involvement down to just a few. Our approach was to find the causes and groups that are closest to our beliefs and values and go from there.
NAWBO, Greater Philadelphia Chapter
As a woman-owned business, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is a natural choice. We love that this is a network of women entrepreneurs of all different types and sizes of companies who form a support network for each other. Whether you need business advice, a sounding board, a brainstorming partner, a new vendor, or just a cup of coffee with someone who gets the joys and challenges of business ownership, you will find exactly the person you need in NAWBO.
The reward for us and our involvement with the programs committee is seeing women learn new skills or confidence through our programs and then applying that into growing their businesses.
American Red Cross
We got involved with the American Red Cross because it is an organization that has direct and immediate impact when people need it the most, and it is a cause that has the potential to touch every single one of us during a time of need.
When most think of the American Red Cross, donating blood immediately comes to mind and their role in disaster relief typically only becomes top-of-mind when a large scale disaster that makes headlines strikes (like Superstorm Sandy last year). What we often forget is that disaster strikes in our own neighborhoods every day. It may not make headlines, but when one of our friends or neighbors is hit with disaster, it is often the American Red Cross that shows up and ensures that the basic, immediate needs like food, shelter, and clothing are covered.
The local disaster relief volunteers are the unsung heroes of our communities. They give up personal and family time to respond whenever the phone rings. They fill that immediate response gap and ensure that people facing disaster have somewhere to turn. They demonstrate the best of the human spirit.
Knowing that our volunteer efforts with the American Red Cross have the potential to provide our friends and neighbors with the immediate support they may need in times of crisis carries deep meaning.
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
We are involved with the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s Women’s Initiative, whose mission is to mobilize the power of women to give, advocate and volunteer in support of at-risk women and girls.
The Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow program is particularly important to us. A class of a few dozen girls per year is selected and the program provides personal connections to ensure the success of these young women, who otherwise may not have anyone in their corner supporting and encouraging them. The program helps to build confidence and give these young girls the skills they need to succeed and thrive in our world, instead of becoming a statistic. Hearing each of the girls talk about how their life story has now been changed because of this program is an emotional and humbling experience.
There you have it … a peek into how we feed our spirit by getting involved in our community. What causes are important to you? How do you feed your spirit?
