Giving back to the communities where we work and live is a deeply held value at Alpine Painting. We are proud that our contributions, leadership and volunteer efforts help assist those less fortunate. We strive to provide a better environment for our employees and customers to live and work.
In 2012 & 2013 Alpine Painting, spearheaded by Andrew Scaturro, raised enough money to purchase 100 Turkeys for Families in need on Thanksgiving, Gave thousands of articles of clothing and took in hundreds of toys for children in need. Our headquaters at 17 Florida Ave. in Paterson, NJ is a drop off location for donations of canned goods, used or new clothes and toys in good condition. We need your support. Please drop off items at any time during normal business hours.
Our recent donations have gone to support the Paterson, NJ Community Outreach Services, Katie's House and Saint Joseph’s Hospital Childrens Cancer Ward.
Other than dropping off donations at our location here are a few other ways you can help give back.
1. Donate what you can’t use.
Every restaurant or market has unused food. Businesses in almost every industry wind up with unused or obsolete products and supplies. Ask your local business to help donate what they may otherwise through away.
And don’t forget services, especially if your business is seasonal and you have unused capacity.
What don’t you use? How can you create value for someone else by re-purposing what you don’t use?
People in need obviously benefit, but so do your employees, because they genuinely appreciate when you create the opportunity for them to make a difference.
2. Teach.
The best way to make a long-term impact is to help people help themselves. You can teach an organization to maintain its own website, or handle its bookkeeping, or create more effective outreach materials... charities are often the ultimate in bootstrapping. Anything you can help a charity, or the people it serves, do more efficiently helps their dollars go farther.
Volunteer your time. Volunteer the time of your team as well, but only during work hours. Giving should be voluntary, not mandatory.
3. Fundraise as a team.
You don’t have to spend money from your own pocket. The more specific the cause, the more likely people are to participate. You can participate in an established event or create your own. The more creative the better—and the more likely you will be to inspire others to give.
Plus there’s a side benefit: In the process you will create a sense of community and shared purpose within your team.
4. Use your platform as a business leader to draw attention to a cause.
Almost every organization hopes to create ties to local business owners and community leaders. Offer testimonials. Offer to speak at an event and share why you feel the cause is important. Offer to serve as a contact or source for local media seeking quotes or background information. If you aren’t sure how to help, just call your favorite organization and say, "How can I help you spread the word about the great things you do?"
The person you call will definitely have ideas—and they’ll appreciate the fact that, for once, someone came to them with an offer to help.
Credit to: Jeff Hayden. "Six Ways to Give Back." Inc, 5000. May 21st, 2012
