North Texas Giving Day, the largest giving day in the nation powered by Communities Foundation of Texas, is back on September 14, 2017! In eight years, North Texas Giving Day has generated $156 million for the community. Learn more about some of the thousands of participating nonprofits here on BubbleLife from now until Giving Day. Read more about today's featured nonprofit, The Welman Project, below.
FILL A CLASSROOM NOT A LANDFILL
Big issues need big solutions, and one person can’t possibly make a big enough impact to bring about big change, right? Um, wrong. So very wrong! YOU are a majestic unicorn of goodwill, and at The Welman Project, we help you use that goodwill to tackle two seemingly unrelated issues: education and the environment.
How, you ask? We pick up stuff from local companies - leftover, misprinted, outdated, taking-up-room-in-the-office stuff. We give those materials to teachers, working side-by-side to match repurposed items to their curriculum and classroom. (And nonprofits, are you reading this? We give you stuff, too!) All for free.
Why do we do it? Because 71 percent of materials that end up in a landfill could be reused in some way. Businesses often don’t have the time or resources to divert these surplus materials. Meanwhile, many nonprofits struggle to get by, and schools are underfunded, with teachers paying for around 77 percent of their own classroom supplies!
Through The Welman Project, waste is reduced, the burden on teachers is lessened, and creativity and ingenuity thrive in the classroom. BOOM! Big issues, small actions, major waves.
But we don’t surf this kahuna alone. “It takes a village” is kind of our business model. From law firms to classrooms to organizations working with our most vulnerable citizens, everyone has something they can pass along. We’re just making those connections; developing a social currency of goods and services that makes everyone smile.
The Welman Project is tiny, with three staff working in our spare time. Last North Texas Giving Day was our first ever fundraiser, and we turned that initial $7,000 investment from our community into over $70,000 worth of supplies donated to schools and nonprofits, while diverting about 76 standard dumpsters worth of material from landfills. And counting! How do we do it? Gumption. But mostly, YOUR generosity.
This year we’re raising funds for a much needed vehicle to collect and distribute donations, and a warehouse space to hold our inventory. And since we drive an average of 609 miles per month, we need a lot of gas money too!
Remember how you’re a majestic unicorn of goodwill? Your donation to The Welman Project, whether it be trash or twenties, makes a big impact across the whole community. So get up, give, and make waves with us on North Texas Giving Day!
To donate to the Welman Project on September 14th, please click here. To find out more about North Texas Giving Day, please visit www.NorthTexasGivingDay.org.
Blog authored by: Vanessa Barker and Taylor Willis, Co-Founders and Executive Directors of The Welman Project.