Newsletter - November 2013
Pam's Run, October 5th, 2013Neighborhood News
Why We Fundraise
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To honor the memory of our founder Pam Washek and support the "neighbors helping neighbors" mission she ignited, 575 participants, aged 8 to 88, joined in our first annual Pam's Run, a fundraising road race through Wayland, Mass. Walkers and runners from as far away as Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey honored Pam's legacy while raising $70,000 to support her dream of the organization's continued growth.
Formally incorporated just three years ago, Neighbor Brigade has expanded to a current 40 chapters and 4,600 volunteers! We are in the midst of launching our newest chapter in Littleton, Massachusetts, with other future chapters pending. Pam's Run funds will allow us to hire our first Program Director in order to better support our growing numbers of chapter leaders and volunteers and assist in the community network necessary for a successful chapter launch and ongoing service delivery.
In this season of giving thanks, we express our gratitude to Run participants, planning committee members, event day volunteers, and corporate and family sponsors. We can't wait to join together and celebrate with you again next October. Thank you for joining us in partnership as we move forward toward fulfilling Pam's goal of a nationwide Neighbor Brigade presence.
To view more photos from the event, please visit Samatha Melanson Photography.
Formally incorporated just three years ago, Neighbor Brigade has expanded to a current 40 chapters and 4,600 volunteers! We are in the midst of launching our newest chapter in Littleton, Massachusetts, with other future chapters pending. Pam's Run funds will allow us to hire our first Program Director in order to better support our growing numbers of chapter leaders and volunteers and assist in the community network necessary for a successful chapter launch and ongoing service delivery.
In this season of giving thanks, we express our gratitude to Run participants, planning committee members, event day volunteers, and corporate and family sponsors. We can't wait to join together and celebrate with you again next October. Thank you for joining us in partnership as we move forward toward fulfilling Pam's goal of a nationwide Neighbor Brigade presence.
To view more photos from the event, please visit Samatha Melanson Photography.
We take pride in Neighbor Brigade's ability to be creative and flexible in the type and length of delivery of our services. Earlier this year our Franklin chapter performed house cleaning for a family that required a germ free environment during a member's recuperation following a stem cell transplant. The patient's mother-in-law shared these words of thanks with her town's chapter:
"Earlier this year my beautiful daughter-in-law was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer... Determined to keep life as normal and stress free for her, my son and their children we did our best to rise to the challenge. Thanks to the help of wonderful friends and neighbors we were able to accomplish our task and then the hardest stage of her treatment arrived- a stem cell transplant. This mandated a clean, germ free environment to return to for months of isolation at home - not an easy task when there are children and pets and your "team" is already exhausted in every way. That's when my faith in fellow man was renewed as the Franklin (chapter of) Neighbor Brigade entered our lives. Angels. The burden that they took from our shoulders makes me cry to this day. Thanks to them, the cleaning was covered and the rest of us could focus on the ever changing daily needs. Words can never express our gratitude for this amazing gift from this team of strangers…"
"Earlier this year my beautiful daughter-in-law was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer... Determined to keep life as normal and stress free for her, my son and their children we did our best to rise to the challenge. Thanks to the help of wonderful friends and neighbors we were able to accomplish our task and then the hardest stage of her treatment arrived- a stem cell transplant. This mandated a clean, germ free environment to return to for months of isolation at home - not an easy task when there are children and pets and your "team" is already exhausted in every way. That's when my faith in fellow man was renewed as the Franklin (chapter of) Neighbor Brigade entered our lives. Angels. The burden that they took from our shoulders makes me cry to this day. Thanks to them, the cleaning was covered and the rest of us could focus on the ever changing daily needs. Words can never express our gratitude for this amazing gift from this team of strangers…"
"If all food and services are provided by volunteers, why does Neighbor Brigade need to fundraise?"
This a question we are occasionally asked and we are always happy to answer. Yes, we are an extremely cost-efficient organization. We effectively harness the power of social capital and acts of compassion to provide free services and immediate relief to those in need. However, our organization does require an investment in outreach materials, web based services, and staff in order to administer and maintain a high quality program.
Our virtual Neighbor Brigade communities are a means to strengthening our actual communities, and the organization incurs technology expenses associated with the hosting and support of our website. We also incur expenses associated with the liability issues we face as a volunteer service delivery program. We are subject to a fee for each volunteer's background check that is conducted. Additionally, it is imperative that we carry insurance that is critical to the safety of our volunteers and recipients.
Funds are also necessary for marketing and community outreach materials. We provide these to referring and partnering organizations so that teachers, social workers, patient navigators, physicians and community residents themselves are made aware and take advantage of Neighbor Brigade's services.
Our staff provides the skills and experience in nonprofit management, community-based health and human services, volunteer leadership and technology necessary to coordinate, drive and grow this innovative program. Neighbor Brigade's staff works in tandem with our chapter leaders and referring partner organizations, and as a result of this joint effort we are successfully expanding beyond our origin as a grassroots organization.
This a question we are occasionally asked and we are always happy to answer. Yes, we are an extremely cost-efficient organization. We effectively harness the power of social capital and acts of compassion to provide free services and immediate relief to those in need. However, our organization does require an investment in outreach materials, web based services, and staff in order to administer and maintain a high quality program.
Our virtual Neighbor Brigade communities are a means to strengthening our actual communities, and the organization incurs technology expenses associated with the hosting and support of our website. We also incur expenses associated with the liability issues we face as a volunteer service delivery program. We are subject to a fee for each volunteer's background check that is conducted. Additionally, it is imperative that we carry insurance that is critical to the safety of our volunteers and recipients.
Funds are also necessary for marketing and community outreach materials. We provide these to referring and partnering organizations so that teachers, social workers, patient navigators, physicians and community residents themselves are made aware and take advantage of Neighbor Brigade's services.
Our staff provides the skills and experience in nonprofit management, community-based health and human services, volunteer leadership and technology necessary to coordinate, drive and grow this innovative program. Neighbor Brigade's staff works in tandem with our chapter leaders and referring partner organizations, and as a result of this joint effort we are successfully expanding beyond our origin as a grassroots organization.
Do you have any feedback or suggestions for the new year? Please share your thoughts with us by sending an email to info@neighborbrigade.org or phoning us at 781.325.8580. We love to hear from our community members.
www.neighborbrigade.org | info@neighborbrigade.org
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