There's a lot of focus on the need for change in the world. More and more our attention is turning to helping those in more need than ourselves. A number of millionaires have been in the news with their funding of good works around the globe. The Gates have set up a foundation to help with AIDS in Africa. Warren Buffet donated billions to the Gates Foundation. Oprah has started a Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa and now she's doing a reality TV show creating a competition of multiplying people's efforts to make a difference. These are just a few examples.
Have you been wondering how you can make a difference in the world? Do you have a desire to contribute, but not the budget that would make that possible? There's plenty of ways you can make a change in what you see around you. Donating your time and skills is one of those ways.
Graphic design firms all over the country are seeing that their skills are an important donation. Non-profit organizations are very much in need of graphic design. Firms like yours are signing on to provide all the skills that non-profits use to get their message out -- logos, print advertisements, posters, invitations for fund raisers, multi-media presentations, newsletters, photography and other needs. Do you have skills you are willing to donate?
How do you decide who, what, where and how? First answer this question. What's important to you, what would you like to see change. Is literacy important to you? How about finding homes for the homeless? Or, making sure people have enough to eat? Providing job training for homeless people or ex-addicts trying to get back on their feet might be another cause you feel strongly about. (You do need to feel strongly about it, or you're not going to like the hours you're putting in without pay.) For every idea mentioned above there's probably at least one and more than likely several non-profits in your community providing these services. And, most of them are operating on limited budgets. Their flows of Federal and State monies have been cut dramatically in the last few years and more and more they need to depend on private donations.
Decide what you are willing to do and how much time you have. Be sure to be realistic. This is one area where you don't want to back yourself into a corner.
Think you don't have enough time? Put together a consortium of graphic design firms to make the contribution. Each one of you can take a different piece of graphic pie that needs to be produced. With multiple skills from several graphic design firms you'll be able to make a substantial contribution to a non-profit of your choice. And, you'll likely multiply the value of our contribution. Especially if that contribution involves the design of invitations for a fund-raiser, or a multi-media presentation designed to raise funds for the organization.
See, you and other graphic design firms like yourself can make a huge difference in the world. So, what are you waiting for? Who's going to receive your volunteer services?