Launch a last minute make-a-difference drive at work

Posted on December 19, 2008

At work, one person can unleash the power of many. 

Take toy drives for local charities:  By yourself, you can fill up a trunk.  Take your cause to work and you'll fill up a truck. 

I was in Palo Alto on Weds to give a talk at Facebook. Several of the Facebookers were previous colleagues of mine at Yahoo!.  One of them, Dustin, showed me a pile of toys he's collected at work for a local kid's charity.  It was an impressive pile for his medium sized sales office. 

Not only was he making a difference, he was lifting his own holiday spirit.  

Later, he put it to me this way:
"The recent holiday donations programs that I have been helping with has been the most rewarding work that I have ever done and I now understand that people working together can make a huge difference to others. I am going to keep working to give back to those in need, I can't image not doing it at this point. It seems odd to me that just 2 weeks ago I had done very little in terms of donating or volunteering and now I feel like I would be missing out on a very crucial part of life if I did not help."

Take a cue from Dustin, and launch a last minute drive today. More than ever, the world needs YOU. The donations are not pouring in this year. Shelters for the homeless are also struggling to find enough food for next week.  

If not you, then who?  If not now, then when?

Post Post PS:  Last night, Dustin sent me an update last night after the toys were delivered:

"[We] really came together, especially in the last two days, and donated a large amount of toys, food and warm clothes. Many of [my coworkers] brought in donations and we did a last minute push with donation envelopes that gave us an additional $500 that we used to purchase additional toys and food. It was definitely a team effort and I was amazed at how everyone pitched in to try to make a difference. I know that this is just the beginning of a larger effort that we are going to make in the coming years to give back to our community and those in need. 


Today we delivered the toys to Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose. They were giving each family at least 2 toys, a stocking stuffer, a stuffed animal and a book for each child. I was surprised to see that many of them received donated bicycles. The workers were very thankful for the toys we donated and seemed genuinely surprised, as I was, that we were able to fill my truck with donated toys. They walked me through the gift center where tables were set up with gift sorted by gift type.  The children and parents were able to choose the toys that they wanted. It was amazing to see how much it touched the lives of the people receiving the donations. It was the joy that we have all felt at Christmas when we are able to give or receive presents. It was priceless."