6 Ways to Support Italian Community Services
Think you can’t make a difference and support a nonprofit just because you can’t make a financial contribution? You couldn’t be more wrong!
Multiple nonprofits like the Italian Community Services don’t just accept financial donations. They are many other ways you can step in to help the Bay Area Italian community. On our mission to preserve our culture and serve our community, there is an exponential amount of opportunities and initiatives we could launch. Community support is vital, but it doesn’t just have to come in the form of a check. Here are some ways you can give back to the ICS and the Bay Area Italian community.
1. Volunteer
We are always looking for volunteers! And there are plenty of different roles you can fill as a volunteer, including delivering care packages, packing care packages, assisting during in-person events, making phone calls to seniors to keep them, and plenty more.
2. Donate Time & Skills
You don’t need to donate money to donate. You can donate your skills or goods or even space. If you’re a restaurant, you can donate meals or even a meal voucher/gift card for a fundraising auction. You can donate your space for events. You can donate your skills in any industry whether that be to help the ICS executive team with certain tasks or teach our community about your industry. We love when people donate their skills. One of our favorites has been musicians donating their talents to our in-person events, and we think it’s our seniors’ favorites too!
3. Spread the word
One of the easiest ways to support your favorite nonprofit is by sharing their mission or following them on socials and sharing their platforms. We love when people talk about us to their friends, family, colleagues, and whoever else you’re chatting with. Not only can they continue to spread the word, but they may be able to volunteer, donate their time, or connect us with someone in need! Not only are you helping us and the community we currently serve by sharing our organization, but you could even be helping connect us with someone in need.
4. Host a fundraiser
There are a million creative fundraiser ideas. From going door-to-door, creating a Facebook fundraiser, hosting a bake sale to donating the producers of an event or product like Annalisa Siagura donated all proceeds from her documentary Italians by the Bay to ICS!
5. Partner with Us
Whether you’re another nonprofit, business, or entity, there’s plenty of opportunities to create mutually beneficial partnerships. We can host a fundraiser at your gelateria, pizzeria, or other establishment or you can join us in creating food bags for our community members in need like Refettorio San Francisco. There are always opportunities to support each other in the community.
6. Support the Community Directly
In our mission to preserve our culture and serve our community, there are endless ways you can show your support. Go shop or dine at Italian-owned businesses & restaurants in the Bay – not just North Beach! Recommend these establishments, follow and engage with them on social media, and share their updates and big events. Or maybe instead, you know the Italian language and can teach your friends and family or even host a class! Don’t know the language? Take a class! Or take a cooking class or pasta-making class. Go wine tasting at an Italian-owned business or – better yet – a vineyard! Supporting the community directly not only can be very beneficial to our larger community, but it can be undeniably fun for you!
Interested in volunteering? Contact us here!
Have another idea of how you can support ICS? Contact us here!
Want to send a financial donation? Check out our giving page here!