IMPACT part 3....Corporate and Community Partnerships

So for the 3rd and final part of my time at Impact, I want to tell you about their corporate and community partnerships.

During my research back at the beginning on the year Impact stood out in all the right ways for the scores of corporate partners listed on their website. My conclusion was that if they have that many corporate partners they must have some great initiatives to engage them! Thankfully I was right. Impact have a number of very effective CSR partnerships, including:

1. Company/Community Collection Drives: Impact Thrift send a truck to the company's office, to pick up the donations from employees.
2. Company donations (small): Companies can donate their new merchandise, eg. excess stock, damaged items, customer returns, etc.
3. Company donations (large): Larger scale donations, eg. Gently-used office furniture when companies are replacing, desks, chairs, lamps, wooden bookcases, etc. Again van collection is offered to make this a easy as possible for the donating company.

It's also worth noting that companies getting involved with a donation drive are given a document which outlines things like desired donations, what can and cannot be accepted and offers practical help and information about organising the event. This ensures Impact both communicate their professionalism and that expectations of these drives are clear to both parties.  

On top of this, Impact have a very tangible desire to be actively involved in the local community, and have invested themselves in this with gusto over the last few years. First and foremost their community partnerships and programs benefit the local community, but this in turn raises awareness of Impact stores, generates donations and volunteer hours which has to be win-win. Some of these partnerships include:

1. Helping Hands Program: Impact offer practical 'gifts in kind' to local families/groups in the local area who are in need (these are referred through social service agencies, churches and emergency response teams (fire & police) in the area).  
2. Community Service opportunities: A mandatory volunteer program that send teens & adults who have been in minor trouble and 'pay' restitution by assigned volunteer hours. It could be from 10 hours to 1,000 hours. Also Academic Community Service, a program to give students experience of the workplace is offered through Impact.
3. Impact LIVE: A student leadership and community service program which encourages students to develop their very own Impact thrift donation drive or event, writing a business plan and organising their own marketing and operations. This program ticks boxes for the curriculum meaning it can form part of a students education. By the sounds of it, the teachers love it as much as the students! Again a handy and professional manual outlines the roles, expectations and demands of the event, guiding students through whilst still leaving space for the students to use their creative ideas to make it their own.  
4. Store based Community Events: such as weekly pensioners Bingo with a thrift twist (all the 'numbers' are instead familiar Impact words eg. Re-use, Affordable, Collection drive).

Ok, I think I've told you quite enough, especially as I don't have any pictures to keep your attention. If you do want to know more there will be an in-depth report on Impact's corporate and community partnerships in my final research report so please contact me if you would like a copy.

MASSIVE thanks once more to Jo and Impact team for making my trip such a huge success and even introducing me to a lovely family in Denver who we have arranged to meet up with! Jo, I really hope I have the chance to show you the same hospitality someday soon when you visit the UK...

Our final day in Philadelphia today was spent back in the city (which hit 40 degrees!) getting to see some of the historic sites and having some fun together. Here's a few pictures to fill you in on our day:

Benjamin Franklin taken in the entrance to the Franklin Institute

It would be rude to come to Philly and not mention Benjamin Franklin, not only for the wonderful Franklin Institute (the hands-on science museum we visited today), but also for his role as one of the 'founding fathers', a ground breaking scientist, author, politician, inventor, musician, civic activist and well frankly just too many other attributes and talents to mention!


Loved the Cira Centre skyscraper in the forefront of the picture, it changes shape at different angles and reflects the sky in it's mirrored exterior.

 

'Joany on her pony' as Joan of Arc is affectionately nicknamed by the locals! Not sure my sister Claire would approve...

ROCKY!!!!!!!! We saw the famous steps as well as numerous other famous film locations which thrilled the gang.

So we're saying 'farewell' to Philadelphia tomorrow, and heading to my next project location which is Denver. We are about to embark on 1,700 miles (25 hours of driving) over the next 6 days. We have gaffa tape and sedatives at the ready...

My aim (wifi allowing) is to blog you the best picture of each travel day, so if you can bear anymore please come back soon.