National Random Acts of Kindness Day – How you can Help Nonprofits Survive

– An Op-Ed by Carol Borden, Founder & CEO, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs

One focus during the pandemic has, rightly so, been on small businesses. Supporting small businesses during these difficult times is how we rise up as a community to take care of one another. Consider for a moment however, that nonprofits are also small businesses. In fact, 22,000 nonprofits are projected to fail because of COVID-19 according to Philanthropy.com. A recent Nonprofit Leadership Center survey also notes that the top three concerns for generating organizational revenue are:

• cancelled fundraising events
• loss of funders or corporate partners
• challenges meeting funder requirements or grants/contracts with government agencies at risk

Nonprofits have had to cancel or pivot all in-person fundraising efforts, typically the biggest source of annual funding. These life-saving resources are having to downsize staff and operations all across the country – these are real families facing the consequences. In fact, The Washington Post noted last year that one-third of organizations may close their doors, nonprofits being the most vulnerable. A scary thought when you realize how many nonprofits have life-changing missions.

The fact is nonprofits need you, and overall community support, as the pandemic evolves. With National Random Acts of Kindness Day right around the corner (February 17, 2021) please consider supporting your local nonprofit(s) by:

• Purchasing supplies needed to support their mission, like buying a bag of dog food for a local rescue or nonprofit like ours
• Sign up for their Amazon Smile, where .5% of your overall, typical purchase sales go towards their cause
• Engage with their social media channels (comment, like, share and rate/review)
• Subscribe to their newsletter and encourage others to sign up
• Share information about them on your social channels
• Volunteer, safely when you can this could mean hugging puppies, distributing food to families in need or countless other ways
• Start a fundraiser to encourage donations from your friends and families
• Ask for donations for your birthday, anniversary or anyday on social media sites like facebook (instead of gifts)
• Ask your employer if they’re open to corporate giving; corporate donations help nonprofits like our survive and prosper to help more people in need
• Donate; consider making a small reoccurring donation if you can

I know it’s difficult for families right now, but please consider doing what you can this holiday; a little kindness goes a long way in helping nonprofits survive and continue serving communities.

Guardian Angles Medical Service Dogs founder and CEO Carol Borden. Guardian Angels is a 501(C)3 headquartered in Florida that rescues, raises, trains, and then donates individually trained medical service dogs to veterans, first responders and others who suffer from disabilities including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, seizure and diabetic disorders, mobility issues and much more. Support them via Amazon Smile by donating a bag or two of dog food or donating at medicalservicedogs.org.

How you can help Guardian Angels

1. Buy a bag of food to help us take the very best care of our Service Dogs in-training
2. Find the list of foods we use here: https://smile.amazon.com
3. Become a Paw Prints Monthly Giving Club Member
4. Visit: Paw Prints Club
5. Choose the amount you’d like to give, set up your donation & you’re making good happen!
6. Make a one-time donation
7. Simply visit: https://www.medicalservicedogs.org
8. Start a virtual Fundraiser on Facebook
9. Get friends & family involved & see how much you can raise!
10. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/GuardianAngelsMedicalServiceDogs/
11. Slide down, while looking at the left-hand side, until you see Fundraisers
12. Go to the bottom of the fundraisers and click the “Create Fundraiser” button
13. Spread the word!
14. Like & Share our social media posts
15. Tell your friends about us
16. Sign up for our newsletter & share it