A constant need

On the way to my grandparents' house for Thanksgiving when I was little, my family always made a stop at the fire station to drop off non-perishable foods. I also remember participating in food drives at school, and it even being turned into a competition among classes to bring in the most, and pumped to go get cases of food to contribute.

As I've gotten older, I’m not really exposed to this type of giving or the positive feelings around these food donations. There’s no more ritual of school food drives, and my family has grown up and lived in different places, eliminating that annual delivery.

I've been reflecting on this not because it's Thanksgiving this weekend, but because I just spoke at the International Fundraising Summit on Storytelling for Social Good today too. As part of the conference I’ve been listening to experts around the world talk about the challenges organizations face raising funds today.

Working closely with non-profits, including a current food bank client, giving is top of mind.

It still does seem seasonal — Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday, the impending holiday season — but food insecurity is not a seasonal need. Here in Toronto, and across North America, people rely on food banks year-round. Even though some may only access these services a few times a quarter, they depend on them to keep going, especially with tough economic times and inflation.

1 in 10 people in Toronto are now relying on food banks, twice as many as the year prior.

“Skyrocketing housing costs, food inflation, stagnating wages, and insufficient income supports are pushing more and more households into poverty. Food banks are at their breaking point.”

Despite this constant need, backed up by recent stats, people don’t always think about giving if the need isn’t close to home. (Sometimes, even when it is — like passing someone lying on the sidewalk in a rough situation on a cold city morning — it doesn't necessarily prompt action).

This led me to today’s takeaway:

We can’t expect people to give if it’s not already aligned with their values.

Just like with the branding and strategy work I do, whether for businesses, nonprofits, or otherwise, it's about aligning with people's values. Success comes when your ask for support matches what people already believe in, causes, issues and values they already posses. It’s not just about presenting a case for giving, it’s about showing that your organization shares their values.

As we head into a season where giving is top of mind, I challenge you to reflect on your values.

What causes have you supported without needing to be convinced? What issues do you care about deeply? And if you're with a nonprofit, how can you clearly communicate your values so that people can align with you?

There’s a gap between the issues we need to solve and people taking action—but when values align, giving flows.

Happy Thanksgiving