Why A Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser?

The NY Flyers has launched its 4th Anuual Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser for the NYC Food Bank.  Although I've had absolutely nothing to do with creating or maintaining the Food Drive initiative aside from donating my dollars along with so many other Flyers, I'd like to share some reasons why I think this is a wonderful Flyers initiative, and to encourage Flyers to consider donating via the Flyers website link.  If you'd like to share addititional reasons for why you like the Food Drive Fundraiser, please do so in the comments section of this blog entry.  And if you'd like to share your dollars by donating via the Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser, please do so, too!

Volunteerism.  The Flyers are largely about running.  The Flyers also are about friendship, camaraderie and volunteerism, including through organized activities.  Those latter aspects are even written into our by-laws.  Page 1, Article II, if you're curious.  I hope everyone participates by donating via the Food Drive.  For those who'd rather not, I'm not here to say that you should, as I hope you may instead consider many other opportunities to fully express your friendship, camaraderie, and volunteerism with the Flyers.

Community.  Flyers like to take initiative to serve other members of the club, and the larger community within which we exist as an organization.  From singing holiday songs with hospital patients after the Toys for Tots Run, to pulling weeds at Central Park, to providing shoes for people in need, and much much more.  The Annual Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser is yet another popular club initiative through which Flyers give back to the broader community.

Leadership.  Many people are good at suggesting things that other people should do (who'd like to do my laundry, please?).  Fewer folks, perhaps, may seem quite as good at taking ownership over seeing an iniative through from conception to fruition.  When Flyers propose good ideas, take initiative and demonstrate leadership by pursuing and ensuring the completion of wortwhile activities such as the Food Drive Fundraiser, this strengthens the club, builds team spirit, and demonstrates the gargantuan goodness that exists within the Flyers.

Worthy Cause.   There are many worthy causes, and certainly addressing hunger is one of them.  Hunger in New York City is in a dire situation.  There are 3 million New Yorkers who experience difficulty affording food — an astounding number and one that continues to increase as the donated food supply drops to an all-time low and food costs continue to rise. The Food Bank of New York City procures and distributes food to a network of approximately 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, helping to provide 400,000 free meals per day for New Yorkers in need including at food pantries, soup kitchens, kids' cafes, and senior programs.   

Popularity.  There are many different popular Flyer initiatives, just like there are many different popular Flyers :)  From the Three-Bridges Marathon Long-Run through three boroughs, to the fascinating Bridges and Arches trot through Central Park, many Flyers would be disappointed if their favorite initiatives were to disappear.  And many Flyers have requested that the Flyers continue to sponsor the Food Donation Drive.  The Flyers are fortunate that there are those within our midst willing to devote their effort and caring to organize and promote the drive each year, helping to keep this popular effort in place.

Why Collect Money but Not Food?  The inaugural Flyers food drive included a food collection component.  Besides this being a labor intensive activity, we have learned that food banks prefer to receive the dollars. See this link to a NY Times article to read about why.  In brief, the monetary donations are preferable because the Food Bank of NYC and its community-based member organizations can leverage the dollars, benefit from econmies of scale, and have the flexibility to use the funds for the most pressing needs.

Please click here to learn more about the NY Flyers Food Donation Drive.  Please click here to donate.

And if you choose not to click or donate, please know that this piece isn't intended to guilt-trip you.  The Flyers offer plenty of opportunities for many different types of involvement, and you surely will find what appeals to you if you haven't already.

-Dave K