More than a season: Turning holiday giving into helping Oklahoma nonprofits year-round

As cold weather moves in and holiday happenings begin, many look for ways to give back. Local nonprofits say giving is important during the holidays but easily can be continued throughout the year for maximum impact.

“There's just not a downtime really in terms of need,” said Stacy Dykstra, CEO of The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Many local nonprofits have re-opened doors to volunteers after shutting down in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, The Homeless Alliance, Sisu Youth Services and City Rescue Mission have opportunities for individuals or groups to donate time or money.

Many ways to give

All nonprofits need funds to operate and one of the best ways the agencies said people can help is by making a monetary contribution. Financial donations can be used by nonprofits to buy in bulk tax-free and often at lower prices than consumers will find items.

“I can buy from different kinds of retailers and things and then also it's tax free. So my money automatically goes 8% further,” said Rachel Bradley, director of resource development for Sisu Youth Services.

In addition to funding, people giving their time through volunteering plays a vital role. The return of volunteers is once again allowing the organizations to have a greater impact.

“Money that we would be spending on people power to help us do that we get to spend on food because when people come in and volunteer they're reducing our costs so we can create more meals for less money,” Dykstra said.

More: Tiny homes boost big dreams for Oklahoma's homeless youth

Other area homeless service providers also offer a variety of volunteer opportunities. The Homeless Alliance and City Rescue Mission have kitchens open to volunteers. Both locations say there is a need for those willing to sort items they receive.

At City Rescue Mission, donations are sorted and then sent to a "storefront" that allows clients the freedom of choice and restores dignity by giving them a shopping experience. Stefanie Buchanan, City Rescue Mission's vocation director, said volunteers can help her keep the store running smoothly.

“Getting it from the start to back here is the tricky part because I can't get past the start so I have, sometimes, a hard time keeping the shelves full and the clients come in to get items,” she said.

The dilemma of blind donations

While many nonprofits accept donated goods, a common issue is donations of unsolicited or unusable items. For many agencies storage space is limited and items end up donated elsewhere, utilizing valuable employee hours.

"We don't have the capacity to take just general clothing donations," said Kinsey Crocker with the Homeless Alliance. “The things we need most right now are men's coats, hats, gloves, hand warmers."

Knowing specific items that an organization needs is often as easy as checking their social media or giving them a call to ask, she said. By doing this, you not only save the organization time and money but you ensure that your donations end up with the people who will be most impacted.

Bradley said people typically mean well with donations but may not think about or understand how donating the wrong items can create problems for non-profits to solve.

"Just taking into consideration what an organization really could use, so it's more of a blessing and not a burden,” Bradley said.

More: New program provides work and resources for OKC’s homeless

City Rescue Mission is in the middle of a successful coat drive, but general casual clothing and new underwear for all ages and genders and men's jeans in sizes 30-34 are the most needed items.

"Everyday wear because they don't come in going to a job interview," Buchanan said. “They come in, in the same clothes they've had on for days, and all they really want to do is take a shower.”

At the food bank, global issues are being felt at the local level, impacting the 53 counties the organization serves, Dykstra said.

“Right now, today 2021, we are feeling the supply chain issues,” she said. “It is harder for us to get the variety of food we're used to getting.”

Dykstra said serving such a large cross-section of the population means working to fulfill food needs for varying cultures and dietary needs. While food drives have always been important, now they can provide the food bank with some of the items they find harder to source.

Making a habit of giving

Nonprofits say giving doesn't have to be limited to the holidays. Setting up a recurring gift not only provides stability for agencies, but also extends their reach. Recurring donations allow nonprofits to look ahead and make longer-term decisions because they know funds are committed, Bradley said. Volunteering opportunities are also available year-round.

"We don't have a full kitchen, so one of the ways that people can be involved year-round is with our meal train,” she said.

Through the meal train, community volunteers provide dinner for the Sisu Youth Services residents. Bradley said involvement ranges from individuals to church groups, businesses and families.

'Brief, rare and nonrecurring': Oklahoma City's plan to reduce homelessness

“Volunteering definitely does pick up during holidays because everyone wants to be cheery and giving to the community, but we are still serving meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner — every single day,” said Grace Sigler, development administrator for City Rescue Mission.

City Rescue Mission's kitchen is open seven days a week for shifts from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additionally, its donation resource center is back open for volunteer shifts on weekdays. Volunteers can help at The Homeless Alliance five days a week in its kitchen or several other areas.

"It's important for people to think about others, not just during the holiday season but year round, because there are people who are living without a home in our community,” Crocker said. "It's really challenging to constantly live in a crisis situation and not necessarily know where you’re going to sleep that night, or use the restroom, or if you're going to be safe.”

Samantha Jett, donor engagement manager at City Rescue Mission, said another great way to give back throughout the year is to bring others along. She said volunteering can be a great team-building or bonding experience.

More: Small-town Oklahoma cheerleaders live out big dreams in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The difference made is tangible

Whether you stick to holiday help or expand your giving throughout the year, each of the organizations said every little bit adds up.

“I don't want to underestimate the power of giving a dollar and right now we're in our holiday match, which is really neat because for every dollar you give it's matched dollar for dollar, so you're doing double the good with your money,” Dykstra, with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, said.

Bradley said volunteers make a big impact on the teens and young adults she works with. She said when people invest time to help with homework. play board games or teach basic life skills, it illustrates an even more important lesson.

"Our youth aren't just throwaways, they're people that our community cares about,” Bradley said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma nonprofits need holiday generosity year-round