Freshsite Phoenix

As our community organizations begin to hear of opportunities to reopen for business, it's time to make a plan!

First, account for the fact it will be sometime before things are "normal" - if ever. And, become comfortable with that.

Review your programs, services, and operations and determine which ones provide an opportunity to use technology to meet the needs of those you serve longterm- and which still require some amount of interaction.

Example- housing counseling, therapies, and intake functions can all be done via teleconference or webinar. Invest in the technology you need! However, services like food banks, food pantry, clothing, or furniture services require interaction. Figure out how to minimize that interaction.

Consider pre-packing food distribution boxes and providing an outdoor pick up table, create online "brochures" and order forms for community members to select size, quantity, or payment functions when possible. Use "no-touch" delivery programs.

Also, don't forget about your employees. Some employees may not be able to return to your work site without higher testing or vaccines available - they may be high risk, have family members that are high risk, or may be or have someone in the home who has recently contracted Coronavirus. Consider staffing plans where those employees can provide remote support that keeps your team running smoothly.

Consider keeping administrative functions that have transitioned to online or remote work where they are so there is no interruption if communities have to close up again due to virus increases.

Most importantly, maintain as much kindness and understanding as possible for yourself, your team and those you serve. If relaunching is clunky and takes longer- it's ok. Right now, everything is not going to go perfectly under any circumstance.

All if this is clearly just advice from a longtime non-profit organizational professional- you all know your businesses better than anyone else!

Please feel free to post or message questions and know you have support from the community!

Happy holidays to all of the FreshSite supporters and followers! We will be posting updates that impact Arizona non profit over the next weeks.

For right now, if your non profit is on the AZ Corporation Commission list for the Annual Working Poor Tax Credit- be sure you are reaching out to your donors to remind them that [as of this year} they are able to take their annual donation as both a credit from their state taxes and a deduction from their federal taxes.

And remind them to give!