Community Service Projects: The Best for You

During the month of November, many service organizations will be preparing to give back to the community and help those who are less fortunate. Georgia FBLA chapters across the state will also be partnering with these organizations to participate in many impactful community service projects during November from March of Dimes to Feed the City to Senior Citizen Computer Classes!

The process of deciding on a monthly community service project for your chapter can be difficult, but if you follow this step-by-step guide to choosing a community service project, you can fly through the tricky decision making process and go straight to serving your community!

1. Determine Your Community’s Needs
   1. Find out what projects your fellow CTAE organizations are performing to ensure you do not copy them
   2. Ask around town or ask your member’s parents what they feel the community needs
   3. Look through local newspapers and local magazines for ideas
   4. Determine what fundraising methods were most effective within the community
   5. See if you can partner with another school or organization to complete a community service activity

1. Ask Your Chapter’s Members What They are Interested in
   1. Ask members during the school day about service organizations that interest them
   2. Research service organizations during class
   3. Ask members how much time they are willing to donate to serving their community
   4. Ask members what methods of raising donations they think are most effective

1. Conduct an Officer Meeting
   1. List all the ideas the officers have accumulated from their research and surveys
   2. Shorten your list to three service organizations
   3. Evaluate the goals of the three organizations and determine how well it aligns with your chapter’s goals
2. Conduct a Chapter Meeting
   1. Ask the officers to conduct a brief informational presentation on each of the organizations
   2. Ask chapter members to vote for their favorite service organization
   3. The service organization with the most votes will be the organization your chapter will support
3. Determine the Key Parts
   1. Have Officers choose a method of donating to the organization
   2. Do not got door-to-door raising donations
   3. 1. Bake Sales
      2. Car Washes
      3. Contacting Businesses
      4. 5K Community Walks
   4. Determine the length of the project
      1. This will typically last an entire month and will end at the end of the month
   5. Assign Committees with their Responsibilities
      1. Committees should have at least one chapter officer and 4 local chapter members
   6. Plan the service committee meetings
      1. This should be decided among the chapter adviser and the committee members
4. Contact Parents and Businesses
   1. Help from parents and local businesses is essential to have a successful project
   2. Send professional letters or E-mails informing the business or family of the details of the project
   3. Secure donations from businesses and parents by explaining your goal to them in person
5. Promote Awareness and Publicize
   1. Place posters around the community
   2. Announce the project during the morning school announcements
   3. Create a reminder system (Remind 101, Edmodo, etc.) to remind members of important dates and deadlines
   4. Advertise at local businesses that have given your chapter permission to advertise on their property
6. Perform the Project
7. Designate a chapter photographer
8. 1. Plan a brief informational meeting the day before the event
   2. Assign duties to members who have volunteered to attend
   3. Have the committee arrive early to the site of the project and set up the necessary equipment
9. Afterwards, Congratulate Members on their Excellent Work!
   1. Conduct an after-party
   2. Recognize students during the morning announcements and the chapter meeting

    

10. Submit an article about the project to the Georgia FBLA Website!

Get started on planning your community service project for the months of November and December as soon as possible! It is never too early to start planning! Community Service projects are important for Georgia FBLA chapters because they help members realize and experience the impact they can have on their community and what it means to give back!