The foundation of a successful ABWK program begin and end with developing key relationships.
Donors: Our relationships with corporate and foundation donors allowed us to grow quickly early on. Most of our corporate donors are tied to employee volunteerism. We built strong ties with our corporate team leaders that helped to raise the funds to sponsor many home projects. We were also able to tie into foundations that were interested supporting organizations that helped seniors live independently and/or were part of a broader community preservation initiative.
Volunteers: The unique experience volunteers have on site has helped us serve hundreds of families and keep volunteer groups coming back year after year. Being able to see a project from start to finish and the ability to connect with the family being served on site is a powerful experience that is a strong team building experience for groups. abwk.net habitat for humanity
Agencies: Gaining homeowner trust to take your service seriously is extremely important to finding qualified homeowners. We have partnered with key agencies such as Community Action which offers many community services including weatherization. They have provided key referrals to us. Municipal code enforcement and other local departments have embraced ABWK and have helped us gain credibility in the community and resources extra resources to serve more families. Grass roots neighborhood groups and CDC's have been another important partner for raising awareness of our program services and providing an avenue to serve homeowner families. Also, since over half of our families are seniors, the Area Agency on Aging has provided a good conduit for needy homeowners through their home delivered meals and chore programs.
Connecting with key constituents and sharing our passion to serve their community and provide high quality service has done wonders to establish, grow and sustain our program throughout the years.
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