Three towns join DonorShare to support local charities

HandsOn Suburban Chicago is pleased to announce it has partnered with DonorShare in three additional communities: Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows and Des Plaines.

DonorShare provides the opportunity for community members to make online donations to local charities with strong missions. Since November, this partnership has been growing and the two organizations are now working together in eight communities to engage citizens to support needs in their communities.

As a connector organization that recruits and refers volunteers, HandsOn Suburban works to engage members of the community to get involved and support nonprofits in the area that could not meet their mission without the help of volunteers. For individuals who want to make a difference but may not have time to volunteer, DonorShare is a great solution. The sites www.donorshare.org/DesPlaines, www.donorshare.org/RollingMeadows and www.donorshare.org/HoffmanEstates lists organizations by specific cause, provides some background on the group’s mission and how an individual donation can make a difference. The charities benefit by getting consistent and predictable cash flow, enabling them to more thoroughly serve their clientele.

“It’s a win-win situation,” says Chris Smith, HandsOn Suburban Chicago chief operation officer. “Since we are supporting many organizations, a donation to HOSC really helps not just one specific cause, but many. It also provides people the opportunity to donate to programs that are addressing issues close to home.”

HOSC supports organizations that deal with issues of hunger, poverty, homelessness, student academic success, family wellness, senior and veteran’s issues and reports that for every dollar it receives, they provide $15 of service back to the community.

Palatine was the first community site that DonorShare had launched and it has been live since June 2012. DonorShare’s Charity Development director, Kevin Kinsella said, “People want to help locally, there just hasn’t been an easy way to do it … until now.” DonorShare now has a total of eight community pages live including Wheeling, Elk Grove, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows and Des Plaines, in addition to the Palatine site. Continued expansion is expected in 2013 to include more communities in the North and Northwest suburbs.

This short video illustrates how DonorShare creates a “Community of Donors” with local interests: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxG0kEKMEfM

For over 40 years, HandsOn Suburban Chicago has been inspiring, equipping and mobilizing people to volunteer and take action that builds vibrant and prosperous communities. HOSC recruits and refers thousands of volunteers annually to over 200 member agency nonprofits, and provides other support to local charitable organizations, such as consultations and trainings. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) agency and part of the national HandsOn Network, HOSC service area includes 45 core communities in the Chicago area and a population of over 1.6 million residents.