Life’s greatest moments are often borne from power partnerships. Think Rice and Montana. Lennon and McCartney. Hewlett and Packard. And, how grounded would we be without those Wright Brothers? Just as Ben and Jerry revolutionized the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, the Atlanta Chapter of IFMA is blazing a trail of its own, by partnering with the Atlanta Community ToolBank to impact local outreach initiatives.
“The ToolBank model empowers charitable groups of all types to implement a diverse range of community improvement projects year-round, “ stated Board President Cavelle Benjamin. “This unique approach enabled more than 39,000 volunteers to complete over 1670 service initiatives in 2009. And, volunteerism has continued to rise, as by mid-2010, ToolBank had already experienced a more than 30% increase in tool usage.”
IFMA Atlanta’s support of the ToolBank is critical to mission delivery. In addition to providing volunteer support at the tool warehouse for general program needs. IFMA continues to assist in the areas of facility maintenance by providing expert advice and hands on remodeling. Just a couple of examples of this assistance are:
- Andy Hoover (The BEST Consultant), IFMA member and Partner Lead, assisted ToolBank by securing a warehouse space from Duke Realty. This location was used as a temporary ToolBank satellite location in support of Gwinnett’s Great Days of Service.
- Pat Darroch (Verizon) and Bryan Benedict (Humphries & Company), IFMA members and Partner Lead (Pat), are currently working to improve safety conditions at the ToolBank warehouse and connecting them with resources to accomplish this task.
- Bryan Benedict (Humphries & Companies), IFMA member, secured the services of Construction Debris Services, Inc. They recently provided interior demolition of a couple walls, allowing the ToolBank to expand space to accommodate the growing Tool Lending Program.
- Barbara Miller (Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc.), IFMA member, is currently assisting them with the implementation of the 5S of workplace organization methodology.
These are just a few of the ways IFMA Atlanta has assisted ToolBank in the recent past.
“It is exciting to witness the growth of Tool Lending and how it impacts the local community,” stated CJ Clark, ToolBank’s Master Tool Librarian and active participant in the IFMA partnership. “Hundreds of nonprofits, schools and faith based groups depend on this program to ensure they can plant trees, remove graffiti, build playground and even repair and maintain their own facilities.”
The Atlanta Community ToolBank will celebrate 20 years of service in 2011. “Our new mantra for the 20th anniversary is ReTool Your Take On Charity,” explains Executive Director Patty Russart. “We want to illustrate how an individual’s investment in the ToolBank, whether it’s the gift of time, monetary support or in-kind donations, will literally support thousands of good works, right in their own community. Our partnership with IFMA is truly invaluable, as the resources provided enable us to maximize our own service model, increasing overall community impact even further. ”
The bottom line? IFMA is powering progress. The past 20 years have proven when passionate volunteers are given the tools needed to both mobilize and maintain hands on service projects – communities will strengthen. That means safer, cleaner, happier lives for us all. Now, isn’t that a deal worth making? Visit www.atlanta.toolbank.org to watch the blue tools in action. Better yet, come on down to volunteer some time – rest assured your gift of time will make a difference.
By Dave Woelber
