For today's meeting planner, finding ways for attendees to give back is a major consideration in their preparation. As part of San Francisco Travel's complimentary convention services, we can connect planners to a number of charitable organizations throughout the Bay Area. These groups offer on-site and off-site opportunities to give back in creative ways that build camaraderie among your guests and meet your company's corporate social responsibility goals.
Sharing A Meal
Whether you want to stock a food bank or serve up a hot breakfast, there are many ways to help feed the hungry in the Bay Area. You can sort and pack grocery deliveries with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank at their Potrero Hill warehouse, or arrange to have a food drive for their benefit at your venue. Meeting down the peninsula? Second Harvest Food Bank in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties offers similar volunteer opportunities. Located where some of San Francisco's neediest live, GLIDE serves approximately 2,000 meals daily to members of the community, which means they require over 80 volunteers each day to prep, serve and clean up. Additional opportunities for donations and meal service can be found with Food Runners, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Raphael House, the Curry Senior Center, and Project Night Night.
Supporting the Community
The Tenderloin After-School Program (TASP) provides a safe drop-in space for children in the community. Donating books and resources, as well as time spent tutoring or teaching, is much appreciated by both the students and administrators. HandsOn Bay Area tackles a number of community issues, including literacy, homelessness, hunger, and basic health needs. Speaking of health, a blood drive is always a good idea. Blood Centers of the Pacific would be glad to arrange one at your meeting site. Additional opportunities can be arranged with the Hamilton Family Center, the San Francisco Education Fund, and the St. Anthony Foundation.
Collecting Essentials
Looking for something other than canned goods to collect? Cityteam San Francisco encourages groups to organize collection drives for a number of items: coats, toys, bathroom and hygiene products, even backpacks for students. Project Open Hand specifically conducts toiletry collection drives for the communities it services. Items can be collected at your venue or conference hotel and then delivered to the charities themselves. Similar collections can be arranged with the Delancey Street Foundation, GIVE2SF, and OneBrick.
Promoting Preparedness
San Franciscans live with the knowledge that (eventually) a big earthquake will happen. In situations like that, there are always people at risk of being without the necessary resources. Meals on Wheels San Francisco organizes the collection and distribution of disaster relief kits to the city's homebound seniors and people with disabilities, so that they'll have the essentials during an emergency. Meals on Wheels San Francisco can plan routes and times for your attendees to deliver these valuable packages to residents in need.
Beautifying the City
San Francisco's incredible scenery is one of its biggest draws. You can do your part to keep our city beautiful by taking your attendees on a clean-up of one of our city parks with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department or of our majestic national parks with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. You can also make sure your meeting goes green by working with Green Mary, which has established processes for pre-organizing waste and composting at event sites. Other opportunities can be planned with San Francisco's chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, the Friends of the Urban Forest, and Save the Bay.
Looking for more CSR opportunities in San Francisco? Contact our Convention Services team for some free and excellent help!