2020 www.smallthingsphilly.org
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR The year 2020 presented many challenges and hardships, but also the opportunity to really care for others. We started this year thinking it would be like the ones before as we ramped up to distribute food the Saturday before Easter. Then something happened. The spread of COVID through the US meant that we no longer could meet in large groups to pack boxes and deliver all meals over one weekend. We shifted to smaller deliveries on a weekly basis to ensure we were keeping volunteers and meal recipients as safe as possible. Our partner organizations stepped up in a big way to support their communities and Philabundance supported us with food to distribute to those in need. In 2019, we distributed 10,000 boxes to families in need through our partnerships with local churches. In 2020, while we needed to shift our model to adapt to COVID-19, our volunteers and local community partners helped us distribute 2,668,983 pounds of food - about 2.2 million meals! By June, we realized that we were filling an important gap in connecting people with food. We consulted with local community leaders to see whether we could become a permanent nonprofit. After much thought, we launched into a full-time non-profit called Small Things. If you had told me back in January that this is what we would do, there is no way I would have believed you. Not only did we distribute food to families in need, but we moved people to get involved. In a situation that seemed hopeless, we empowered people to help by packing boxes, picking up food, and delivering meals. In Philadelphia, as many as 1 in 5 people are suffering from food insecurity — that amounts to 300,000 people who lack regular, reliable access to daily meals. The need for food is not going away. We are committed to ensuring that our neighbors don’t go hungry. To address this need, Small Things is continuing to grow: we now have our own warehouse, a freezer and refrigerator space, and have hired warehouse staff. In 2021, we want to double the amount of food we distributed last year for a total of 5 million pounds. We are so grateful to everyone who made this a reality. In particular, I want to thank Philabundance for who we are a distributor; for Hatfield Quality Meats, who donated 79,740 pounds of meat, Caring for Friends, The USDA, and our many churches and community partners. We are also so grateful for our volunteers who made all this possible. In the next year, as we continue to grow and serve our neighbors, we gratefully ask for your continued help and partnership to help us meet the needs across our region and to help ensure that no one goes hungry. Sincerely, Rev. Vito Baldini Executive Director, Small Things, Inc.
2 2020 UPDATES
EASTER OUTREACH TO SMALL THINGS
2010
Members of Liberti East come together to deliver 100 meals to neighbors in need and start the annual tradition of Easter Outreach.
2012
Easter Outreach partners with Philabundance to source food for distribution and Water is Basic to provide water and famine relief to families in South Sudan.
2020
In early February, new restrictions due to COVID-19 mean that the organization needs to shift how we distribute meals to those in need. Easter Outreach partners with #forPhilly to set up a volunteer platform and with Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging to make sure our most vulnerable recieve the food they need. By the Fall, we had provided an unbelievable 1 million meals. We also decided to form a new nonprofit. In December, we started operating out of our own warehouse space.
2011
Liberti Fairmount and Liberti Center City join the effort and help distribute over 1,000 meals in the Greater Philadelphia area.
2013 - 2018
Easter Outreach continues to expand with new community partners, serving more meals, and engaging more volunteers.
2019
Over 75 community partners and 2,000 volunteers help distribute 10,000 Easter dinners in the greater Philadelphia area and help fund water provision and famine relief in South Sudan.
2021
This year we will aim to deliver over 5 million meals to families in need. We are excited about the possibility of establishing our roots into a more permanent location and being able to focus on deepening our capacity as an organization. There is so much to look forward to this year!
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ABOUT SMALL THINGS OUR MISSION Our mission is to support local churches and organizations by providing them with the resources to support their communities and connect to their neighbors in a tangible way. OUR VALUES Connection | We strive to build real, lasting connections by helping our partner organizations meet the tangible needs of their communities. Dignity | We believe that every individual we support deserves to be treated with the highest degree of respect, empathy, and love regardless of their situation.
We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
Integrity | We believe in having integrity in all of our actions and in all of our partnerships.
-Mother Teresa
Impact | In everything we do, we want to ensure that our efforts have a positive impact in our community. WHY SMALL THINGS? Why the name? Because we believe this is how change happens. We believe that every act of service matters, no matter how small. Small things like packing a box, delivering a meal, or taking time to talk and get to know another person is how we all change. By mobilizing people to reach out and care for one another, we believe that we can change lives and transform communities.
OUR YEAR IN REVIEW
2,668,983 lbs of food sourced for our partners 4 2020 UPDATES
2,224,152 meals provided to neighbors in need
6,000 volunteer opportunities filled
OUR PARTNERS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
We partner with more than 40 Neighborhood Centers - churches and community groups that are working to feed the people in their communities. They know who needs the food. We’re there to support them! 8th St. Community Church Brewerytown Sharswood NAC By Grace Alone Christ Church South Philly Church of Christian Compassion City Light Church Cityreach Church Crossroads Community Center Ephiphany Church of Gloucester City Epic Church Firm Hope Baptist Church First Hispanic Christian Church Flash Love Movement Grace City Philly/By Grace Alone Grands Stepping Up
Greater Impact Worship Center Greenhouse Project Hope Community Church Liberti Church Center City Liberti Network of Churches Liberti Newtown Square Liberti River Wards Metro Church New Beginnings Community Baptist Church New Covenant Church New Covenant Church of Cheltenham One Hope Oxford CCCDA People’s Emergency Center Prolific Praise Church
Puentes de Salud Refugee Access Center at Snyder Ave Congregational Church Renewal Presbyterian Roxborough Presbyterian Church Second Timothy Tabernacle Baptist Church Sen. Hughe’s office Seniors Organized Activity Program Sharon Baptist Church St. Mark’s food pantry True Vine Victory Church Audubon Victory Outreach Church West Kensington Ministry
PARTNER STORY: PASTOR ANDY KIM | 8TH STREET COMMUNITY CHURCH “We are a small church committed to our neighbors on a typical Philly urban corner. When it comes to food, there seems to be a perpetual need. Our sister churches would sometimes give us their surplus and it always disappears rather quickly on our corner. We also had a weekly food ministry but last March, the supplier shut down for a time and we started scrambling for food resources. We were able to get smaller amounts of random food items from different programs which had to be supplemented with our own shopping. Logistically, it was a constant scrambling as we tried to increase our outreach at the onset of the pandemic. Blessing folks with food and clothes have always been integral to our gospel message and we certainly did not want to remain silent or leave a void. We are so grateful to what is now Small Things for your vision, diligence and enthusiasm. We are grateful to your staff and your network and partners. You helped our church and neighbors to be cared for with a consistent supply of food, you helped to increase our outreach, allowed a solid ministry team to be formed, and brought much joy to the volunteers and our neighbors. You helped us consistently say ‘Jesus loves you,’ and for all to experience the bigger family called church. In addition, for the first time since we started our Thanksgiving basket ministry in 2007, you helped us receive 200 FREE turkeys allowing us to give away close to 250 turkey dinners.” For me, Small Things has undoubtedly been part of 2020’s story of God’s faithfulness to the people who have always had less and needed an extra measure of grace during these times. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Small Things.” 2020 UPDATES 5
BUDGET OVERVIEW Our budget in 2020 had a total operating expense of $200,000 and we distributed 2.68 million pounds of food. Since we were operating as a seasonal project, we did all of this with a limited staff, no equipment, and no warehouse. Now in 2021 we have a full warehouse, a truck, a van, a forklift, and a truck driver. We are so excited to be growing so quickly, but having all of these assets, means our expenses have also increased. With these added expenses we will be able to source more food to more people than ever before. We will also be able to make a huge impact across our region by creating a sustainable food distribution network to serve out neighbors. Our estimated total operating expenses in 2021 are around $500,000.
FUNDRAISING NEEDS This year, we are aiming to raise $500,000 to support warehouse modifications, warehouse staff and delivery drivers, and to continue to source food to provide to our neighbors in need. We also try our best to support our neighborhood centers by providing them with assets like large refrigerators so they can store the food they recieve from us until they are are ready to distribute it. One of our primary fundraising goals this year will be to grow our number of monthly donors. This will help allow us to better plan our finances moving forward.
GOALS FOR 2021
Distribute 5 million lbs of food.
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Provide 5 million meals to families in need.
Grow our number of recurring donors to become financially sustainable.
Continue to provide valuable services to our partners.
Thank you! PO BOX 41156, Philadelphia, PA 19127