The team at Sensible Financial aren’t just data-driven, they’re people-driven, too.
Non-profits always need money, especially around the holidays, but they also need help — people to sort donations, package items for giving, and lighten the load of overburdened staff. This year, the Sensible Financial team sent a dozen volunteers to the Cradles to Crayons warehouse in Newton to do just that.
Cradles to Crayons began in Boston when founder Lynn Margherio noticed how many new or gently worn baby clothes her niece had already outgrown. She thought about how those clothes could help families in need and in 2002, she started Cradles to Crayons. The organization has always focused on infants and children up to age 12 and seeks to create “a future free of childhood poverty”. Cradles has locations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, and is expanding to other cities, as well.
Anne Smith, HR Generalist for Sensible, has worked with the organization before and helped organize the session. “Volunteers work a 2-hour shift in the warehouse, sorting clothes and other essentials by size, age, and condition,” she says. “It’s important that children receive only new or nearly new items, so checking each article of clothing is essential.”
Cradles runs drives in local communities and schools to gather the clothing, books, school supplies, and hygiene items they need. Social service professionals and community organizations send general information — ages of children, special needs — of these families to Cradles. Then, they organize these supplies into customized packages for giving. These supplies can make all the difference for a family with few resources.
The Sensible team sorted, folded, and helped organize bins full of donations into categories so the next crew of volunteers could package them for distribution to families. The firm donated money as well, but they found the volunteer work more satisfying. As Anne put it, “It was nice to be out doing something positive together.”
How can you help?
Volunteer, host a drive or find a local Cradles to Crayons drop-off location.
Cradles to Crayons is a 501(c)(3) organization.