Christmas Wish List

Tonight as i reflect on our toughest year in business. I think of the things on my list that really count. A home, good health, family, food in the fridge, and friends. These items are the things that a truly rich man has and can count on. In 2010, I wish you a happy health and prosperous new year. God Bless you for all your help in 2009 and Merry Christmas!!

Balancing Demand with Growth

Each year we face the fact that more families in our community will need our help this year. Seeing the food bank grow like it has the last fifteen years can be a bit scary, but it is great to see how our community recognizes that with a healthy food bank comes stability in the nonprofit community. Each year hundreds of agencies count on us to deliver safe, quality food to them to serve their clients. By leveraging the 200 plus food donors that donate to us each year with a major logistics system, we can move food quickly into any county in South Georgia. The next ten years will be filled with growth as we continue to build a network that will eliminate hunger in South Georgia. We promise to continue to expand service while building a world class team of well trained and developed leaders. We will make the difference that every community that relies on the service of Second Harvest of South Georgia counts on each day.

Leadership, what’s that?

We live in a world where everyone wants to be a leader. Follow me, they say, I will fix all your problems. The problem with this is that you better be careful where you are being led. Working in charity, I have seen a lot of really bad leaders destroy key relationships to the detriment of the whole community. When you step into the role of leading a charity, you had better know your purpose. The work we do drives us. We are excited to get up and go to work and we don’t take no for an answer. The success of the organization is only as good as the relationships we build. Leadership means only one thing to me, that we get the job done no matter how long it takes, how difficult it is, or when it has to be done. We have to get the best training and learn how to apply that training to better our cause. The trick is that you are there and you do what you tell people that you will do. Remember leaders jump because they know the net will appear.

Finishing the Task

As we wound down 2008 I was reflecting on how fortunate that we were to not have experienced any drop in donations. Even though we put 30% more food out the doors in 2008 than ever before, the community was right there behind us making sure we had the resource to provide the programs our community count on. Thank you again and happy New Year!!!!