Winding down

It's a time of transition at Shared Harvest. I have less than two weeks until my service as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member ends and the new VISTA's term begins. Alex and I have been working on a binder that we will pass on to her, which contains all of our secret tips for success. Well they aren't really secret, but it's certainly going to be helpful as she dives into all of our projects.

Today I will be preparing the Butler County School Supply Coalition section of the binder. Looking back a year ago, I had no idea what this project was even about. I thought I would sit in on meetings and listen as everyone else chugged along in their fund-raising efforts for the Kits for Kids Campaign. Little did I know that I would take the lead on the project and do the bulk of the work. I remember how overwhelming and confusing it was to get started; it would have been nice to have a binder handed down to me, so I am trying to make my sections as thorough as possible for my replacement.

Speaking of doing the bulk of the work, a few more granters have come back with decisions on funding. The Hamilton Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Committee approved a $2,500 donation, and the West Chester Community Foundation approved a $5,000 donation! Van Buren PTO and Linden PTO in Hamilton are making contributions, as well. Rotary Club of Fairfield is considering making another donation, while also appealing to their Hamilton and West Chester counterparts to do the same. At this point in time, we are up to....$41,939 in funds. That will buy school supplies for at least 7,625 kids around Butler County, and in case you are wondering, the Coalition managed to purchase a total of 5,114 kits last year. That's a 49% increase from 2009.

We still have a few more grants out there, and I hope I am still here when the final numbers come in. Likewise, the JournalNews is considering doing a story on this project to launch our individual donor campaign, and I'd like to be here for that, as well. Ordering and distribution will happen after I leave, but I hope to prepare the group for those steps at our final meeting this Friday.

As ready as I am to end my AmeriCorps term, it's hard to just hand this project over to someone else to finish. I have put so much work and time into the campaign, and I am nervous about how it will transition. I don't want to drop the ball and jeopardize any funders for next year! And on a more personal level, I guess I'm just not quite ready to let go.