Sourcing Good Deeds

Local nonprofit organizations depend on donations of time and money to stay afloat, but sometimes it is difficult for people who want to help to find the best way to do so. A new website can change that.

To address the needs of nonprofits now and always, AUDREY HART, director of New Hanover Disaster Coalition is proud to be a part of SHARE Cape Fear, a brand-new online platform, that connects nonprofits with people who are looking to volunteer their time and skills or donate to causes near and dear to their hearts.

Hart knows first-hand the needs nonprofits have at any given time, let alone following disasters like Hurricane Florence or amid pandemics like COVID-19. The SHARE Cape Fear website launched early in order to meet the immediate needs that have arisen as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

By visiting sharecapefear.org, those interested in helping will see three main buttons Donate, Give Your Time, or Shop for Good, and will see “all the different opportunities to help, see who it helps and who it impacts,” Hart says.

“The goal is to help leverage the community’s interest in helping nonprofits, in an equitable way, market what their needs are,” Hart says.

As director of the Disaster Coalition, Hart is used to helping connect residents with disaster recovery resources, but immediate concerns and the launch of SHARE have been a balancing act for Hart.

“The way I balance it is it fits into the goals of the Disaster Coalition really nicely,” Hart says. “My role is almost as a loudmouth to provide the marketing piece promoting the nonprofits’ wish lists on Amazon or the need for volunteers to attend events.”

Hart encourages nonprofits to build their profile pages on the SHARE website and for those looking to help the nonprofits to click on the appropriate filters to see what interest them in terms of who they can help and how.

Currently, on the SHARE Cape Fear website, there are 53 nonprofits supporting the Cape Fear region, 40 volunteer opportunities, and more than 300 much-needed products that can be purchased to support these organizations.

“Before COVID-19 became a thing, we were still working on Hurricane Florence recovery, and nonprofits’ main pain point was their volunteer capacity,” Hart says. “This can allow nonprofits to build its volunteer base for blue sky days or for disaster-related issues.”

The SHARE website also is an easy way for volunteers to see where they are most needed and the best fit for their skill set.

“It can be a lot of different things depending on what their skills are and what they want to do,” Hart says.

Since its launch just a few weeks ago, SHARE Cape Fear organizations have seen increased interest in volunteer opportunities, as well as an increase in donations.

“It’s been awesome,” Hart says. “A lot of folks donate $10 to three different organizations since it gives individuals the ability to donate to three different organizations that speak to you, in one place.”

To view more of photographer Michael Cline Spencer’s work, go to michaelclinephoto.com.

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