Supply drives are wonderful. Seeing community members rally to collect donations for families in need creates a sense of collective action and generosity. But there’s a hidden challenge that most people don’t see: what happens after the drive ends?
Shelters and community centers face ongoing, monthly expenses and needs. Families require diapers, shampoo, and toothpaste every single week, not just during the holiday season or when a well-publicized crisis makes headlines. This is why CARELink has built our model around consistent, monthly donations rather than sporadic drives.
The Problem with One-Time Thinking
Many organizations and individuals approach charity with an event mindset. They organize a spring drive, collect items, deliver them, and feel satisfied that they’ve helped. And they have—but only temporarily. Within weeks, shelters find themselves running low on essentials again, often without the public attention or volunteer energy that fueled the initial drive.
This creates a feast-or-famine cycle. In November and December, shelters may receive more donations than they can store. By February and March, supplies dwindle and needs go unmet. Families don’t experience poverty seasonally; they need support year-round.
The CARELink Approach: Sustainable Support
Our commitment to monthly donations creates predictability for our partner shelters. Directors can plan programs knowing that essential supplies will arrive consistently. Families can count on accessing hygiene products and baby items when they need them. This reliability is just as important as the donations themselves.
Monthly giving also allows us to respond to specific needs. Rather than collecting whatever people happen to donate, we communicate with shelter staff about what’s actually running low and focus our efforts accordingly. Some months that might be diapers; other months it’s shampoo or laundry detergent. This targeted approach ensures maximum impact.
Building Relationships, Not Transactions
Consistent presence builds relationships. Our volunteers become familiar faces. Children start to recognize us and look forward to our visits. Shelter staff know they can reach out with specific needs or ideas for programming. These relationships create trust and enable us to serve communities more effectively.
When you only show up once or twice a year, you’re providing a transaction: goods in exchange for a sense of having helped. When you show up every month, you become part of the community. You understand the challenges more deeply, celebrate successes, and adjust your support as needs evolve.
The Multiplier Effect of Reliable Partners
Our monthly model also helps us recruit and retain partner organizations. Student clubs and community groups know that joining CARELink means making a sustained commitment, not just planning a single event. This attracts volunteers who are serious about impact and want to see the long-term results of their work.
It also allows us to coordinate multiple partners efficiently. Rather than having three organizations independently planning drives for the same shelter in December (and none planning anything for April), we coordinate monthly responsibilities across our network. This ensures year-round coverage and prevents duplication of effort.
Small Gifts, Big Impact
Monthly giving doesn’t have to mean large donations. Even small, consistent contributions add up over time. A $25 monthly donation provides more total impact over a year than a $100 one-time gift, and it provides the reliability that allows shelters to plan and budget effectively.
For volunteers, monthly involvement can be as simple as organizing a small drive among friends, spending a few hours sorting donations, or contributing to one workshop per month. The consistency matters more than the scale.
How You Can Help
If you’re passionate about supporting families in shelters, consider shifting from event-based giving to sustained support. Options include:
- Join CARELink’s partner network and commit to monthly coordination of supplies or programs
- Set up recurring donations through our Donate page using Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal
- Schedule regular supply drives with your workplace, school, or community group on a quarterly or monthly basis
- Volunteer consistently rather than just during holidays or high-profile events
Communities don’t need heroes who sweep in once and disappear. They need partners who show up month after month, year after year, building relationships and providing the sustained support that creates real, lasting change.
Ready to make a monthly commitment? Contact us to learn how your organization can become a regular CARELink partner.
