SouthPark Mall held a non-profit fair to help local not for profit organizations bring awareness to their groups while some struggle across the country during this slow economic recovery.40 different Quad City not for profit organizations filled the commons in SouthPark Mall.
"This actually has been a wonderful event, we have talked to other people, we have met a lot of people walking by,” says Treasurer for QC Can Linda Taylor.
Being a small organization it’s not always easy to promote, “It’s just hard for us to get out and to people and I've just met so many people that wouldn't normally know about us,” says Pregnancy Resources intern, Sara Calcote.
QC Can was just one of the tables. It’s a new organization that trains and services therapy dogs.
"The more you get out there and people know what you're doing the more willing they are to donate,” says Linda.
Not only is it hard for not for profit groups to bring awareness, but Sara says it’s also hard to stay alive when they depend on donations, “That’s where we get everything, that's how we can keep helping others, helping women and helping families and that’s our main income source."
However, donations don’t pile in all the time. When people are facing economic troubles, they have to look for other ways.
"We have things like a baby bottle drive where people fill up baby bottles with cash and then give it back to us,” says Sara.
Sara just asks to keep the little guy in mind, “If you feel like you really want to help other people and you have a calling to donate or to volunteer just do it, just try it, I mean if it doesn’t work out you're not going to have any regrets about helping out someone else."
SouthPark Mall plans on holding another fair summer 2013.