When a person comes to The Ion Center For Violence Prevention for help, many are surprised to learn that every single service they receive is free of charge. The hospital accompaniment, the legal advocacy,, the safety planning, the counseling…all of it free. This is even true for the individuals and families (including pets!) who come to our shelter to escape violence at home. All meals, all clothes, all appliances and household items they may need are free.

In large part, organizations like The Ion Center are able to provide these items and services due to federal and private grants. However sometimes we are forced to pivot and react to unexpected expenses. When our shelter needs foundation repairs, or when the roofs of our walk-in offices need to be re-shingled, or even when we have to partner with hotels to help our clients have an additional place to quarantine during COVID, this all comes from unrestricted funds – money that isn’t earmarked for a specific program or salary. It’s for reasons like these that we rely so heavily on corporate partnerships and donations.

PCA Architecture showcases the work they did in The Ion Center’s Covington walk-in office.

But corporate donations aren’t just good for non-profit organizations like ours. Here are some other benefits that come from partnering with the charities that are providing services in the community:

1. EMPLOYEE MORALE
More and more people are wanting see their work and career playing a part in something larger than themselves. Corporate partnerships allow companies and employees to take part in interests and causes right in their own communities, and it can have a huge boost to employee morale. As seen in a study from 2016, millennials are twice as likely to rate their corporate culture as very positive if their company participated in workplace volunteer activities. Employees feel more connected to companies that care about the people in the community.

2. INCREASED MARKETING
Many people say “no press is bad press”, and while that may be true in many situations, most would likely agree that good press is better than bad press. Much better. What better way to associate positivity with your business than to align with a nonprofit organization that is in the community helping people who need help. Nonprofits mentioning that “this work/project was made possible by Company XYZ” can do wonders to build brand and customer loyalty.

3. TAX DEDUCTIONS
One of the most obvious benefits are the tax savings. Even if you can’t immediately see how your gifts and partnership benefits your community, you will certainly take note during tax season. We’d never use tax deductions as the primary selling point of why a business should donate to a non-profit, but it is certainly a very real and very tangible benefit.

4. IT’S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
At The Ion Center For Violence Prevention, our eyes are focused on a day when violence is simply not tolerated. As we continue to prevent violence and create a culture that is doing the same, we are creating a healthier and thriving community. And when a community is thriving, the businesses will too. As we work to change our culture, the public will notice who is a part of the solution, and we can’t wait to tell them that you were.

5. IT JUST FEELS GOOD!
It’s okay to be a little selfish in cases like this. Using your position to make such a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of people who really need it – like survivors of violence – is unlike anything else. If you ask any one of our staff members, they will all be able to tell you about the moments when the impact of their work has been felt and seen. Those moments aren’t ever forgotten, and they are often used to ground us in our work on days that are a bit more difficult. You can have that same impact, even without being a staff member of our organization.

Make sure to take a look at our Corporate Collaboration page to learn a little more and see some of the ways you can partner with The Ion Center to prevent violence and to help us make real, lasting change in our communities!