Donations For Donuts...

On July 13, 2024, the Hendricks Foundation hosted a donation drive where they gave away donuts while receiving computer donations. The Paperless Times interviewed the founder, Dean Hendricks Jr., to get an insight into the event.

Question: How did you promote the donation drive and generate interest from the community or donors?

Mr Hendricks: "We promoted the donation drive on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok to garner buzz over three months. We had all our employees and volunteers spread the message about the drive. We also posted the flyer in reels and stories up until the day of the event. It was all about gaining support from the people we knew so that they could tell people we didn't know."

Question: What types of donations were collected during the event? Can you share some examples of the items donated?

Mr Hendricks: "We collected tablets, cell phones, laptops, and desktops during the event. One donor gave us two iPhones."

Question: How many people participated in the donation drive event, and what was the overall response from the community?

Mr Hendricks: "Five people moved forward to help us facilitate the event. Thankfully, two people made donations that day as opposed to none."

Question: Were there any challenges or obstacles faced during the event? If so, how were they overcome?

Mr Hendricks: "Our biggest challenges were spreading the message and collaborating. So many events were going on the same day that we missed out on many potential donors."

Question: What impact do you think the donation drive event had on the community or the cause it was supporting?

Mr Hendricks: "The donation drive diverted e-waste from landfills and spread awareness about the digital divide."

Question: Did you collaborate with any organizations or partners for the donation drive event? If yes, how did this collaboration enhance the event?

Mr Hendricks: "We collaborated with the Rotary Club of Detroit, HAP, and Holy Moly Donuts. They helped us to spread the word about our organization."

Question: Can you share any heartwarming experiences from the donation drive event that stood out to you?

Mr Hendricks: "We helped a man get a refrigerator from behind the building we were at, and in return, he bought us drinks."

Question: How do you plan to utilize the donations collected during the event, and how will they benefit the intended recipients or cause?

Mr Hendricks: "We will be repairing the devices we received. We will work with schools in foreign countries for cell phones to provide students with internet-accessible devices. We will give laptops to students who need computing devices for homework and school and to desktop students in our Access 2 All program to teach them how to repair computers."

Question: Looking back, what were the critical successes of the donation drive event, and is there anything you would do differently next time?

Mr Hendricks: "For our donation drive to be its best, we need the entire community to know its importance and be willing to help us make a strong impact."

Question: How did the donation drive event align with your organization's or cause's values and mission?

Mr Hendricks: "We aim to bridge the digital divide while reducing the impact of the e-waste epidemic. This donation drive allows us to bud two flowers from one seed."

Question: In what ways do you plan to continue engaging with donors and community members following the donation drive event?

Mr Hendricks: "We will email our donors to keep them updated on what's going on with the devices received during the event. We also plan to spread the word about our goals and mission to more people."

Question: Did you face unexpected outcomes or responses during the donation drive event? If so, how did you address them?

Mr Hendricks: "We had two donors and 100 donuts. We gave the remaining 98 to community members and spread awareness about our organization."

Question: Have you received any feedback or testimonials from donors or recipients of the donations you would like to share?

Mr Hendricks: "No, not from our last event."

We then expressed our gratitude to Mr. Hendricks for taking the time to share this experience with us. Well done!