How Note in the Pocket Leverages Volunteer Relationships to Gain Corporate Partnerships and Fulfill Its Mission

Corporate partnerships can support nonprofits as they work toward their mission and expand their reach, but how can nonprofits secure these critical partnerships? By creating relationships focused on people, not necessarily companies. Read on to learn how one North Carolina-based nonprofit built personal connections that developed into meaningful and lasting partnerships with corporate entities that supported the nonprofit’s growth and impact.

Captured in 2022, this video highlights Note in the Pocket’s impact, community connection, and service in action.

Overview

• Note in the Pocket relies on volunteers to work toward achieving their mission.
• Volunteers are Note in the Pocket’s greatest asset as they connect the nonprofit with valuable corporate partnerships.
• Thanks to strong relationships, corporate volunteer support has tripled between 2018 and 2024.
• Prioritizing human connections has helped Note in the Pocket expand its efforts and meet community needs.

Challenge

Note in the Pocket, a North Carolina nonprofit based in the Triangle area, is tackling an often-overlooked challenge: clothing insecurity. Clothing insecurity is a lack of clothes in good condition that fit properly and are seasonally appropriate which impacts approximately 40% of American children. Clothing insecurity often leads to children staying home from school and struggling academically as a result. These children are often bullied or become bullies and are at higher risk of serious behavior problems, including depression and suicide. By providing high-quality, seasonally appropriate clothing to children in need throughout Raleigh and Durham, Note in the Pocket helps increase children’s self-confidence and overcome academic and social obstacles. A key element behind the organization’s success is its ongoing corporate partnerships. Through these relationships, the nonprofit amplifies its mission through volunteer, financial, and strategic support.

Solution

The Power of Volunteer Engagement

At its core, Note in the Pocket is a volunteer-driven organization where volunteers make up 99% of its operational force. In 2013, the nonprofit relied on 308 volunteers. Fast forward to 2024, that number rose to over 7,700 volunteers. During this same timeframe, Note in the Pocket saw a substantial increase in clothing donations from 25,000 to over 420,000 pounds per year, impacting and restoring confidence to over 10,000 children and family members in Wake and Durham counties, which wouldn’t have been possible without corporate volunteer support.

Volunteers sort, size, and distribute donated clothing, ensuring children receive well-fitting, high-quality seasonal outfits that meet their unique needs and preferences. Between 2018 and 2024, the number of corporate volunteer groups more than tripled, rising from 56 groups in 2018 to an impressive 172 groups in 2024. This surge highlights companies’  growing commitment to engage in meaningful volunteer work.

In 2022, Note in the Pocket moved to a larger facility that allowed larger groups to volunteer on-site. With the increased space came an influx of supporters, so Note in the Pocket wanted to ensure every volunteer understood the impact of their work. The team revised how they spoke about their mission, the enormity of clothing insecurity, and how thoughtfulness is imperative to clothing children with dignity and love. These adjustments aimed to increase the emotional buy-in and encourage returning volunteers. And it worked! From 2022 to 2024, corporate volunteer hours steadily increased from 15% of all volunteer hours to 30% in 2024. This continual growth suggests that more corporate groups return year after year, deepening their commitment, and dedicating more time to volunteering.

About 100 businesses support Note in the Pocket’s mission throughout the year. Many companies encourage employees to volunteer, bringing groups to the organization’s facility or participating in mobile volunteer programs at corporate offices. Employee volunteers often form personal connections with the mission, which, in turn, leads to ongoing engagement, financial support, and broader community awareness.

The biggest challenge with corporate partnerships? Note in the Pocket learned that as corporate employees transition into new roles or to other companies, they may lose their cause champion, and it is challenging to find a new connection. The fix? Continual relationship building.

Corporate Partnerships: A Two-Way Street

Corporate partnerships at Note in the Pocket don’t happen overnight. They often start with an individual volunteering and then bringing the organization’s mission back to their company. As employees share their experiences, businesses see an opportunity to support a local cause that resonates with their workforce.

“We don’t have corporations volunteering with us; we have people volunteering with us,” said Dallas Bonavita, Executive Director of Note in the Pocket. “The relationships start with people who care, and then those connections organically lead to corporate support.”

These partnerships grow over time, with companies choosing how they engage based on their interests and resources. Some participate in volunteer events, while others host clothing drives or sponsor volunteer programs like mobile clothing distribution events, called Pocket Pop Ups, or other volunteer initiatives at their offices.

Impact

The Business Benefits of Giving Back

Engaging with Note in the Pocket offers tangible benefits for businesses. Companies today recognize that employees value social responsibility from their employer. Supporting meaningful causes helps enhance employee morale, strengthens company culture, and can boost talent attraction and retention while demonstrating a company’s commitment to social impact.

Some corporate partners have taken their support to extraordinary levels. In addition to regularly volunteering and sponsoring events, companies were willing to step in during a crisis. When Note in the Pocket faced ongoing challenges from storm damage, one corporate partner offered space, funding, and logistical support to ensure the nonprofit could continue serving during its busiest time: back-to-school season. This partnership is a testament to the organization’s dedication to Note in the Pocket, its mission, and the children it serves.

Additionally, companies like John Deere understand the immense value that Note in the Pocket provides the community and the positive feedback from team members on their experience volunteering:

The John Deere team enjoyed our time volunteering with Note in the Pocket…All the feedback I received was very positive, and I am sure we will schedule more volunteer events with you in the coming months! The work you all do is so important, and I am grateful to live in a community that has organizations like Note in the Pocket to support kids!

— Kyle L. Smith, Financial Analyst Volunteer at John Deere

Expanding Impact Through Strategic Programs

Note in the Pocket continues to innovate in how it engages corporate partners to suit their specific needs and goals. One standout initiative is its mobile volunteer program, which brings volunteer opportunities, like sorting clothing or hosting clothing drives, directly to corporate offices. By offering an accessible and flexible way for employees to give back, Note in the Pocket ensures that companies of all sizes can contribute, regardless of their capacity to send teams to the nonprofit’s facility.

To help encourage new business partnerships, Note in the Pocket posts group photos on social media to thank corporate groups for volunteering and to recruit other interested groups. They also encourage volunteers from civic, school, and church groups to bring their work team to volunteer.

Donations and sponsorships help address key needs such as purchasing new socks, underwear, and shoes—items that aren’t usually donated in usable condition. Note in the Pocket identifies corporate partners that offer workplace giving programs—such as payroll deductions, volunteer matching, and gift matching—and highlights these opportunities to employee volunteers. This ensures that volunteers know the additional support their employer provides and how it extends to children throughout Raleigh and Durham. Workplace giving donations have more than doubled since 2011, and these donations have helped ensure children receive seasonally appropriate outfits with dignity and care.

Looking Ahead

Corporate partnerships are essential to Note in the Pocket’s ability to provide clothing to thousands of children in need. By fostering genuine relationships with individuals and businesses alike, the nonprofit built a sustainable model where community support fuels its mission. As more companies seek meaningful ways to give back, Note in the Pocket is a prime example of how nonprofits can leverage corporate engagement to drive lasting change.

Learn more about how to engage with companies using different corporate giving models and other resources on our blog.

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