Launch of 'Chamber for Good'

The Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce is launching a new community-building service called Chamber for Good which allows local charities to raise their visibility within the community and also provides businesses and philanthropic individuals an easy way to become aware of local charitable needs, causes and events.  It is the ultimate community building tool!

Bringing individuals, organizations and businesses together to achieve great things is a key focus of the chamber.  The Chamber for Good system provides a clearinghouse that serves to connect all local charitable organizations and causes with the individuals and organizations within our community that are eager to support local needs.  Chamber for Good makes it EASY to Give Local.

“This tool allows us to harness the goodness of our residents and businesses and really strengthen our community in a way that we haven’t been able to before”, explained Deanne Healey, President & CEO of the Peabody Area chamber of commerce.

 “It’s amazing how many local needs go unnoticed by individuals and organizations that would gladly volunteer time, donate items or financial help if they only knew about them.  Many of the noblest causes operate seemingly in the shadows with little or no public awareness. We’ve found there is wonderful movement building throughout the country that can best be described as “Give Local”.  The Chamber for Good website raises the visibility of these local charities and causes and allows communities to really make an impact with those charities that serve the people and causes in our own backyard,” Healey said.

The Chamber for Good tool allows residents of our community to view local charitable needs posted by local charities sorted into three areas: financial needs, volunteer needs and item needs.  All local charities that fit the eligibility guidelines have the ability to create a public profile on the Chamber for Good site, then post needs in the three areas as they arise. 

Residents not only have the ability to browse local charitable needs, but can also make item and volunteer offers. 

Healey further explained, “For example, a local individual or group can go to our community’s Chamber for Good website and click ‘offer volunteer time’, then give a brief description of the date and time they’re available to volunteer, and then send it to all local charities or just those charities within a certain category.  The charities are instantly notified via email and can respond back to the individual or group making the offer.”

Another example given is a business that needs to unload a number of chairs no longer in use.  The business clicks on “offer items to charity”, describes the items, then clicks submit.  Instantly all local charities are made aware of the items and can respond to the donating individual.

Residents are encouraged to go to the local Chamber for Good website and enter their email address toward the bottom of the home page.  By doing this they will be notified once per week, by email, of the local needs that exist among the charitable organizations and causes that operate within our community. 

"Chamber for Good enhances the local business community's ability to provide resources, volunteer hours, and financial assistance to organizations doing important work all over the local area," says Corey Jackson, Executive Director of Citizens for Adequate Housing. "Citizens for Adequate Housing is incredibly excited for this resource and has already begun using it to promote ways corporations and individuals can get involved in helping families and children experiencing homelessness."

The local Chamber for Good website can be found by clicking on the ‘GIVE LOCAL, Chamber for Good’ banner on the Peabody Area chamber of commerce’s website, which can be found at www.peabodychamber.com.  Additionally, the local website can be found by going to ChamberForGood.com/peabodychamber.

The Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary group of business leaders with a vested interest in improving the economic, civic and cultural well being of the area.  We believe businesses that work together are stronger than those who go it alone.  Given the right tools and support any business can be successful, which is why we focus on advocacy, promotion and community involvement.