This past year of fear, suffering, uncertainty, racial inequity, and social isolation has taught us many things. Among those is how giving back and supporting the charities that are making a difference in our communities is more important than ever. Indeed, charities are experiencing greater challenges than ever before.

The pandemic has exacerbated many of the issues organisations seek to address, leading to an overwhelming demand for their services and strain on their resources. Their lifeblood – in-person fundraising events that raise crucial funds for their programmes – has been cut off as we adhere to self-isolation and social distancing. Many volunteers have been deprived from coming out and providing the essential services that help non-profits reach those in need. 

The unprecedented challenges faced by the charity sector have been pervasive, and that is where businesses come in. British corporates have the unique opportunity to support organisations – many on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic – and help them to re-strategise, recover and rebuild. 

Financial support is vital, but it is not the only essential avenue. Many charities are reconsidering their business model and strategic planning to adapt to a changing environment. A crippling, global pandemic has only intensified that need for review.

Our experience has shown that help is at hand from the expertise of professionals in the business community who have the time and resources to commit. Morgan Stanley has created a public-service platform whereby employees are inspired to use their unique skillsets to support charities through pro bono service. And pro bono service is a two-way street. While the benefitting charity gains valuable advice, guidance and strategic support, our employees gain meaningful professional development experience, and make a difference in their community.  We’re by no means alone in this giving-back endeavour.

The Felix Project’s response to the pandemic is a good example of how pro bono advice can deliver tangible impact. The Felix Project is a London-based food redistribution charity with a mission to fight hunger and food waste by delivering surplus food for free to local charities and schools. During the lockdown, the charity faced many challenges concerning their volunteers, including how to effectively communicate between a disparate and diverse group of people. By chance, they had worked with a team of Morgan Stanley employees in 2019 that conducted an in-depth analysis of how they recruited, integrated, deployed, and developed their large volunteer workforce. Fast-forward to 2020, and The Felix Project was able to utilise recommendations to enhance their volunteer experience and adopt new ways of communication between their management, staff and volunteers. This was especially beneficial at a time when many new volunteers were not able to onboard in the traditional way because of Covid. 

In January and February of this this year, The Felix Project delivered more food to people than in the whole of 2019. To break that down, 6.4 million meals were distributed in 2019 compared to 21.1 million in 2020 and 29.1 million in the year since the first lockdown began. 

This is just one example of how businesses can unite with charity organisations to further their critical ability to provide services and comfort to the neediest in society at a time when our future is still uncertain, and the vulnerable remain particularly susceptible to the debilitating effects of the pandemic, such as isolation, homelessness and job insecurity. 

If you are a charity professional, we urge you to seek out opportunities for businesses to support the important mission of your organisation. If you are a business professional, seek out pro bono service opportunities to lend your skillsets and act as allies and advisors, to help alleviate some of the greatest challenges on the shoulders of charity leaders, and in turn, make a real and tangible impact on the communities they serve.