I had first heard about SPUR when I was covering a story about a mural unveiling the nonprofit had collaborated on with Lynn artist Michael Aghahowa. Getting to meet some of the team at the event, I saw the passion and excitement they had, not only for the mural, but also for their organization and the helpful opportunities it provides to Marblehead and surrounding communities.
SPUR is a Marblehead-based nonprofit organization with a mission to make volunteering easy for people of any age. It provides volunteers with accessible opportunities to help make an impact and difference on their community. SPUR allows people to find volunteering opportunities that fit within their schedules. People can volunteer solo or with their family, in a group, or with other teens or tweens. SPUR offers opportunities that include, but are not limited to, gardening and sewing activities, sorting donations at the Salem Food Pantry, and participating in food rescues..
“We SPUR others on to action, embracing the notion that we can make positive change when we all work together to make a difference,” the nonprofit’s website reads.
STUDENT SUCCESS DRIVE IS A SUCCESS
This summer, SPUR ran its annual Student Success Drive, which aims to help local children get supplies such as backpacks and other academic essentials they need on their first day of school. SPUR sought help from the community, and people were able to sponsor students all the way from pre-K to the 12th grade. This year, it added the option of sponsoring an entire public pre-K classroom. Different grades have a specific school-supply list to accommodate their needs.
SPUR worked with many sources such as school-adjustment counselors, food-pantry directors, and other social-service workers in order to provide the necessary tools for students to have a successful school year.
“When social-service providers that we work with fill out the forms for each of their students, they’ll say this kid’s favorite color is pink or this kid really wants a black backpack or whatever, so that we’re able to as much as possible really connect with that student and meet them where they are and give them a chance to express themselves as the person they see themselves as, which I think is really one of the things that makes this so special and unique,” Kimberly Nothnagel, SPUR’s director of communications and community relations, said.
Throughout the summer, SPUR kept people up to date with the progress of the drive on its Instagram account. Each update showcased more and more students being sponsored for the upcoming school year.
“Right now, we’re in Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, and Swampscott. At the end of the day, I think that our dream and our goal is that someday we’ll be able to keep growing and keep engaging people in ways that they can make a difference and help neighbors,” Nothnagel said. “Because the truth of the matter is our community is not defined by our town line. It is what we make of it. When we have a neighbor or a friend who needs a hand, who needs a meal, who needs a backpack… that is a need that we meet regardless of where it’s found.”
With the students heading back to school, the drive has come to an end and SPUR was able to reach its goal.
“In total, the SPUR community was able to support over 750 local kids by getting them everything they need to be ready to learn this year. We’ve never supported so many children before, so it has been wonderful,” Nothnagel said.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEPTEMBER
With September approaching, there is plenty to do when it comes to volunteering. With the growing season in full force, SPUR is looking for people to lend a helping hand with watering, weeding, and harvesting fresh produce, which will be delivered to help fight food insecurity. Six days a week, volunteers will also participate in food rescues by picking up food that would otherwise be disposed of from local delis and supermarkets and delivering it to organizations that fight food insecurity.
“There are chances to prepare and serve food at local shelters several nights each week, volunteer shifts to help at food pantries, and lots more,” Nothnagel said. “All of which is to say September is a wonderful time to volunteer.”
It doesn’t stop there. SPUR will also host its biannual Land and Sea Cleanup on Sept. 21, for which hundreds of volunteers will help clean up litter from 40 parks and beaches in communities such as Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, and Swampscott. Those who sign up for a specific location will be given information about where to park and what time to meet there. Materials such as gloves and trash bags will be provided by SPUR, and each location will have a limited amount of slots that volunteers can sign up for.
“It’s an important part of being a steward for the beautiful green spaces that make our corner of the world so unique and wonderful,” Nothnagel said.
To sign up for these opportunities or learn a little bit more about SPUR, people can visit https://www.spurnorthshore.org/ and https://spur.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/ to see the organization’s full calendar.
