With the worst of the pandemic (hopefully) behind us and a gradual move towards normality, many of us are adapting to new ways of working and finally looking forward.

Of course, there were very few sectors left untouched by the effects of Covid-19 and, as such, it became the norm for businesses to tighten their purse strings and pull back on activities relating to CSR. As a result, the charity sector has suffered majorly during the last 18 months.

But, in times of crisis, the sector’s vital work could not be more needed. Within days of the first lockdown being announced back in March 2020, Everton in the Community had launched its Blue Family initiative, designed to support some of society’s most vulnerable as they battled anxiety, isolation and financial crisis.

Since its launch, Blue Family has reached more than 31,500 families and individuals, offering much-needed help in the way of food parcels and access to mental health support, as well as handing out laptops and other educational resources across the region. This vital work, which we have since pledged to continue with for as long as is needed post pandemic, would not have been possible without robust, strategic relationships with our corporate partners.

And, we are now at a stage where we are building a future with those partners who played an integral role in initiatives like Blue Family. For example, Liverpool-based catering firm Relish stepped in to help provide meals for Blue Family, while education resource and service provider CreativeHUT in Warrington shared our goal of keeping minds alive during lockdown by donating LEGO kits to families to encourage them to get creative through learning and develop 21^st century skills.

Making an impact, for us, is why we exist – we see the need and we act. It is with the help of our corporate partners that allow us to succeed in this mission. However, forming such relationships is not always a quick, or straightforward, process. To create long-lasting partnerships we need to align perfectly with those businesses, focusing on our core values: ambition, determination, authenticity and family.

When approached by would-be partners, our first step is to ensure that they are a good fit for us. It is 100 per cent a two-way street – that way, our stakeholders know how we intend to do business and can work better alongside us to maximise a project’s outcomes. 

Similarly, discussions on the benefits to our partners will be mapped out clearly from the outset - a win-win scenario. For us, it’s essential that, not only can a partner become embedded with what we do, but that we also offer real value to their growth too.

During the pandemic, it was also important for us to be open to various forms of support – not all donations require a monetary stamp. For instance, lots of companies are more likely to be asset-rich and cash-poor at the moment but, interestingly, we have seen a real social impact being created by alternative methods of donation. 

If we look at the retail industry, which was arguably one of the most adversely affected by the crisis, we have benefited from stock donations from big-brand names such as Mothercare, while Marks and Spencer has supported its charity partner, the Neighbourly Community Fund, by allowing customers to donate through its Sparks loyalty card. 

While we feel that we are indeed rising from the ashes of the pandemic, we are passionate about taking forward what we have learnt during this extremely challenging time. The pandemic has seen extraordinary innovation, responsiveness and imagination produced by the third sector – we cannot forget that the desire to help is there. 

We firmly believe that charity is born out of crises. By listening and responding to the needs of both the people and businesses in our communities, we can address the issue head-on and turn the coronavirus emergency into an emerging opportunity for greater corporate-charity resilience.