Toward the end of the rebuilding, ODOT officials attended the parties, bringing together the community. Merchants actually reported an increase in business over last year, and ODOT did not receive a single complaint from a resident. Marketers at the West Central Tribune in Wilmar, Minn., led a food drive last March and collected 3,660 pounds of edibles. Carriers distributed bags obtained from grocers to houses on their routes at mid week and picked up donations the following Saturday. A state agency matched the paper's food collection, and more than 7,300 pounds were presented to a food charity.
Many newspapers have a columnist who takes on local causes.
At The Morning Daily Times in Maryville, Tenn., it's an ad employee who keeps his finger on the community pulse. Bales alerts the news desk to worthy causes and uses the network of contacts he's developed over the years and his management skills to coordinate contributions. The goal of the program is to raise the academic level of students, help them learn marketable job skills, and create a dynamic work force. Teachers serve as interns in these businesses and bring back to the classroom specific skills appropriate for the business they learned. Many participating companies hire these teachers' graduating students.