A year ago, the Beacon’s Board of Directors set the following goal:

To increase community donations to the Beacon to the point where about 650 Andover households donate every year.

Why? The short answer is that after almost 10 years, the Beacon still isn’t financially sustainable, and to get there is going to require about 650 households donating to the Beacon every year. That level of support from the community should put the Beacon on a stable and sustainable financial footing so it can continue serving Andover long into the future.

To reach that goal, the Board of Directors decided last year to begin a direct, person-to-person canvassing campaign each fall. Last year’s October canvassing was very successful – it increased the number of households donating from 200 in 2012 to 350 in 2013! That increase makes up about a third of the shortfall we’re trying to eliminate.

Of course we can’t stop there, so we need another very successful canvassing campaign this year. Here’s how you can help:

• Consider being a canvasser for the Beacon this year. You’ll get to pick which of your friends and neighbors you contact, and you can contact them by phone, by e-mail, by mail, at church, at the dump – whatever works best for you!
• If you haven’t donated to the Beacon yet in 2014, please do so right away. The fewer people we have to canvass, the better for everyone! You can mail us a check, or you can donate online at AndoverBeacon.com.
• Use social media to remind your friends and neighbors that “It’s Up to All of Us to Help Keep the Beacon Going!” Just share AndoverBeacon.com/All-of-Us, which is a good explanation of why all this matters so much.

If you could take action on any or all of these important steps, and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same, we can all help keep the Beacon going. Thank you!