With the help of his neighbors, 77-year-old Peter Norback has donated to the Pima Animal Care Center every week since September.
Every Sunday morning, Norback visits 52 of his neighbors in the Miles neighborhood, near East Broadway and South Kino Parkway. He collects cash, checks, pet food and supplies.
And each Monday, he drives his truck β which sports a βRescue Critters Food Driveβ decal β to PACC to hand deliver the donations. Heβs there so often that the staff immediately recognizes him.
Since September, Norback and his neighbors have donated what is equivalent to more than 4,000 pounds of food.
When Norback started the initiative, he hoped to collect 4,333 pounds of donations within the year. And by the looks of it, heβs almost there.
But Norbackβs consistent giving didnβt start with PACC.
In 2008, Norback started a βOne Can A Weekβ program, where he encouraged his neighbors to donate one can of food each week. He personally delivered the donations to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
He and his neighbors compiled donations for the food bank weekly for more than seven years. In those seven years, his neighborhood donated $18,000 and 70,000 pounds of food.
When he ventured outside of his neighborhood and collected donations from local shops and markets, he was able to pull together another 80,000 pounds in that seven-year time frame.
But in 2015, Norback had surgery on his appendix, causing him to take a break from his door-to-door donations. He also took that time to rethink his programβs initiative.
By 2018, he was back on his feet and ready to start his charitable giving once again. But he decided to switch his focus.
βI recuperated from (the surgery) and was thinking about what I wanted to do,β he says. He ultimately decided to shift gears and help PACC.
Since his first encounter with PACC staff, Norback says heβs been impressed by their work.
βEvery (neighbor) I talk to, several of them, have stories about PACC,β Norback says. βItβs been nothing but positive.β
Norback says heβs in awe of PACCβs staff and programs β namely their low-cost spay and neuter options, in addition to their community cat program that helps feral cats. And he loves the atmosphere of the shelterβs newly-renovated building.
Nikki Reck, PACC spokeswoman, said a consistent donor like Norback is βeverythingβ for an organization like PACC. βAny little thing helps,β she says.
βWeβre lucky to have someone like Peter to collect from people who donβt necessarily want to leave the house, but want to help,β Reck says.
βItβs good to know that we have the support of his community,β added Bennett Simonson, PACC community programs manager. βI think it speaks to how people feel about PACC β that Peter is able to do this every week.β
Norback says heβs always been one to help others β whether thatβs through writing books or helping people with traumatic brain injuries find jobs. In his neighborhood, heβs also cleaned walkways and planted flowers.
Heβs also trekked the neighborhood to jot down locations of potholes to send to the transportation department and has facilitated neighborhood cleanups with the help of roll-off containers from the city.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Norback hopes that other neighborhoods can start their own weekly programs β to benefit PACC or other nonprofit organizations. Plus, he says itβs nice to get to know your neighbors.
Neighborhoods need someone who really cares, he says.
Norback also hopes to implement other programs to get children and schools involved in teaching others and engaging in community service. He hopes that one day, community service involvement will be seen as vital as a high school diploma.
βI want to leave a better world,β he says.
And Norback and his neighbors arenβt the only ones lending a helping hand in the community. There are lots of consistent donors for various organizations across Southern Arizona.
Within months of learning about SARSEF β the Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation β Zach Saber and his wife DeeAnn, began donating. For the last five years, theyβve donated every month to the organization that serves students in grades K-12. Zach Saber estimates theyβve donated more than $5,000.
βWeβve always been great supporters of our local community,β he says, adding they chose to donate to SARSEF because of the educational opportunities it provides to children.
βThere are a lot of kids to support and a lot of kids to educate,β he says, adding that the couple has also donated to a horse shelter for three years and a pet rescue for 10.
The Sabers are also judges during SARSEFβs annual science fair and they give two out-of-pocket cash prizes to two children.
Each year, the Sabers sit down and build charitable donations into their budget. Zach Saber says consistent donating is important because it gives organizations a better idea of what they can afford to do and who they can assist for the year.
He says even the smallest of donations can make an impact.
βItβs so vital,β he says. βAnd it doesnβt matter the organization. If itβs in your heart, make that commitment.
βWhen you give, you receive so much more.β
And donating money isnβt the only valuable thing to nonprofit organizations β volunteering your time is also important.
John Clevenstine has volunteered at the Gospel Rescue Mission since 2010. He even volunteered daily for about three weeks between March and April of this year.
Heβs worked in a number of areas in the Gospel Rescue Mission β in the pantry, on phones and even in construction. He says he works wherever heβs needed.
Clevenstine also donates money on a quarterly basis.
βMy son was homeless for four years in the Phoenix area,β he says. βThatβs what drew me to this ministry.β
Clevenstine credits the Gospel Rescue Mission, in addition to God, for helping his son find a home.
βGospel Rescue Mission helped get my son off the streets and brought him to the menβs center,β he says. βNow he has his own apartment.
βThatβs why I continue to volunteer.β
