Social Organizations—Information Sheet

Directions: Use this sheet in the interview with an agency that provides service to the needy of the community.

Agency name: ______________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

Phone number: ___________________

• Tell them who you are. (Write your names here but only give the name of the person doing the calling!)
  
  
  
• Tell them why you are calling:

  Our 8th grade service-learning class is studying organizations in the community that help people in need. ____________________________________(name of the organization) has been identified as a non-profit service organization. Our job is to find out about your organization and the services that it provides to others. When we are done with our investigation, our class will be doing a service project for one of the organizations we have studied. We are calling to find out information about your organization and about ways we can help you.

• Ask to talk to a person who can give you information about the organization. ("Could you tell me who I could talk to that could provide information about your organization?")
  
  
• Ask if this is a good time or should you call back at a better time? When ____________? ("Is this a good time? When would be a good time for me to call back?")
  
  
• When you get to the person who can answer questions for you, ask, "What is your mission?" (What do you want to accomplish?)
  
  
  
  
  
• Ask, "What kinds of services does your organization provide?"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Ask (and then check off), "Who are the major recipients of your services?"
  • Families
  • Men
  • Women
  • Children
  • Teenagers
  • Others? Explain
  
  
• Ask (and then check off), "From where does most of your funding come?"
  • Donations
  • Government: Federal, State, Local
  • Grants
  • Fundraisers
  • Other? Explain
  
  
• Ask, "What % of the total budget is spent on direct service to clients?"
  ________________
  
  
• Ask, "What % of the total budget is spent on education?"
  _______ clients? ________ public?___________
  
  
• Ask, "What are your needs (or what do your clients need?) How can we help you?"