This article was originally featured on Allwork.Space
All Good Work is a not for profit platform that connects shared workspace operators with local nonprofits in need of workspace.
Though a young organization, All Good Work has proved that together we can change the world we work in, not just the way we work. With collaboration and participation of over 20 coworking and business center operators, to date, All Good Work workspace donations amount to over $750,000.
Although this total is astounding, All Good Work’s mission goes way beyond the numbers.
It centers around bringing people together; telling stories, fostering a true sense of community, and doing good work, together.
We spoke with Daniel Gutierrez, Co-Founder of Input Lofts (an All Good Work host), and Kelley Louise, Executive Director of Travel Social Good (resident organization at Input Lofts), about their experiences with All Good Work.
Launched in 2013, Travel Social Good is a global nonprofit aimed at pushing the travel industry to solve issues like poverty and inequality through business and leisure travel. Kelley tells us that their goal is to make sustainable travel options clear to travelers.
Travel Social Good is all about sustainable tourism, and they work around 3 main projects: summits (collaborative conferences), hubs (networks of professionals), and media networks (an alliance of content creators). The organization, Kelley tells us, “is run entirely by volunteers.”
“Our partnership with All Good Work and Input Lofts has been monumental for us to continue to grow.”
“Nonprofits and startups in New York City need to have a lean business model, and I’ve found that this sometimes leads you to make choices like not having an office or a dedicated space to work from. These spaces are a powerful resource, but in this city that usually comes at a high cost.
“What we as an organization can invest in financially is hard to decide, we have a tight budget. When I saw the opportunity to join All Good Work, I went for it without hesitation. It’s a powerful resource; one that has allowed me to join a community and have a support system.”
The process was seamless and logistically smooth, both Kelley and Daniel agreed.
“After I applied, I got an email from Nate Heasley (Executive Director, All Good Work) and it took him about a week to find me a space.”
Nate provides each applicant with a list of available spaces in their area, and they are free to choose the one they like the most. After that, it’s in the operator’s hands to approve and set a date for the organization to move in.
“It’s a very personalized and warm process. Kelley came to visit the space, and it was a good fit for both of us,” Daniel from Input Lofts tells us.
Kelley added, “I picked Input Lofts for various reasons. It’s a great location, but I also like that it’s more of an artistic space. When I visited, I was drawn to the smaller, tight-knit community feeling that emanated from everyone in the space.
“The community has been really great. Being surrounded by people that are excited to get to know one another, that are interested in what each of us is doing, is something truly powerful.”
The community feeling goes both ways, as Input Lofts has also benefited from Kelley’s presence.
“Kelley understood and clicked with the community well. She is very supportive and cooperative with us; she has helped promote us and tell our story. She’s bonded with other members and there’s been a lot of communication about projects, interests, and collaboration,” Daniel tells us.
Input Lofts was founded in 2001 and Daniel comments that because they understand that work can be very lonely, especially in cities like New York:
“We wanted to create and build an environment that supported people in their visions and ambitions. We wanted to provide a space where you are not an anonymous person, you’re a part of something bigger.”
Input Lofts got involved with All Good Work after Nate approached Daniel at the beginning of the year.
“At the time I was thinking about new ways to market the space and get the word out. I figured joining All Good Work was a good way to tell more stories about individuals and how our space can serve as a support system.
“We’ve also supported various nonprofits in the past, and it just made sense to formalize our commitment to the local community through an organization. This also means that it’ll be easier to find deserving organizations that are in need of a helping hand.
“From an operator perspective, it’s about supporting and giving back; it’s about helping these organizations get on their feet. It’s a real way to pay back to your community. We can come together and do good together… as one big community.”
“At the end of the day, we’re still a very young industry and the more we do to show that we’re on the same page, helping and contributing to the community is a great indicator that we can come together regardless of competition. And this is a characteristic of maturity.”
But more than that, Daniel believes that joining organizations like All Good Work is a unique way to show a different side to your space, to demonstrate its emotional and personal connection.
“It’s the perfect way to showcase that you are actually providing community, and not just trying to sell it. Our industry centers around humans, around experiences, around added value… and what better way to tell this story than by truly living it.”
*If you’d like to donate up to a year of workspace and join All Good Work’s efforts, you can apply here.
To read more about All Good Work, its efforts and impact, click here.
