Giving Back
Posted by Nancy Saperstone on Thu, Nov 19, 2009 @ 10:18 AM
As the holidays approach and we prepare to give thanks for what we have, now is also the time to give back. Beyond the obvious benefits, you'll also find that giving back as a company will increase employee morale, employee motivation and can be great for team building. There are many ways your company can give back to the community - here are a few to get you started:
Food or Clothing Drive - Many organizations are always looking for food or clothing donations - contact your local Red Cross or shelter to see how you can help out. Set up a box and a time period for employees to bring in donations. Have fun with it, have departments decorate their box or hold a contest on who can fill their box the fastest.
Toy Drive -Who doesn't love buying and giving toys? A toy drive can collect generic gifts to be given to any child or you can hook up with a local organization so that you can personalize the gifts. Many local organizations will give you a wish list and ages of the children so that you can buy specific toys that you know the children will love. Be mindful, most organizations can only accept toys that are unused and unwrapped in their original packaging.
Community Service Afternoon - plan to close the office for an afternoon and, as a group, volunteer to paint a local shelter, serve at a soup kitchen, or bring cheer to a nursing home or hospital. You'll find that many employees will cherish the opportunity to really get involved and doing it together is a great way to build camaraderie.
Reading Hour - If you are unable to volunteer as a group outside of the office, try bringing the opportunities directly to you. Contact a local school, boys/girls club or afterschool program and invite a group of children into the office. The children would love to learn about the business and get a tour of the office; or host a reading hour where employees read to small groups or individuals.