As the holiday season approaches, we are invariably drawn to the ideas of kindness and community. Whether that community is your immediate family, childhood friends, or even a close network of co-workers, we feel a connection to those that share their time with us. As such, we want to show people that we care through gift giving, and with the deluge of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, we can get lost in the fervor of saving money on the latest and greatest of what the market has to offer.

However, it’s important to remember that the holiday season isn’t only about material gain. It’s about fostering a sense of purpose as we look to those that are in our community that do not have access to the same luxuries that we do. Things that were staples of our own childhoods, such as bicycles and stuffed animals, may be something just out of reach for many children in underserved communities. It is a harsh reality, to be sure. But not one without some solutions.

#GivingTuesday is a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year. It connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for a common purpose: to give back.

When a company gathers for a teambuilding event, the central focus is to get their employees out of their collective shells, improving interpersonal relations and communication skills. Often this is done in a fun and engaging way, from Escape Rooms to Scavenger Hunts. Attendees feel unified in achieving a common goal, of using their individual skills in order overcome a set of challenges and emerge a closer unit at the end of it all. Taking this one step forward is including a philanthropic component to the activity, which adds a whole different layer to an event.

Knowing that your efforts are having a tangible impact leaves people with a sense of fulfillment that can be hard to put into words. But the words are easily found by those receiving the donation, which are often a simple, but meaningful, “Thank You”.

In 2018, Impact 4 Good helped our corporate clients donate everything from stuffed animals, to computers to prosthetic hands, all with the mission of increasing the Return on Emotion, or “ROE”, for their employees. In a 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study, it was found that of the survey of consumers, 63% of Americans are hopeful businesses will take the lead to drive social and environmental change moving forward, in the absence of government regulation, and that 78% want companies to address important social justice issues. This mentality isn’t exclusive to consumers. Establishing a teambuilding program that allows employees to feel connected in the grand scheme of their company’s philanthropic endeavors encourages a sense of camaraderie among employees, and helps them establish a firm foundation in believing that their employer can help them do good in the local community.

Through our many teambuilding events, both here in the United States and internationally, we have donated over 62,000 individual items of food, nearly 6,000 “Solar Car Kits” for STEM education programs, over 200 computers to introduce coding curriculum to underserved communities, and in the wake of the many disasters in 2018, over 15,000 hygiene care kits to Red Cross affiliates across the country. This is only a sample of the many items that have been donated through our events, and it only scratches the surface of how our partnerships have managed to support those in need around the world.

At the end of the day, a teambuilding CSR initiative isn’t simply about ticking off a box to say you’ve made a donation. The sense of accomplishment becomes an extension of each attendee, and the donation is symbolic of something even more precious than the donation itself. It represents a commitment to helping others, an understanding that what we do to help others causes a ripple effect. No one act of giving is completely solitary. Each act of giving reminds ourselves, and those that we help, that you are never truly alone.

So for this #GivingTuesday, and every Tuesday that comes after, think about how you and your company can make a difference. The choice to change a life is at your fingertips. So, #whatsyourImpact4Good?

Latest Posts