Although this holiday season will be unlike any in recent history, it is more important now than ever that we support community organizations by giving back or getting involved. We work with numerous nonprofits who right now are struggling due to canceled fundraising events, loss of donations from large corporations and grant funders and the inability to engage volunteers in a face-to-face setting. The people who support our community need us now!
As a business owner or employee, there are many ways that an agency or organization can make raising money and collecting items easier for local nonprofits. Here are a few ways that your business can get involved and give back this holiday season:
Turn your annual holiday party into a fundraiser or toy drive.
With the holidays comes annual holiday office parties! With the move to virtual events this year, these are great opportunities to encourage all of your employees and attendees to donate an item or make a small monetary donation to a local charity. Choose a shelter nearby and ask them what their biggest needs during the holidays are. Some easy things to collect at these events include:
- Non-perishable items,
- Coats and blankets,
- Children’s toys and clothing for holiday gifts,
- Gift cards, oftentimes to grocery stores or family-friendly restaurants, or
- Small, monetary donations.
If your holiday party is large, consider doing a raffle with prizes from community sponsors as an easy way to raise some funds!
Set-up a virtual giving tree.
For larger organizations or agencies, an easy and festive way to decorate for Christmas and bring in some donations is to make a giving tree. Set-up a Christmas tree and add paper ornaments with needed items from the community, with a reasonable spending limit for your employees and customers. People coming in and out of your office can take the ornament, purchase the item, then return the gift under the tree before the given end date with the ornament attached. It is an easy and fun way to make the office look festive while also doing some good!
You can also turn this idea virtual by setting up an Amazon wish list with needed items and have everyone ship one to a local charity. Many nonprofits have lists like these already set up and easy to link to form your office’s internal communications system.
Donate a portion of your profits during the holiday months.
This is an easy one for small businesses like restaurants, shops, and other service-oriented organizations to give back. Choose a designated charity and give a certain amount of your profit to that organization. Another fun way to do this is to choose a certain product – try choosing all desserts, all appetizers, or a specific line of clothing or product to designate those profits too if your total revenue is a steep donation for your business!
No matter what you do, raising money for a cause or donating items to those in need will help boost morale and get your office in the spirit of the holidays!
Here are some great resources for choosing a local charity or place to volunteer:
- Homeless Shelter Directory
- Feeding America – Find Your Local Food Bank
- Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens Near You
If your office is doing any giving this holiday season we would love to hear about it! Find us on social and leave us a comment with what festive ideas to give back your team implemented this holiday season.
