Charitable Ideas for the Holidays

With the festive time of year quickly approaching, many of us are considering how we can give back to our communities. Businesses and individuals alike can make a big difference. It's safe to say that almost everyone enjoys the feeling that comes with charitable activities. Spreading the holiday cheer can be a great team building experience for your entire office. And it doesn't have to be an enormous project, either. If you're interested in getting involved, here are a few charitable activities your office might be interested in doing:

Adopt a Family

Various charities around the globe sponsor "Adopt a Family" activities, where an individual (or group of people) help make the holidays special for one family. Research the local charities in your area and choose one that the members of your team feel a special connection to. For example, each year since 2005, the employees at ILD Telecommunications sponsor a family in need through the Jay Fund charity for children with cancer. They obtain information regarding the family from a special representative at the charity. At that point, an ILD staff member reaches out to the family to let them know what they are doing and to find out about their specific holiday wishes.

Linda Modrak of ILD says, "Our employees, about 25 in number, have given generously.  We've collected $500 to $600 each year, purchased and wrapped toys and clothing, including gift certificates for groceries, etc. and taken all to the family the week before Christmas. The effort to accomplish these tasks is little in compared to the appreciation we have received and the knowledge that, if we hadn't been involved, these particular kids would have had a pretty lean holiday. In short, it's a fun and happy project."

The Giving Tree

Last year, my office created a giving tree through a local children's charity. Here's how it works: the tree is a little tiny Christmas tree (in our office, it was referred to as "the holiday tree" out of respect for the wide variety of cultural and religious beliefs). The tree sits in the lobby of your office and is covered in small paper ornaments. Each ornament has the name of a child who is in need and his or her holiday wish. Anyone who wants to participate can select an ornament and provide that specific gift for that child. All the gifts are collected and dropped off the week before Christmas. It's a very personal kind of giving and, when you participate, you feel directly responsible for one child's happiness.

Food/Clothing Drive

Hosting a food or clothing drive is super easy and a very effective way to get everyone in the office involved. Choose a local charity that your group wants to support. Homeless shelters and safe homes for abused women and children are always in need of food and clothing. Any would be happy to have your help.  Just get a box, decorate it in festive paper, and make a sign that notes where the items are going. For food drives, be sure to designate the items that are acceptable (typically, anything that is nonperishable). For clothing drives, note items that are especially needed (typically, coats and children's wear). Encourage your team to bring in things that they already have at home. These kinds of drives are so easy to participate in because you don't have to go out and purchase anything new. Hand-me-down clothing is perfectly acceptable and most of us have a few extra cans of soup we can afford to give away.

This year, here at OfficeArrow, we're collecting all kinds of everyday necessities for our local women's resource center, which manages a shelter for battered women and children. They are running a program called "Trade the Malls for Walls," where they encourage individuals to donate everyday basics instead of toys. Things like pharmacy gift cards, gas cards, paper goods (like toilet paper and paper towels), pillows, blankets, and cleaning supplies are all items that are sorely needed. These things are easy to donate and they make a real difference in the long-term health and wellness of a family in need.

Donate on Behalf of Clients

I previously worked for a company that provided annual charitable donations on behalf of their clients. Each client received notification and a brief description of the charity. This is a thoughtful way to involve your clients and also show them that you're giving back. It is usually very much appreciated.

If you work with only a small group of clients, you may want to let each client know that you would like to make a donation on their behalf and then let them choose the specific charity. The times I have been able to do this in the past, I've encountered an incredible sense of appreciation and gratitude from the clients.

Keep in mind that charitable activities are 100% voluntary. If you go to the effort to set up a program at your office and no one participates, don't dwell. You've done your part and every little bit helps. That being said, you should still encourage participation by sending out reminder emails and making sure that every employee knows what's going on. More often than not, if people know about it, they'll participate.

What are you doing in your office? Share your charitable deeds with the OA community.