Even if you don’t have the budget to build a school for underprivileged kids in South Africa like Oprah, there are still plenty of team-building ways for you and your business to give back in small ways this holiday season. Here are some ideas for inspiration:
1. Organize a coat drive. Becoming the host of a neighborhood coat drive won’t just earn you good karma — you’ll also foster a sense of community surrounding your business. Reach out to other local store owners and invite them to participate.
Organizations like One Warm Coat make the process extraordinarily simple by breaking the setup process down into three easy steps. They provide free promotional tools to organizers and links to local non-profits to partner with.
2. Spare some change. Encourage your customers to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, and agree to match whatever they donate to your favorite cause.
Every one of our customers has a favorite non-profit, but if you're new to the idea, check out a statewide non-profit network for some ideas for who can benefit from even the smallest contributions.
3. Get crafty. Invite your employees and loyal customers to a wreath-decorating party, then bring the finished decorations over to a local homeless or veterans shelter or assisted living facility.
4. Sing! Spread some holiday cheer and join your team on a neighborhood caroling adventure. You don’t need to be Celine Dion or Bruce Springsteen to shout out some basic tunes. Add mulled cider and hot chocolate for some warm wintry fun.
5. Volunteer at a food pantry. As the holidays draw closer, give your employees a “day off” and have them join you at a local food bank. You’ll be amazed to see the effect that group volunteer work has on company morale. The nonprofit hunger relief organization Feeding America lets you search for a local food bank in your area.
Never under estimate the power of good a small business can create! And be sure to add whatever you decide to do to your website as a news release or an event, and leverage social media to spread goodwill.
Contributions for this article came from OnTapp.