For many, the end of the year is a period of stress—where time is scarce, budgets are stretched, and year-end deadlines loom. For just as many, it’s a period of joy, thanksgiving, and togetherness—where generosity and kindness take center stage. Reflecting the latter, the last several weeks of the year are often known as the “giving season.”Did you know that 30% of all nonprofit donations are given between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? That’s almost one third of all nonprofit giving! And while December 30 and 31 are the biggest giving days of the year, several other key dates in November and December add to the philanthropic cause:
- The Washington Post’s annual Helping Hand fundraising campaign—which benefits three nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C. metro area—runs from mid-November through early January. This year, the Post kicked off its third annual campaign on November 12.
- November 15 is National Philanthropy Day, which is recognized each year by the United States (since 1986) and Canada (since 2012) as a way to celebrate the charitable work done in communities throughout North America.
- #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that takes place on the Tuesday following U.S. Thanksgiving. Launched in 2012 and supported by the power of social media, #GivingTuesday has become a global movement dedicated to giving back. This year the giving action takes place on November 28.
- On December 5, the state of Colorado will come together for Colorado Gives Day. Every December for the past several years, Colorado residents have dedicated a day to celebrating and increasing philanthropy in their state through online giving.
With so many opportunities to give back, we at Formstack can’t just sit back. In fact, we’ve been exercising our philanthropic arm quite a bit lately as we close out a great 2017 with boundless gratitude. And because we are a remote company with team members spread across the globe, we have a unique opportunity to impact communities in all corners of the world—and we hope to do just that.
To jumpstart the giving season, take a look at some of the ways Formstackers have been lending a hand in recent weeks:
Group Philanthropy
One of the great things about Formstack is that even with a distributed team, we still find ways for group employee volunteering to take place. How? Here are our three most recent activities:
CoburnFest
Coburn Place is a nonprofit organization located in our HQ city, Indianapolis. Each year, it hosts an event called CoburnFest to raise funds for its cause, which is to provide housing and support for victims of domestic abuse. Formstack has sponsored CoburnFest for the past few years, and a handful of local Formstackers attended this year’s event on October 20 to provide in-person support.
Extra Life
Extra Life is a gaming charity that supports Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals around the world. Founded in 2008, it unites gamers from around the world for a 24-hour fundraising and gaming marathon. On November 4, several Formstack team members (from the United States and Canada) participated in Extra Life 2017 to raise money for Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. The Formstack stream had 168 views and raised $487 during the 24-hour period. Additionally, the Formstack team was part of a larger team of gamers that raised $206,520 total during the marathon. This Extra Life gaming event was a big hit, and we’re already planning to participate again next year!
Orr Fellowship Food Drive
The Orr Fellowship is an Indianapolis-based organization that aims to develop the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs in the area. Formstack is a host company, which means we help Orr Fellows launch their careers by hosting them at our HQ office for at least two years post-graduation. Every year, the Orr Fellowship runs a food drive to benefit Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. Our current resident Orr Fellow brought the food drive to Formstack this year for the first two weeks of November, and we participated by bringing canned foods to our HQ office (for local employees) or donating money via an online donation page (for remote workers).
Individual Giving
Aside from participating in group volunteer events when possible, Formstackers have also been contributing time in their own local communities by giving back to a variety of organizations. As we scoot closer to #GivingTuesday, won’t you join us is supporting some of our favorite nonprofits? Here are 11 organizations Formstack team members love and support:
- Kiwanis, a youth organization that helps create the leaders of the future by supporting the pursuit of creative service projects and fundraising
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a youth organization that pairs kids with adult mentors for life-changing guidance
- United Way, a community organization that provides health, education, and financial resources for those in need
- Marillac Place, a homeless shelter that offers housing, support, and skills development for homeless young moms and their babies
- Gamers Outreach, a gaming charity that supplies kids in hospitals with therapy and recreation through video games
- Hands on Nashville, a community organization that helps people find meaningful ways to volunteer
- Project Return, a nonprofit that provides services and resources to help people successfully return to work and their community after incarceration
- HackerNest, an international nonprofit that produces tech events and projects that advance technology, humanity, and economic prosperity
- Girls Who Code, a youth organization that helps prepare girls for the future of work and close the gender gap in technology
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a youth organization that provides club experiences to help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens
- Dale City Little League, a youth sports organization that provides recreation and life skills development for kids
We love spreading joy by providing nonprofit support through employee volunteering and donating—and not just during the giving season. Click below to explore some of our other philanthropic activities from 2017.
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