In a virtual work environment, everything a team does is online. If you’re an organization of remote workers, how do you “come together” and give back as a virtual company?
Earlier this month, Hennessey Digital celebrated our first Day of Giving. The event was devoted to team members giving back to the organizations and causes that matter to them, and we are so thankful to our company leadership for giving us the green light on this!
In this post, we’re sharing the “why” behind our Day of Giving and highlighting our team members who participated in the event.
Culture counts at a remote company
Culture is important to us at Hennessey Digital. Because we’re a remote team, we must be intentional about connecting with each other. We’re a tight-knit group, and staying connected to our core principles—and each other!—is the key to success as a Hennessey Digital team member.
Gratitude is also a big part of our culture. We’re thankful for our amazing clients and teammates, and we’re quick to give thanks and recognize one another for a job well done.
To that end, we wanted to transform our words and thoughts of gratitude into action. Our People Success team did the legwork and got approval for our first official company-sponsored Day of Giving.
Because of COVID, we wanted to make sure our team members were safe, so we dubbed this a “virtual giving” event. Our People Success team brainstormed a list of organizations and activities that team members could choose, and we could also pick a local cause or one with a personal connection.
On Friday, June 11th, our intrepid team got to work, donating their time and talents. This was our first official Hennessey Digital Day of Giving, and we were blown away by the response from our team members!
How our remote team contributed
Because this was a virtual event, many team members chose ways to give back that they could do from home.
Senior Manager of Learning and Development Greg Herrmann donated time and funds to Boston Children’s Hospital and St. Jude, and a personal connection influenced his choice of organization.
Greg shares, “I almost died from a rare disease around the age of 13 and was rushed to Boston Children’s. I spent about a week there, but was saved by some incredible doctors. For our Day of Giving, I created digital cards for kids who need some positivity in their day!”
Social Media Manager Amy Heigel wrote letters for A Million Thanks, an organization that provides support and appreciation to active military and veterans.
Continuing with the “writing” theme, several team members chose organizations to write cards and letters for, including Content Writer Mary Martinez who chose Love For Our Elders.
“For the event, I wrote letters full of positive, supportive messages to alleviate the loneliness many seniors feel in nursing homes. I included short stories, jokes, and riddles and made several hand-drawn greeting cards for various holidays. Honestly, I was surprised at how uplifted I felt just by writing letters to people I never met. I’ll definitely continue to do this on my own,” Mary says.
Content Writer Jason Simons used the Day of Giving to write for More Love Letters, an organization whose mission and needs fit well with his skillset.
“More Love Letters is atypical of what most would think of as charity. People nominate others who they believe are in need of positive, uplifting feedback, and you can write letters or send postcards or greeting cards. As a writer, this was ideal. I felt a little awkward about trying to uplift a total stranger with only a brief description provided on the website, but I’ve been told that I have a way to connect to people with words. I’m hoping my letters can make an impact,” Jason shares.
Junior Accountant Gina Grant spent the afternoon outdoors writing cards for A Million Thanks and Braid Mission. She gave her work a personal touch to brighten someone’s day!
And People Success Coordinator Allyson Siebum put her art skills to work to create handmade cards for hospitalized kids.
“This made me feel great! I’ve always loved volunteering, and I’m so happy that Hennessey Digital did this event. I am so excited to see what we do for the next Day of Giving,” Allyson says.
A legacy of giving back
No stranger to using his gifts for good, our CEO Jason Hennessey is involved with several non-profit organizations. He’s also a cofounder of Articulate Change, a movement and a platform to create social equality in the world through diverse friendships.
Our Director of Communications Liz Feezor is a Board of Advisors member for Articulate Change. She used the Day of Giving to write copy for the website and help with social media strategy.
This Day of Giving is the first of many in the future. We hope that our next event can be in person (fingers crossed!) and we are so grateful for the opportunity to give back. This event was a great way to live our values and continue a legacy of giving at Hennessey Digital.
Does your organization have a Day of Giving or similar event? Tell us about what your company does to give back by tweeting us at @HennesseyDgtl. We’d love to hear your story!