Yesterday, I received the latest business card from Noland Hoshino of Bcause Media. While I get a lot of business cards throughout the week, what made this particular card stand out was that it was a branded Charity Gift Card from TisBest. It had a pre-loaded $1.00 value enabling me to login to TisBest’s website and give that dollar to three charities (I chose American Documentary, Sundance Institute and Room to Read).
Being a business owner that is always looking for new and interesting products to offer my clients, the branded Charity Gift Card blew me away. It is a great way for businesses to not only give back, but to encourage a culture to give back. This also spurred me on to thinking about how we as artists and business professionals can give back in everything that we do.
Time
One of the best ways to give back is by giving your time to local causes and organizations that are in need of volunteers. Whether it’s volunteering at your local library, mentoring a child through The Mentoring Project, or handing out meals at a soup kitchen, giving your time without regards to what you get back is an incredible way to motivate your pursuit and passion for life. It builds relationships that otherwise wouldn’t exist and helps you to see a whole new side of our community.
Money
Obviously non-profit organizations need funding to sustain the programs and services that they provide and the best way to give money is to find a cause that you believe in and give whatever you can. Not just a one-time donation, but spending the time to build a consistent donation strategy will go a long way for your business and your level of personal satisfaction.
Communicate a Vision Our Through Talents and Skills
If you are unable to give time and money, another way of giving back is to use the talents and skills that we have as artists to communicate an organization’s vision. Whether it is a brochure design, a promotional video or a new logo, the abilities that we have as artists are appreciated and necessary at all non-profit levels.
To further encourage you with ways to give back, here is a brief follow-up Innovators of Vancouver video from Dale Chumbley about organizations he supports.
For more information on giving back to the organizations mentioned in Dale’s video, visit the following websites: