Giving Toolbox: At the Office

Share the benefits of giving with your co-workers

Using the Giving Toolbox with your school or class can:

• Provide a meaningful way for you and your co-workers to make a difference together
• Create a meaningful topic for the water cooler — helping others learn about needs around the world and how they can respond
• Turn an office fundraiser into an exciting and eye-opening experience
• Create a fun holiday tradition or seasonal activity for Christmas, New Year's, spring, or summer
• Help you demonstrate your faith to others through action

Plus, your team or office will get a certificate as a remembrance of what you've done to help children in need!

Free resources make it simple!

We'll provide you with everything you need for a fun, easy experience. Your toolbox includes:

• A DVD with inspirational videos — experience other cultures, learn how the Gift Catalog has changed lives around the world, see how others have used the Giving Toolbox, and inspire your company to action
• A poster to remind everyone of your fundraising goal — personalize and hang in highly visible locations like thr break room and restroom doors
• A PowerPoint presentation to get your co-workers on board — use as-is after personalizing with your office's goal, or use as a template to share your own message
• Basic information sheet — edit, print, and copy and place on desks, drop in in-boxes, or tape near the coffee machine
• Customizable flyer to spread the word — choose a photo from our collection and create your own unique announcement

A few fundraising ideas for your office

Choose from this list, or come up with your own idea!

• Hold a Gift Catalog campaign at your office.
• Donate profits from part or all of a day's work from your business, with approval from your company's leadership.
• Buy lunch with cash throughout the year and keep the change for Gift Catalog items. Encourage your regular lunch crowd to do the same!
• Choose an alternative to your office's holiday or other gift exchange by pooling your funds to donate an item from the catalog.
• Give Gift Catalog gifts in a client's honor in place of a typical corporate gift.
• Find out if your company will match your gifts.

One office's story: Architectural firm provides
four traditional Mongolian dwellings

Eric Drivdahl, an employee of Curtis Gelotte Architects, was flipping through the Gift Catalog at home one evening when the Mongolian ger (a traditional Mongolian dwelling) caught his eye.

Eric thought to himself that providing a ger would be a very appropriate Christmas project for an office of architects whose business was providing people with homes. He wrote a proposal to his employer, who not only felt it was a great idea but pledged to personally match whatever was given by the rest of the staff.

Eric presented the idea to his co-workers and was amazed at the response. With the match, the CGA staff gave a total of $7,486 — enough to provide gers for four families.

"Not only was this a passion project for Eric," stated one of his co-workers, "every staff member was deeply moved and it truly became an office bonding experience."