IMG_0290_face0-150x150by Julene Thompson
Account Manager, Penna Powers

As Social Change is such a large part of what Penna Powers does, we appreciated how United Way of Salt Lake approached our workplace campaign. They didn’t just solicit our donations, they inspired social change.

Here’s how:

UWSL came to us:

They asked for a small committee of employees to help organize the campaign and met at our office. They made it personal by holding a breakfast in the beginning to talk about United Way volunteer opportunities and by attending our office BBQ at the end to thank us for our help.

UWSL put us in the heart of where the needs are:

Nothing inspires help more than seeing first-hand how it changes people’s lives. Each Penna Powers employee had the opportunity to leave the office for one of the many site visits to see United Way programs already thriving right next to our workplace. Day of Caring also took our group to one of the crisis nurseries where we learned about how a family support center works and completed a list of chores to improve the facility.

UWSL made doable requests:

It can be hard to break away from our offices and conference rooms at times, but United Way of Salt Lake just asks for a half-day each year from Salt Lake businesses. Day of Caring gives employees a taste of what they can do to help, and provides information about volunteering and donating in the future.

UWSL made it fun:

They asked the committee to think of their own incentives for the team that donates the most. So, we decided that the winning team would choose a music video that the losing team must perform during staff meeting. (Stay tuned for the posting on UWSL’s Facebook page!).

I learned all of this during a well-orchestrated United Way of Salt Lake workplace giving campaign that included a Woodrow Wilson Elementary site visit and participation in Day of Caring.

Thanks, United Way of Salt Lake, for this great and eye-opening experience! We are proud to LIVE UNITED! 

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Original blog post here: http://www.pennapowers.com/author/jthompson/