Back in 2012, the staff at LinkNow Media decided to forgo the traditional office gift exchange and give back to the community instead. This resulted in our first gift drive for the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres Foundation, a local foster care program in Quebec.
Our first holiday fundraiser was a huge success and quickly became an annual tradition. As our company expanded, so did our holiday spirit-and we have been proud to increase our donations year after year. The New Secret Santa is now an important part of our company identity and something that our staff members look forward to every year.
It is now a decade later and we have no plans on slowing down. For the 10th anniversary of our gift drive and fundraiser, we are aiming to raise $30,000 and 750 gifts for children in foster care.
The Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
When we started our first annual fundraiser, we knew that we wanted to find a way to help children in need during the holidays. After careful consideration, we landed on the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. This non-profit organization has been providing resources for underprivileged children for over 30 years, and they were extremely grateful to receive our donations.
After the success of our first gift drive and receiving positive feedback from Batshaw organizers, we knew that we had found the perfect match. We have become closely connected with many of the staff members at Batshaw, who have come to depend on our annual contributions. Before we made the switch to remote work, we even held our annual company talent show in one of Batshaw's buildings.
Giving Back Is What We Do
One of our core values at LinkNow Media is to help others whenever we can. Even outside of the holiday season, our company's success depends on the cooperation and dedication of our employees. Although our team is now spread farther apart physically, our annual gift drive is one of the things that help remind us that we are all in this together.
Even when challenges present themselves, we have worked hard to adapt and push ourselves forward. During the lockdown in 2020, it would have been easy to accept defeat and reduce our annual contributions-but this was not the case. Our staff came together and developed a method of hosting our gift drive remotely, so employees from coast to coast were able to donate a gift to a child in need.
We Can't Do It Alone
Every year, we strive to increase our donations. It's not easy-and $30,000 is a lot of money-but we have faith in the generosity of our staff. That said, we are also seeking donations from other businesses and community members.
If you have been inspired by our story and our mission to give back to our community, we would love to have your support. If you are in a position to give this year, a monetary donation would be greatly appreciated. Every donation helps bring the holiday spirit to a child in foster care, so check out our fundraising page to learn how you can contribute.