{"id":7039,"date":"2015-12-01T13:53:56","date_gmt":"2015-12-01T13:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valpak.com\/advertise\/?post_type=post&p=7039"},"modified":"2018-09-20T14:14:09","modified_gmt":"2018-09-20T14:14:09","slug":"7-ways-small-business-can-give-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valpak.com\/advertise\/blog\/7-ways-small-business-can-give-back","title":{"rendered":"How Giving Back Can Benefit Your Small Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sure, there\u2019s some marketing and PR points to be gained from giving back to your community this season. In fact, companies such as Tom\u2019s shoes base their whole business model on it. But a boost in marketing is only a tangential reward of philanthropy.<\/p>\n

Small business owners looking to pursue charitable ventures should do so for a reason likely similar to why they started a business to begin with \u2014 to bring something better to the world. As a small business owner, you are a community leader. Charitable giving is good for business, not because it creates a positive image around your brand, but because it helps to build your brand\u2019s reputation. It inspires your employees and improves morale. It changes the world for the better.<\/p>\n

If your business is looking to give back this year, keep reading for 7 inspirational ideas.<\/p>\n

1. Personal Item & Clothing Drives<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If it\u2019s starting to get cold where you live, try getting in touch with a local shelter and ask how you can get involved with their clothing drives. In New England, more than 200 businesses collect coats as donations<\/a> from the public. These are then distributed to children and the homeless to help keep them warm through the cold, winter months.<\/p>\n

\u00a02.\u00a0Feed the Hungry & Food Drives<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In addition to collecting clothes, collecting canned foods to donate to food pantries is helpful and easy to do. If you run a restaurant, bakery or similar business, there are also ways for you to donate excess perishable food. Through the Food Donation Connection<\/a>, you can contribute with food that would otherwise go unsold and spoil.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to stop there! Visit your local soup kitchen and lend a helping hand. Encourage your employees to do the same and you could make a really big difference in your community<\/p>\n

\u00a03.\u00a0Adopt A Highway<\/h2>\n

Adopting a stretch of highway is a popular way for businesses to help keep their communities looking great, and gain some exposure at the same time. Don\u2019t feel limited to just highways. Get creative! Identify an area in your community you\u2019d like to see improved and get in touch with your community center or city hall to see how you can get involved. Will you turn that vacant lot across the street into a softball field? Build a playground for your local Boys & Girls Club? Or maybe you could sponsor a Soofa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Toy Drives<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The holiday season is right around the corner and there are, sadly, lots of families who can\u2019t afford to buy toys for their kids. Get in touch with a charity that does toy drives, like Toys for Tots<\/a> to see how your company can get involved.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Book Drives<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How many perfectly good books do you have lying around that you know you aren\u2019t going to read again? Most people have a few at least. Partnering with projects like REACH-A-Child<\/a> makes it easy to get unused books into the hands of readers.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Support the Troops<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As many as 10,800 U.S. troops<\/a> will still be in Afghanistan by the New Year. Show your support by sending them a care package through Operation Shoebox<\/a>. If your company is upgrading cell phones this year, you can donate old ones to programs like Cell Phones for Soldiers<\/a>. This program sells refurbished phones in order to buy calling cards for troops, so they can call home on the holidays.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0Adopt A Family<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you want to make a more direct impact, consider adopting a family. \u201cThe Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family<\/a> program allows for your group or organization to collect toys and food for an entire family at Christmas. The program encourages the purchase of additional items that the adopted family might need such as personal hygiene and cleaning products, clothing, shoes, etc.\u201d If you choose to go this route, you even have the opportunity to personally deliver food and gifts to your beneficiary. This gives you the opportunity to make a personal, helpful connection.<\/p>\n

Get Started Today<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019ve seen some great, easy ways your business can give back this year, start thinking about which opportunities interest you the most.<\/p>\n

First, take a look at your community and determine how you can best give back. Bring your employees into the decision \u2014 find out what causes and charities are close to them and include their recommendations in the planning process. Finally, decide what you\u2019ll contribute. Will you be offering time, products, or services to help out? Or do you prefer to go with donations of money or goods?<\/p>\n

However you choose to proceed, if you keep an open heart and support a cause you believe in, there\u2019s no way you can go wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sure, there\u2019s some marketing and PR points to be gained from giving back to your community this season. In fact, [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12674,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_swt_meta_header_display":false,"_swt_meta_footer_display":false,"_swt_meta_site_title_display":false,"_swt_meta_sticky_header":false,"_swt_meta_transparent_header":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 Ways Small Businesses Can Give Back<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re looking for ways to give back this year? 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