Yesterday was July 4th. Tomorrow’s Christmas! At least that’s the way it feels, right?

Bye bye 2021, hello 2023! What happened to 2022? By the time we figure that out it’ll be 2024! So let’s just savor this moment and plan some fun team building activities for the holidays!

Kindness they can bank on

According to FeedingAmerica.org, in 2021 some 53 million Americans received help from food pantries and food banks. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food insecure, which means they don’t have a reliable source of healthy, affordable food.

Bon Appetit!

Your team can help fill some empty bellies in your own hometown this holiday season.

When you Donate a Dinner, you also donate hope and support at a time when many families have given up on both.  

 

Holiday heroics

To most First Responders, the holidays mean:

• an increase in fires due to heating, decoration, and lit candle accidents;
• more highway traffic, more drunk drivers, and more collisions; 
• a spike in domestic violence triggered by the financial strain of holiday shopping and increased drug and alcohol use; and worse yet
• more encounters with injured or emotionally distressed children.

You to the rescue

At many house fires, car crashes, and family feuds, First Responders come face-to-face with weeping children whose lives are suddenly upside down. But Rescue Buddies always replace the tears with smiles.

During fun team building activities like this one, you actually assemble bears, birds, and other cuddly toys and stuff them with love, happiness, and healing. Next you’ll hand off a batch to police officers, EMS personnel, and firefighters in your community. They’ll stash the toys in their vehicles and place them in the eager arms of a hurting child. Face-to-face and heart-to-heart, these stuffed animals truly are Rescue Buddies.

 

Speaking of cuddly animals….

According to a recent survey by Rover.com, “The average monthly costs of owning a dog ranges between $40 and $290. These costs also vary greatly depending on where you live, your lifestyle, and your unique dog. Factor in routine vet visits to on-going pet supplies and how much you spend on your dog could range from $480–$3,470 per year….”

Call it  what you will—an indulgent hobby or emotional therapy—pet ownership is a great American passion! Fortunly.com reports that “Dogs are the biggest influence driving first-home purchases among millennials….[and] More than half of millennials buy gifts for their pets on a monthly basis.” 

And also from Fortunly.com: “One in 10 American pet owners is delaying starting a family or having more children because of ongoing pet expenses.”

Woooooof! 

For prospective pet parents who are already pinching pennies, they can’t imagine ever affording a puppy or kitten. This is where your team and our Happy Tails charitable workshop come in. You’ll spend a fun-filled afternoon gathering  donations like water and food bowls, beds and blankets, and treats and toys—items that will make it a lot more affordable for prospective pet-parents to offer a furbaby their forever home. What a fantastic way for the pet parents on your staff to help other animal lovers.

 

Wheels up!

Most of us can remember the thrill of finding our first trike or bike hidden behind the holiday tree. And a few of us still have faded scars from our first ride.  Just imagine surprising a needy child with their own wheels! And because many low-income breadwinners rely on bikes to commute to work, your donation could help a few cash-strapped parents as well.

Our Bike-A-Thon charity workshop is your starting point. From the handlebars to the frames, you and your colleagues will build a fleet of blinged-out new bikes and donate them to impoverished families in your area. And visions of them whizzing around town will dance in your heads for a long time.

 

Benefits of fun team building activities

Whether you donate a bike to a city commuter, a wagon  to a kid, or a wheelchair to a veteran it will be one of the most moving experiences you’ll ever have [pun intended].

The benefits are too numerous to count! Picture it: a bright red wagon for a child who expects little if anything this year. Or a brand spanking new wheelchair for a disabled, isolated veteran who yearns for a bit of independence.

Now put yourself into the frame: a few hours of your time will make an eternal difference to a local neighbor and to yourself as well! Yeah, you! How? During the assembly process, you will develop sharper communications and collaborative skills.

You’ll learn to see the talents each colleague brings to the table in a whole new light.

And your level of employee engagement will soar, which will pay off for everyone personally and professionally. Best of all, your team will bond in a special way by sowing your time and talents into the community-at-large. 

Happy holidays! Let the fun team building activities begin!