DEPT® Cares: A day to give back to our communities
DEPT® Cares day is an annual event that honors and celebrates our commitment to doing good.
As a global agency, each year we pledge 1% of our total profits to support purpose-driven organisations via donations, pro bono work, and DEPT® Cares Day. Plus, we love turning off our laptops and getting our hands dirty in the process!
2022 was a successful year for DEPT® Cares Day with 24 cities and 250+ participating Depters. Amsterdam to San Diego, teams selected projects based on their office’s preferences and community needs. This choice allowed more personal contributions from each local market.
Here are just some of the projects our teams tackled this past fall.
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Soldier Field
This year the Chicago-based DEPT® team dedicated their morning to help set up the 2022 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Soldier Field. We packed Survivor bags given to breast cancer survivors and decorated tents to emphasize the celebratory nature of the event. Picture 25 Depsters chatting and hanging up pink tulle, race flags, pink beads, and silver letter balloons.
Megan Savoy, the Chicago office manager, said, “The volunteer coordinator for Susan G Komen expressed her gratitude for our support that day. Beyond that, it helped different DEPTsters meet one another while gaining a sense of purpose and pride. The experience was collaborative, engaging, helpful, social, and confidence-boosting.”
Combatting loneliness in elderly communities
For many elderly people, loneliness is a big problem, and that became more apparent during COVID-19. The decline in people-to-people interaction exacerbates dementia in the long run, so for DEPT Cares Day 2022, the Amsterdam office decided to make this their cause.
When we visited the community, we noticed how much fun the elderly had with arts and crafts, and having 1-on-1 quality time with the Depsters.
David Brummer, data scientist at DEPT® shared, “The specific community we went to welcomed us with a smile and a warm heart. Hearing that they enjoyed the afternoon shows how rewarding it is to volunteer. This motivates us to keep organising these events.”
Empowering kids to plant trees
In Dublin, we partnered with Stepping Stone Forests to prepare soil so school children can plant trees next year.
First, we prepared the area with layers of cardboard and wood chippings. Six months from now, the community volunteers and schoolchildren will plant the trees. It was physically tough, but worth it in the end. It shows how much can be accomplished as a group.
Niamh McConville, a visual designer said, “It was great to meet so many people. It was also nice to get out of the office for a few hours and enjoy the fresh air while doing something for a good cause. There was a lot of shoveling and heavy lifting so we all got a good workout!”
Computers4Kids mentoring & technology
For DEPT® Cares Day, the Charlottesville office worked with Computers4Kids (C4K), an organisation that prepares the next generation with mentoring and technology.
We helped them handwrite notes for their annual appeal and assemble STEAM kits. The STEAM kits were small bags containing youth-friendly activities and information about C4K. Overall, it was a great experience volunteering at this local organisation! The staff is incredible, and we felt grateful to work with them.
Alexandra Kwiatkoski, an office manager, loved the strong turnout from the Charlottesville office. “I was proud that my office wanted to participate and help out in this way.”
Bringing us all together
DEPT® Cares Day brings us all together to do good for our communities. We learn new skills, meet new people, and spend time helping others.
Looking to the future, DEPT Care Day will grow as we continue to grow. Catch us in one of our local communities next year!