Wooddale Church

The Challenge:

The staff at Wooddale, based in Edina, Minn., wanted to engage families with children more deeply in issues of poverty and service to others.

DGT’s Solution:

DGT helped create new events and materials aimed at tough issues.

  • Developed a reflection booklet for a weeklong summer family camp focused on hunger.

  • Offered a workshop to camp families with simple, kid-friendly service project ideas.

  • Promoted the church’s Love IN[DEED] program to area families.

“Great work! Thank you so much! It has been such a pleasure to be able to work on this with Doing Good Together™!”
— Becca Oehrig, Ministry Program Associate, Wooddale Church

Piper Jaffray

The Challenge:

This leading bank and management asset firm was looking for a fun, meaningful way to engage employees and their families —while also giving back to the community. 

DGT's Solution:

Inaugurate a successful, now annual, family service event:

Back to Partnerships...

Westminster Presbyterian Church

The Challenge:

Westminster Presbyterian Church Giving Box

Serving others is integral to the mission of this progressive Minneapolis church. However, Westminster wanted to offer fun, meaningful opportunities for families with children to “give back” and to reflect together on the values of justice, kindness, and service.

DGT's Solution...

  • Interviewed Westminster’s nonprofit partners to determine their needs and how families might help. 

  • Outlined  the wide variety of ways families might volunteer with the church’s partner nonprofits and made it available to congregants. 

  • Offered a workshop for parents that presented the multiple benefits of family service and described dozens of simple, practical ways families can make a difference.

St. Anthony Park Co-Op Preschool

The Challenge

This nurturing, parent-run preschool, with a strong ethic of family involvement,  wanted to distinguish itself as a program focused on fostering kindness, empathy and service in children.

DGT's Solution...

To assist the preschool in becoming a model for family philanthropy, DGT:

  • Helped organize an annual Family Service Fair for parents and children.

  • Offered a workshop on how to weave kindness and service into a family’s everyday routines

  •  Provided 25 kindness-themed books, along with conversation cards, for the school library.

  • Suggested fun, engaging service projects that could be integrated into existing curriculum.

  • Created reflection materials for already existing service projects, including the school’s fall Rake-a-Thon and spring food drive. 

  • Provided “kindness tips” for the school’s newsletter.

Minnesota Children's Museum

The Challenge:

This premiere family destination in St. Paul not only wanted to entertain; it also understood the importance of inspiring caring and compassion in its young visitors. It was seeking fun, engaging activities with a “giving” component.

DGT’s Solution:

Help develop the popular Small Hands, Big Hearts: Sparking the Spirit of Givingevent.

  • Co-hosted the annual event, which included simple service projects for families and children.
  • Created materials for families on the concept of giving back.
  • Inaugurated the “Sock Hop Line,” a clever idea to collect donated socks for a local homeless shelter.
  • Suggested easily accessible online service project ideas for families.
“The materials DGT created for our visitors include some of the best information for families I’ve ever seen.””
— Michelle Blodgett, Program Developer, Minnesota Children’s Museum

DARTS

The Challenge:

DARTS Nov 2-13 3.jpg

DARTS, a Twin Cities nonprofit that connects people (especially the elderly) to needed services, already offered wonderful family-friendly volunteer opportunities. However, the agency wanted to enrich those opportunities with customized materials specifically geared to families with children.

DGT™ Solution:

Create support and reflection materials to deepen the volunteer experience:

  • Developed a website page dedicated to family volunteering.
  • Wrote a handbook for parents with tips and reflection ideas about volunteering with children.
  • Designed a flier explaining DARTS’ unique family opportunities.
“Partnering with Doing Good Together™ has helped DARTS produce a Family Guide to Volunteering. The booklet is filled with valuable information in guiding young families. The content helps families create discussion, gives useful tips and helps eliminate any questions or concerns the children may have about volunteering when connecting with an older adult.””
— Barb Tiggemann, Volunteer Manager, DARTS

Shinnyo-en Foundation and Shinnyo-en Temples

The Challenge:

shinnyoen1.jpeg

Mindful of the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Order tenet to serve others, Shinnyo-en Temple members wanted guidance on how to start serving their immediate communities.

DGT’s Solution:

Give members a direct avenue to community involvement:

  • Organized annual Family Service Fairs at temple locations around the country, including New York, Boston, Chicago, L.A. and San Francisco.

  • DGT attended each Fair, speaking about the value of service.

  • Compiled a comprehensive resource booklet for temple members outlining local “giving back” opportunities.

“The Family Service Events that Doing Good Together coordinated for us at the temples made serving the community easy for Shinnyo-en participants. They didn’t have to feel that their prior skills or experiences were not good enough, and they felt empowered to serve their communities while enjoying their time together.”
— Ineko Tsuchida, Program Director, Shinnyo-en Foundation

Bright Horizons Childcare Centers

The Challenge:

With a company-wide focus on growing giving children, Bright Horizons wanted to provide parents a fun, hands-on way to pass on that critical message to their children.

DGT’s Solution:

Help the company use its corporate clout to teach kindness: 

  • Partnered to create Crafts With Kindness kits, all-in-one craft kits that make it easy for families to complete a meaningful service project, with part of the proceeds going to charity.

  • Assisted Marsh & McLennan, a Bright Horizons­­-affiliated company, to host a Take Your Child to Work Day service project.

  • Partnered to create a webinar on raising socially responsible children.

Back to Partnerships...

Catholic Charities

The Challenge

This respected organization boasted a solid base of volunteers, but it wanted to identify, formalize and enrich its family service options and provide tools to optimize the volunteer experience.

DGT’s Solution...

A thorough evaluation of existing and potential volunteer projects suitable for families:

  • Analyzed existing projects for family-friendliness and suggested modifications where feasible.
  • Worked with staff to identify new volunteer opportunities for families.
  • Created a handbook to better prepare families for their specific jobs.
  • Developed materials to encourage post-activity reflection among families.
  • Designed a family-oriented journal and web page.
“Through the program enhancements and reflection materials DGT developed, service holds a lasting impact and real meaning for our family volunteers.””
— Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources, Catholic Charities

Metro Meals on Wheels

The Challenge:

Metro Meals on Wheels wanted to reposition itself as an organization that welcomes families as vital, young successors to its aging volunteer pool.

DGT’s Solution:

  • Redesigned the volunteer program to appeal to families.

  • Built capacity to recruit and engage family volunteers.

  • Developed and promoted creative family volunteer opportunities.

  • Produced a parent handbook.

  • Enriched the experience with age-appropriate reflection materials.

“I heard over and over again from individuals that they would love to volunteer but wanted to volunteer with their children.”
— Kelsey Ohme, Volunteer Manager

Global Citizens Network

The Challenge:

Organizing cross-cultural volunteer experiences around the world, Global Citizens Network wanted to expand its base by attracting families and making their service adventures uniquely kid-friendly and meaningful. 

DGT’s Solution:

  • Created marketing piece aimed at families.

  • Helped train staff to work with families.

  • Developed an online family resource.

  • Prepared parent tips.

  • Designed a journal/scrapbook to help children reflect on their experiences.

“DGT has tremendously enhanced our message by providing clear and meaningful materials, guidance and anecdotes to inspire anyone considering this type of experience.””
— Linda Stuart, Director, Global Citizens Network

The Blake School

The Challenge:

This highly respected institution enjoyed a robust, nationally recognized service-learning program, and now sought to engage families more fully in their service efforts.

DGT’s Solution:

Help develop a multi-tiered approach to engaging families:

  • Partnered to host an annual Family Service Fair and created a post-event resource book with simple service opportunities.

  • Conducted workshops for parents on how to begin a family tradition of service.

  • Suggested posting DGT’s monthly listing of family-friendly volunteer opportunities on the school’s website.
“Doing Good Together™ has encouraged a culture of service at The Blake School. DGT™ has designed Family Service Nights [Fairs] that bring students, families and school together for enjoyable and meaningful service action. These events plus DGT books and volunteer monthly suggestions encourage empathy, compassion, community and hands-on service.”
— Nan Peterson, Director of Service Learning, The Blake School