It’s GivingTuesday, a day that all of us here at Slick Marketers consider to be one of the most important of the year! As the holidays quickly approach, we see now more than ever the importance of using our success to help others in our community.
GivingTuesday began as a global celebration of kindness, and has quickly become a platform for unity. As the GivingTuesday website explains, “GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity in all its forms by sharing acts of kindness and giving their voice, time, money, goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes”.
Charity is and always will be an incredibly important part of who we are as a marketing agency. Just a few weeks ago, our team visited Beavercreek, CO, as a sponsor of the 2021 Sola Salons Summit. We held a $10,000 Charity Giveaway that gave our clients the opportunity to be involved in donations to local charities close to our team’s hearts. We received enthusiastic responses, and the clients that won were so grateful for the opportunity to be involved in something bigger than themselves.
As a way to celebrate GivingTuesday, we wanted to shed light on the Charities that were on our list, what they’re doing to change the world, and why they’re so important to our team.
Orangewood Foundation – Santa Ana, CA
Orangewood Foundation is one of the leading providers of services to current and former foster youth in Orange County. Orangewood helps almost 2,000 foster and community youth annually prepare for independent adulthood.
Slick Marketers Team Member Krystin Rader nominated this charity because of her own experience working with the Orangewood Foundation while she was in High School. Her experience there was life-changing and she was so inspired by the drive and dedication to helping young foster kids to strengthen their physical, emotional, and relational health — all steps on the road to a successful life.
Protect Unwanted Pets (PUP) Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, CA
PUP is the fundraising arm of Laguna Beach Animal Shelter. PUP directs fundraising efforts to ensure that the animals receive the best care possible including medical procedures and behavioral reinforcement pre-adoption.
Slick Marketers Team Member Abby McCormick nominated this charity because of her love for animals — particularly her own 4 dogs. PUP Laguna Beach helps to bridge the gap between city funding and the special needs of animals. Abby is an animal-lover at heart, so the work that PUP Laguna Beach does inspires her to continue to advocate for animal rights.
Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County – Irvine, CA
The Alzheimer’s Association Orange County supports families affected by Alzheimer’s, as well as funding research toward a cure. They maximize quality care and support for patients with all forms of dementia.
Slick Marketers Team Member Kim Sosa nominated this charity because of her past experience working in the memory care unit of a medical facility. She worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Association OC and was inspired by the work they did to help families and victims.
Someone Cares Soup Kitchen – Costa Mesa, CA
Someone Cares Soup Kitchen provides a daily nutritional meal to homeless, unemployed, working poor families, senior citizens, the unemployed or underemployed, the mentally and physically challenged and most importantly, the children.
Slick Marketers Team Member Abby McCormick nominated this charity because of their dedication to helping families in need across Orange County. Born and raised in South Orange County, Abby has felt incredibly fortunate with all that she has been given. There is so much value in helping to feed those in need, and Abby is inspired by the mission to provide nutritional meals to those in need.
Friends of the Orphanages – Irvine, CA
Friends of the Orphanages concentrates their efforts on Orphanage Estado 29 because it has 45 children that call it “Home”. Using donations, they cover food, water, medical fees, garbage removal, septic tank cleaning, tuition, and tutors.
Slick Marketers Team Member Steven Jung nominated this charity because of their dedication to helping build a positive life for children in Orphanages.
Orange County United Way – Irvine, CA
Orange County United Way improves lives in Orange County by delivering measurable long-term solutions to complex issues in financial stability, health, and housing through education and advocacy.
Slick Marketers President Nikki Ong nominated this charity because of the importance of education in our community. Through their advocacy programs, Orange County United Way plays a crucial role in developing strong, resourceful adults.
International Society for Children with Cancer – Irvine, CA
The International Society for Children with Cancer aims to make a difference in the lives of cancer-stricken children, adolescents, and their families, by giving them access to quality care and service regardless of financial status.
Slick Marketers Team Member Krystin Rader nominated this charity because of her own experience. Five years ago, Krystin donated bone marrow to a seven year old girl suffering from leukemia. Through this experience, and as a mother to three young girls, Krystin saw the importance in the ISCC’s mission to provide assistance to impoverished children suffering from cancer.
Wyland Foundation – Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The Wyland Foundation is dedicated to promoting and protecting the world’s ocean and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through education programs, public arts projects, and community events.
Slick Marketers Team Member Abby McCormick nominated this charity because of her own passion for sustainability.. The Wyland Foundation intertwines environmentalism and education, helping children to develop eco-friendly habits at an early age. As a passionate environmentalist, Abby sees the importance of helping the planet and she is greatly inspired by the work The Wyland Foundation does.
St. Jude’s Research Hospital – Santa Ana, CA
St. Jude’s Research Hospital uses its donations and resources to advance cancer research in children. They actively research new and innovative treatments to fight cancer — a disease most people have been impacted by in their lifetime.
Slick Marketers Team Member Kim Sosa nominated this charity because of her experience fundraising for this foundation. She is inspired by St. Jude’s dedication to their service: including monetarily covering the basic needs of their patients.
Laura’s House – Aliso Viejo, CA
Laura’s House provides domestic violence-related services to the 915,000 residents of Orange County, CA. They provide shelter, counseling, life skills education, and legal advocacy to victims of domestic abuse.
Slick Marketers Team Member Steven Jung nominated this charity because of the importance of advocating for victims of domestic violence. Steven sees the importance of changing the attitudes and behaviors surrounding domestic violence, and he finds Laura’s House to be an inspiration for helping countless victims find shelter and strength in their toughest times.
OC Animal Care – Mission Viejo, CA
OC Animal Care actively works to feed, house, and care for thousands of homeless pets every year. They actively work to place pets in loving homes through tireless work and never ending love.
Slick Marketers Team Member Kim Sosa nominated this charity because of her own experience with the organization. She adopted her beloved companion, Baby the Kitty, from OC Animal Care in 2017. Since then, her love and dedication to animals continues to inspire her.
The Slick Marketers team is incredibly involved in charity and donations, especially when they are so close to our home in Orange County. Our team’s desire to help our community extends beyond monetary donations:
Our team is presently holding an office-wide Food Drive in support of South County Outreach in Irvine, CA, as a way to show our thanks this season. Through the South County Outreach Food Donation Drive, we are helping to feed Orange County residents facing hardships or who are hungry. This time of the year especially, food plays a crucial role in enjoying the season — that’s why Slick Marketers sees the value in helping in every way we can.
This Christmas season, our team is participating in a Senior Santa Angel Tag Drive through Operation Santa Claus (Orange County Social Services Agency) in Santa Ana, CA. We have brought gift tags to our office building with necessary items to help disabled and elderly Orange County residents get the items they desperately need this holiday season. Ranging from gift cards all the way to necessary appliances, clothing, and nutritional supplements, this Angel Tag Drive is working to help support those in need this season.
This GivingTuesday, we challenge you to do something out of kindness for those around you. We are so fortunate to be able to help so many people through our work, and we are so grateful for our team and their dedication to each of their charities.