Prioritizing giving back on this Giving Tuesday

After all the “holidays” we in the retail industry have manufactured around Thanksgiving – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and now Cyber Monday – closing out the spending spree with Giving Tuesday is something we can feel good about.

We’ve been recognizing Giving Tuesday – a global day of encouraging good – at Radio Flyer for the last several years. But in 2020, one could argue there’s never been a more critical time to prioritize doing right by your community, being aware of your privilege, and using your personal gifts as a force for good.

Growing up, my mom often invoked the John F. Kennedy quote, “To whom much is given, much is required.” This ethos was further ingrained in me by my alma mater, Notre Dame, where service and volunteering are both expected and celebrated. Transitioning into my career at Radio Flyer, I’ve felt lucky to share my passion for giving back with my team. And while we’ve been sharing in these opportunities for decades now, there was one pivotal experience for me personally that had the most lasting impact.

In the early 90s, I signed up for a volunteer year of service in Chicago with Amate House whose motto is, “love in action.” My service assignment was to teach 6th graders in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and as I came roaring out of college full of idealism and ego, I was convinced that I was going to change those kids' lives for the better by being an amazing teacher who would ignite their developing brains with unlimited curiosity. However, I soon learned that this year of service would change me much more dramatically than any external affect I could have. I was the student, not the teacher.

I learned about poverty, systemic racism and injustice. I realized for the first time how privileged I am. I learned that societal problems are deep, complex and very difficult to solve. I met incredible teachers who were doing amazing work who inspired me by their commitment and passion for service. I went through emotions of despair, frustration, exhaustion, and on more than one occasion fell asleep thinking, “I’m not accomplishing anything.” At the same time, I saw many glimmers of hope, of progress, of learning, and of growth.

Over the course of that year, through a whole lot of “humble pie” consumption, I learned awareness, compassion and gratitude. Ever since I’ve sought to make giving back a pillar of our company culture at Radio Flyer through our paid volunteer time off benefits (VTO), our partnerships with amazing organizations like Kaboom and Starlight, our robust donations program and other initiatives. The return on investment has been immeasurable, as creating a culture of purpose attracts the best people, and then convinces them to stay. When you work for a company that you believe to be doing good in the world, you are happier and more fulfilled, which translates into being more engaged and committed to your job. Serving others also teaches us empathy and gratitude, and encourages us to listen to and care for others, ultimately making us better to each other and our customers.

So this Giving Tuesday, I hope you’ll take some time to reflect on the ways you can give back, and encourage that same spirit of generosity within your own company. And if you need some inspiration or a quick way to spread the love, head to RadioFlyer.com. Today we’re teaming up with The Toy Bank and for every product purchased on RadioFlyer.com on Giving Tuesday, we will donate one to a child in need across the country.