Twenty–twenty turned out to be a year like no other and was especially challenging for a growing company like ours. At Lumaverse, giving back is a core value–our employees expect the company to regularly pursue service opportunities just as they seek them out on their own time.   

The challenge was a big one: how do we best engage our team in community impact during a global pandemic and a work-from-home environment? We needed a service activity that met several criteria:  

• Our employees’ safety always comes first. Early on, we decided to rule out ideas like local food drops, small group reading sessions, or other ideas that would still require employees to leave their homes to contribute.  
• We had to balance a remote-friendly activity with an activity that impacts real people at a local level.
• We wanted an activity that was appropriate for all ages and stages of life. With sensitivity to people’s schedules, we wanted our activity to be doable for employees with children, who care for elder family members, or who were in any way impacted by COVID-19 closures. 
• Easily managed – We recognized how tough life may feel for employees during a global pandemic, so we wanted something simple and user-friendly.   
• Impactful and Repeatable – We wanted to achieve maximum impact and create scalable and replicable opportunities.  

As our team got together to brainstorm service activities we could safely participate in, Cardz for Kidz quickly rose as a top choice. This organization seeks to impact as many children, seniors, and families as possible by providing cards of hope. Cardz for Kidz wants to help people take their minds off their current situation by reminding them they truly are special.  

Bonus: We Got More Than We Gave 

Ultimately, everyone who participated felt like they got more out of the experience than they gave. For many, card making turned out to be a fun family activity, a meditative solo activity, a creative outlet, a great reason for remote co-workers to get together on Zoom, and a bright spot of hope and positivity in a chaotic year. Employees felt fulfilled knowing that they could make a difference in people’s lives even while staying home. Our team found fulfillment and joy as we designed cards to uplift others.