Flourishing Through a Festive Season of #GivingBack — Past & Present
As we mark 15 years of CyanPoint Communications, with a focus on healthcare and developmental disabilities, we look back with joy at how much giving — of time, talent, and treasure — has shaped not only our business, but also our hearts and community. From the very beginning, it was never just about client work. Volunteerism and pro bono efforts became part of our core. We embraced the words of St. Francis of Assisi: “For it is in giving that we receive.” We have lived out that truth, and we’re better for it.
From the start, we committed to giving back whether offering communications support to nonprofits, helping coordinate events for a human services group, or volunteering in annual service days. In doing so, we discovered that generosity doesn’t diminish what we have, it expands it. Over the years, we’ve sharpened skills in event planning, social media storytelling, and collaborative outreach, expanded our network through partnerships with inspiring organizations, and built goodwill and a reputation rooted in values, not just results. As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
And there’s something deeply human — and scientifically supported — about giving. Research shows that acts of altruism (volunteering, donating, helping others) benefit the giver as much as the receiver. The World Happiness Report includes findings that show volunteering is linked to greater life satisfaction, higher quality of life, and lower rates of depression. Other research reveals that donating money activates the brain’s reward centers, the same circuits involved when we enjoy art, nature or other pleasures. And another study suggests people who help others report better mental health than those who receive help.
Even when life feels difficult — grief, job loss, uncertainty — giving can foster resilience, meaning, and a sense of connection, notes other studies. Volunteering reduces stress, may help buffer against anxiety or depression, and can foster self-esteem, purpose, and a sense of belonging.
As we move into this holiday season — a true Season of Giving — we encourage creative generosity. It doesn’t always require money. Think of what you already have: your time, your talents, your heart. As Mother Teresa said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” And in the spirit of John Wesley: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
For healthcare providers, communications professionals, or anyone with a pulse on human needs, the possibilities are many:
- Volunteer at a local food bank, homeless shelter, nursing home, or day program for people with disabilities, places where support is always needed, especially this time of year.
- Offer your professional skills pro bono to nonprofits and community organizations. For PR pros, help with writing, messaging, outreach or storytelling.
- Share creative talents: photography, art, music, or hosting community events. Sometimes your presence, your care, your voice, is the greatest gift.
- Write notes of encouragement, share a seasonal story or message of hope to clients, colleagues, neighbors, or strangers who might need comfort or connection.
In doing so, not only do we brighten someone else’s day, but also we invite creativity, hope, compassion, and human connection when it matters most.
Over the years, this practice of giving back has changed us for the better. Professionally, we’ve grown in expertise; socially, we’ve deepened connections; emotionally, we’ve experienced joy, meaning, and purpose. That, to us, is true success.
This season may you experience a creatively compelling and joy-filled time of giving.
Where are you choosing to give and do good today?
