Chicago’s 88 Brand Partners ‘Regifts’ Benevolence and Positive Change This Holiday Season

Fruitcake, talking reindeers, ugly sweaters: We’ve all received presents we’ve had to regift.

That’s especially true in the professional world, where people offload gifts they don’t need during the holiday season. In fact, a recent study by Consumer Reports found that about 30 percent of employees agree that colleagues bestow the worst holiday treats.

Instead of continuing that tradition, the employees of 88 Brand Partners, a Chicago-based strategic creative agency, are imparting some good in the world. For the second consecutive year, President and CEO Michael McGuire has armed each one with a special $500 holiday gift, and thereafter, shared a website with 88’s clients outlining the project and each employee’s respective game plan.

Couched in the holiday tradition of recycling unwanted presents, "In a way, we are all regifting ourselves," says McGuire. “’Always do good and good things will happen’ is one of our agency’s sayings,” adds McGuire. “Our team is a connected group, constantly working together and inspiring one another with our hearts set on creating a positive impact. Our regifting program fits perfectly into this mindset.”

Employees’ good deeds are running the gamut. Barbara Jurgens, Director of Client Service, is donating her $500 — along with her personal match of an additional $500 — to Smart Love Family Services. The Chicago nonprofit organization provides a variety of programs with specialists in child and adolescent development, parenting and family life. It offers therapy, counseling, parental support and even has its own preschool.

“The $1,000 will provide scholarship assistance to six families this coming year, allowing them to continue in counseling treatment,” Jurgens said.

Account Supervisor Haley Reckling injected her benevolence into the Irving Park neighborhood’s Carl Schurz High School — specifically, the school’s Food Science Lab. In the indoor farm and science center, students turn their classroom lessons into hands-on experiences. They nurture and grow a plethora of herbs and greens for use in the school’s cafeteria and donation to the Irving Park Food Pantry.

“It’s a win-win: Hands on-learning with healthy ties directed to the local community,” Reckling said. “Furthermore, it’s instilling real-world learning that will hopefully inspire future career aspirations, or a lifelong interest in gardening and sustainability.”

Tim Shanley, Project Manager, decided to donate to two different charities: No Kid Hungry-Share Our Strength and Save the Children-Syrian Children’s Relief Fund. In donating to both these organizations on #GivingTuesday, both had matching programs, so that $250 made each donation worth $500. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The statistics are startling.

According to No Kid Hungry-Share Our Strength, one out of every five (5) kids in America struggles with hunger. With every $10 donated, the organization can provide up to 100 meals for a child facing hunger.
Save the Children invests in children in times of crisis. More than seven million Syrian children are affected by war — equal to the population of the state of Washington. According to the organization, two million children are missing out on school—the amount of all school-age kids in New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas combined.

“Being a father, I wanted to continue the tradition of doing something to help children, not just locally but also internationally,” said Shanley. To learn more about how 88 Brand Partners is impacting the local community through its regifting program, visit http://regifting-2016.88brandpartners.com.

About 88 Brand Partners (www.88brandpartners.com):
88 Brand Partners is a full-service branding and advertising agency that strategically builds and extends brands to create more meaningful relationships between organizations and their audiences. Founded in 1988, the Printer’s Row agency has helped clients across a range of industries to build their brands on the true value they deliver to their audiences.