Community

Is it better to give than to receive? As a major local news and information source, it’s important to us to support the communities on which we report. It gives a feeling of connectedness and that we are trying to make the world a better place. So the answer, plain and simple, is yes.

Many times, we’ve found it helps build and support our internal community. Our employees have volunteered at many of the organizations we support, bringing people together across departments that don’t get to work together on a day-to-day basis. This creates a camaraderie in the office where stories are getting shared and friendships built that weren’t there before. It shows our new and younger employees the importance of giving and, as a successful business in our communities, we have a responsibility to help those less fortunate.

We often host college classes in our offices, sharing experiences with future sales people or marketing executives. In Michigan, we’re fortunate to have several big universities and local community colleges surrounding our offices across the State. When they visit us for an hour or two, we have the opportunity to show them how to apply what they are learning to a real work situation. It’s exciting to see the moment of realization for a student as they’re engaging with one of our sales or marketing experts. In turn, we get the chance to encourage them to seek out job opportunities we may have available or guide them as they choose a career path in digital marketing.

After working in community engagement for the last 18 years, the rewards have been immeasurable. One of the best parts of my job is contacting a non-profit to let them know we are happy to support their very important cause.