In honor of National Volunteer Week, Jennifer Hildreth, Marketing & PR Coordinator at ImOn Communications, shares a little about ImOn’s view on volunteerism and how they engage their employees.

Why is volunteering important to ImOn Communications?
As a local company, ImOn Communications prides itself in being part of the Cedar Rapids community. Our belief is that local isn’t just an address. We don’t just work here; we live here, too. Whether we’re installing internet service or putting a fresh coat of paint on a neighborhood residence in need, we dedicate ourselves to making Cedar Rapids a great place to live and work.

Overview of ImOn's employee volunteer program.
Connecting with communities we serve is one of ImOn’s core values. We demonstrate this through actively giving back to local schools, cultural organizations, service groups, and nonprofits through donations of time and resources. In 2016 alone, ImOn sponsored or participated in more than 130 local community events and organizations.

One of the organizations we donate time to is Horizons’ Meals on Wheels program. Each month, ImOn employees deliver meals to local seniors, this equates to more than 1,000 meals each year. Employees at ImOn also participate in the annual United Way campaign and United Way Day of Caring. In addition, ImOn also contributes to the Eastern Iowa Freedom from Hunger Food Drive, and in 2016, donated 49,211 items — the most in overall donations from the 50 participating companies. To help encourage volunteering, ImOn offers employees up to 24 hours of paid volunteer time off.

What benefits has ImOn seen in engaging employees in volunteering?
Employee volunteering is important to ImOn. Our employees participate or volunteer in more than 70 local nonprofit organizations each year. We feel volunteering not only boosts employee morale and engagement, but it also allows individuals to share their interests with coworkers and develop their skills. Employee volunteering can also be a great team building activity.