2020: Giving Back & Looking Forward

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At Smith Design, giving back is at the heart of our actions. In 2020, it was an honor to be a part of incredible causes and campaigns that provide support to those in need and advocate for progress on important issues. 

Earlier this year, we partnered with multiple organizations to bring relief to those impacted by COVID-19. Through the #EN95 Campaign, on our social media channels we brought attention to the need for PPE and encouraged donations of masks, money, blood, and food to assist the medical community and their patients.  

We pulled together as a team to provide support for the responders on the front line of COVID-19. We worked with FLAG, Front Line Appreciation Group, to create Flag Fuel Boxes. These Fuel Boxes provided food and words of encouragement for front line and essential workers. Members of our team and their families purchased and packed these care packages and wrote personal notes for these unsung heroes.  Together, we completed 172 boxes! We can’t thank our frontline workers enough for all that they have done throughout these challenging months.  

To continue to drive awareness of CDC guidelines and to help #StopTheSpread, our design team created graphic PSAs for the #HelpByDesign campaign. This initiative brings messages of hope during this time of uncertainty throughout lockdowns, restrictions, and social distancing. The campaign is run by the group Known Unknown, a global community of designers. Participating in this campaign helped connect us with designers all over the world and proves the importance of visual communication as a unifying tool in times of crisis. 

In support of the fight against systemic racism, Smith Design made contributions towards the organizations Black Lives Matter and Color of Change. Through our social media network, we strived to bring attention to these additional organizations that seek to dismantle the injustices and inequalities perpetuated by racism: 

• The Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
• Black Vision Collective
• Reclaim the Block
• Campaign Zero
• Unicorn Riot
• Color of Change
• ACLU 

In honor of Pride Month, Smith Design donated in support of The Trevor Project and The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network. We also promoted other important organizations that support the LGBTQ community:  

• The Marsha P. Johnson Institute
• The Okra Project
• Black Trans Travel Fund  
• Human Rights Campaign  
• It Gets Better Project 

This holiday season, Smith Design proudly supported our troops via Trees for Troops. Our donation of 10 trees meant free farm-grown Christmas Trees were provided to United States Armed Forces members and their families across all branches of the military. Visit treesfortroops.org to learn more about their program that delivers “the spirit of Christmas to military families – one Christmas Tree at a time”.  

Believe it or not, the #1 requested item in homeless shelters is socks. Knowing this crucial shortage during the winter months ahead, we donated 900 pairs of socks to people in need, including our local shelter.

Our team was excited to participate in LEGO’s #BuildToGive initiative, a campaign that donates sets of LEGO to children in need for every LEGO ornament shared online with the hashtag. It was a joy to create the ornaments for a good cause, with our teams’ very own LEGO Master leading the way.  

In a year of uniquely challenging circumstances, we have strived to push kindness and caring forward through these giving back initiatives. We look forward to continuing to support these and other great causes in 2021. Here’s to another year of compassion, optimism, altruism and teamwork!