This year has been tough. There’s no need to mince words— we’re all feeling it on a personal level, and Purposely certainly felt it on a company level.

Pivot became the word of the year not only for us, but for many businesses, nonprofits, and individuals that were struggling to find their place as the rug was ripped out from underneath them. In our neck of the woods, serving the nonprofit sector, this meant that seemingly overnight all the great events that nonprofits had lined up for the summer were cancelled. And as a company that helped manage those events? Well, you can imagine that was a rough time all around, for us and for the nonprofits that spent months gearing up to make a difference.

But—of course there was a but coming—getting the world to volunteer— in any form — has always been at the very core of what we do. Shortly after COVID hit here in Canada, we saw hundreds of people online offering and asking for help. It was a time of incredible outpouring and giving. With events cancelled and our software sitting idly around, we decided to help those who were selflessly volunteering their time. With a few tweaks and some thoughtful crafting by the team, we made Purposely into a free mutual aid platform that helped match those in need with those who can help.

Our re”purposed” version of Purposely (oh puns…) gained a ton of momentum and really struck a chord with individuals looking to give back in a safe, secure, and meaningful way. We’ve helped match hundreds of individuals with those in need, and it’s something our team is incredibly proud of. But hold up. This blog started off talking about changes and pivots… what’s the deal? Well the good news is that our mutual aid platform isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still offer our mutual aid platform that has already helped hundreds of people. And it’s still 100% free.

With the success of our mutual aid platform, we’ve been giving some serious thought about how and why individuals volunteer. Most of us work a long and often tiring 40 hour work week. Our hearts tell us that we want to volunteer, that we want to give back, but the truth is, work can be draining. We’re often left feeling too tired at the end of the day to go and spend a few hours volunteering.

The solution? A corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform built from the ground up with a focus on employee volunteerism. We want to make it so companies don’t have to think twice about empowering employees to spend work time giving back and using their skills to volunteer. Work should be more than just satisfying the bottom line— it should help give support and meaning to the causes we cherish most.

View our manifesto on CSR here!

We know that people are happier and more satisfied with their job when they can volunteer. We know employees expect their companies to support social good. And we know that volunteering is a great way for employees to get to know each other in a meaningful, beyond-work setting.

Purposely’s CSR platform will enable companies to track volunteer hours, help employees find the perfect opportunity for either solo or group volunteering, and so much more. We’re also working with a number of nonprofits that could use some help from local companies. And all of this will be ready by the end of summer.

Take a look at what we’re thinking here and let us know if you want in, or if you know of a company that sounds right for this!