The new year brought new goals for Signal — and one resolution is building on an amazing company culture that fosters fun and gives back to the community. So far, it’s been a momentous year… and it’s only April!
Check out just some of the things Signal’s been up to:
Staying Warm with Button and Zipper
For the first time in Signal’s history, we hosted a coat drive, in partnership with Chicago charity Button and Zipper. The organization started in 2013 to provide warmth during the cold winter months to homeless and at-risk youth, and has grown significantly in size: last year, Button and Zipper collected and distributed over 5,000 coats and added a chapter in Denver.
During the months of January and February, the Signal team collected 49 used coats for donation, and plans to participate again next winter season.
“Not only is it important to give back to our community, but it’s a great way to build culture in the Signal office,” said Elaine Small, Signal’s senior finance associate, who spearheaded the project. “It helps keep us well-rounded, and reminds us to celebrate the inspiring work and achievements that other organizations are doing in our area.”
Celebrating Women in Chicago Tech
At Signal, women’s empowerment is always trending. On March 22, our Chicago headquarters hosted the global nonprofit Anita Borg Institute for its Women’s History Month program — a night filled with enlightening conversation, good company and passed appetizers.
The event featured a panel of female executives from local companies like Guggenheim Partners and Compatibility LLC who discussed giving the next generation of women leaders the tools to succeed — in the workplace, and beyond.
“It’s so important to empower women in tech to take on larger and more influential roles within the industry — to initiate change from the top down. It’s great that Signal sponsors these events put on by Anita Borg to foster a community where women are motivated to grow, learn from and support each other,” said Sarah Stokes, Signal’s office coordinator.
To further honor Women’s History Month, Signal’s culture club organized an activity to bring people together throughout the office (one of many events the club puts together throughout the year). Across the organization, people participated in a women’s history-themed trivia challenge, accompanied by cupcakes and rosé wine for all participants.
Lending a Hand to Fresh Start Caring for Kids
Giving money and goods to charity is rewarding, but giving time and talent can be even more beneficial. Throughout the past couple of months, Signal’s marketing team has been helping Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing no-cost reconstructive surgery and related medical care to disadvantaged infants, children and teens with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease.
The Signal team set out to ramp up Fresh Start’s social media and marketing strategy in an effort to increase donations to the cause and attract volunteers to its events. Signal marketing staffers have spent time editing Fresh Start newsletters, writing social media posts for its Facebook and Instagram pages, curating photos to share and creating new donation pages for easier navigation.
“It’s been fun and rewarding to put our team’s collective expertise in digital marketing to work for a cause that we all feel is important,” said Jessica Graeser, digital marketing director at Signal, who coordinates the Fresh Start partnership. “Taking time to switch gears from our day-to-day routines sparks creativity and collaboration.”
Signal connected with Fresh Start through Taproot, an organization that recruits various design, technical, marketing, HR and strategic services to help small, underfunded nonprofits develop more comprehensive marketing plans and set them up for future success.
“I’m proud to work with colleagues who value helping others — whether through pro-bono professional services, donation drives throughout the year or offsite volunteer projects,” Graeser added. “Signal supports giving back, and I appreciate that as part of our culture.”
