The holidays are seemingly the busiest time of the year, both professionally and personally. Not only are we trying to find the perfect gifts while scheduling holiday parties and arranging travel plans to see friends and family, but also managing end-of-year client deadlines and wrapping up projects and loose ends before the year closes. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of a digital agency, we often lose sight of the true meaning of the holidays.

This year, Propane took a step back to reflect and think about what this season means to us – spending quality time with loved ones, appreciating being part of a talented and growing team, and demonstrating acts of compassion, love and kindness for others. With all we have to be thankful for, we wanted to give back and do our part to help those less fortunate in our community.

We partnered with Raphael House of San Francisco, the first shelter for children and families experiencing homelessness in Northern California, to pull our resources together and buy holiday gifts for 4 deserving families in need. After receiving a wish list for each family, we all chose a gift (or two) to contribute. A few members of our team then went to local stores to hand select these gifts and wrap them in festive holiday packaging. The gifts were then delivered back to the Raphael House to distribute to each family in time for Christmas Eve.

Throughout this process, I was reminded of the importance to live presently and gratefully beyond just the holiday season. As a project manager in our fast paced San Francisco digital agency, I’m guilty of getting caught up in the day-to-day happenings until I’m living in a microcosm of the real world. That said, I’m lucky to be part of an agency with a strong foundation in the local community and encourages us to give back to the community that has supported and grown us into the company we are today.