Here at DMi we are passionate about several things including (but not limited to) digital marketing, the great city of Philadelphia, European League Soccer, a good meal and something that is near and dear to our hearts, community service. For the past four years we have translated our passion for community service into a company-wide volunteer program. Volunteer Time Off (or as the cool kids call it, VTO) is a commitment to providing employees with a few days off per year in order to give back to their community. Today, over 20 percent of companies have latched on to the concept of offering VTO and we are proud to be an pioneer (4 years strong!) of this growing trend.

For us, the benefits of VTO extend past personal gratification and into the culture of the office. Team building, which we also nurture during our group community service outing every MLK day, loyalty and employee satisfaction are all bonuses fostered by our volunteerism. But as a socially conscious company, what we value most is the opportunity it provides for giving back to the community we love. Or as Brian McKenna, our EVP puts it, “Largely due to VTO I am able to volunteer at Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut, a camp founded by Paul Newman for children with life-threatening illnesses. This is a passion of mine that I started in high school and have been able to stick with, with the help of DMi.”

Our volunteer program, started by CEO Patrick McKenna, provides three days a year for employees to volunteer for the charity of their choice. A DMi favorite, YouthBuild, allows employees to work alongside young people in Philadelphia who are being taught valuable construction skills, which they use to build housing, schools and community centers. We believe that nurturing your passion, whether it be building housing, cleaning up the Schuylkill or volunteering at CHOP, is important. And, above all else, we pride ourselves in having a happy team.

What does all of this amount to? Well, we do a lot of writing about our business and our city, so it’s high time we shine a spotlight on something we take pride in: our passion for volunteerism. We appreciate everything the city of brotherly love has done for us, so we’re proud to dedicate some time to give back to Philly.

Play the video below to see some of the fun we have with our VTO.