Sometimes giving doesn’t start with a plan, but rather a pause. A moment where someone else’s story lingers a little longer than expected, and you realize you have the ability to respond – not out of obligation, but care.
That’s the spirit behind BW Events Tech’s Holiday Giveback Program. What began five years ago as a way to channel seasonal generosity has grown into something deeper and more far-reaching. This year, 78 team members participated across 6 different countries creating a shared culture in paying attention, leading with humanity, and choosing kindness.
Employees are encouraged to identify needs in their communities and use the program’s funds in a way they believe will best serve others. With no strict guidelines, each act is personal, intentional, and human.
As our CEO Brandon Wernli has shared, “More than any industry awards we’ve won, we’re proud of this program and our culture of service and helping others.” That belief – that being human matters – is the foundation this program is built on.
This year’s stories reflect that truth beautifully.
Listen First, Act Second
Some of the most meaningful moments of giving this year didn’t begin with a solution – but by listening.
One team member paid close attention and identified a local dental office quietly serving low-income patients. Darcy learned that many local families were carrying unpaid balances that limited access to dental care. Rather than offering one-time assistance, she and her husband chose to clear the office’s outstanding patient debt – easing a burden many had been carrying silently and restoring access to care. The impact has endured, as this is her third year returning to serve in this way.
Others followed this same instinct. Team members talked with caregivers navigating cancer treatment and responded with support that reduced day-to-day stress. Some noticed winter clothing mattered more than gifts. Others recognized how something as simple as a haircut, groceries, or a shared meal could restore confidence during an especially difficult season.
Across each of these moments, the pattern was the same: active listening, then action, resulting in meaningful impact.
Lead with Curiosity, Lean into Vulnerability, and Cultivate Connection
Several stories this year began when someone chose curiosity over distance – leaning in with genuine interest, trying something new, and creating a space for connection.
For Spencer, connection grew through openness and consistency. Through a local program, his family connected with an elderly man living alone in their community. What began as a holiday meal became an ongoing and meaningful relationship for the entire family – staying in regular contact, sharing meals, and even attending important family milestones.
Other teammates led with humanity as well – families supporting one another through disability and medical realities, parents opening conversations with children about kindness, or strangers becoming familiar faces through continued presence.
These stories remind us that meaningful giving often requires vulnerability – the willingness to listen, engage, and see people fully. And when we do, the connection itself becomes part of the impact.
Pass It On
Some acts of kindness don’t stop with a single gesture – they create momentum.
This is exactly how Rae chose to use her program funds. Rather than directing them herself, she passed along her opportunity to give to a young mother raising two daughters and empowered her to decide who to support. That mother took her children shopping for another family in need, letting them help choose the gifts – turning one act of generosity into another.
Monica’s “12 Days of Christmas” took a similar approach. Instead of focusing on a single gesture, she spread kindness across twelve intentional moments – supporting educators, seniors, single parents, children’s hospitals, local small businesses, and community organizations. Each day built on the last, creating momentum that carried forward beyond the holidays.
Others passed it on in different ways – supporting animal rescues and care, contributing to environmental restoration, and extending care to shared spaces and living things that depend on continued stewardship. Folks showed up week after week in local shelters, and helped send backpacks of supplies to children in Ukraine whose parents were impacted by war.
In each case, generosity didn’t stop with one action – it moved outward and was carried forward by people who chose to pass it on.
Conclusion
As we move into 2026, the Holiday Giveback Program leaves us with more than stories – it leaves us with perspective and lasting impact. That generosity doesn’t have to be loud.
That impact doesn’t require perfection. Reinforcing that when care leads, connection follows. These moments reflect what this program has always been about: paying attention, leading with humanity, and choosing kindness in ways that feel real.
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