Award-winning '#DORGivesBack' encourages volunteerism community service

The Indiana Department of Revenue received the 2018 Government Entity Volunteer Award during November’s Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence ceremony. Seen here are DOR personnel Emily Landis, Julie Fletcher, Commissioner Adam Krupp, Bob Grennes, Michelle Cain and Azalea DeFord.

From assembling bikes for kids to building homes for families in need to landscaping at an organization helping homeless veterans get back on their feet, members of the Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) are all-in on giving back.

Through a program launched earlier this year called “#DORGivesBack,” 139 employees logged more than 550 hours of community service, working with nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and the Boys and Girls Club of America.

It was a wide-reaching affair that touched the lives and hearts of many, and the enthusiasm with which the program was received by employees appears to have exceeded all expectations.

DOR Chief Communications Officer Emily Landis summed it all up this way: “As proud public servants, DOR employees are committed to serving Indiana by giving back to our customers, teammates and the community.”

Though recognition was never the goal, the tireless work didn’t fly under the radar of Serve Indiana, an organization dedicated to increasing visibility of volunteerism across the state, administering grant programs and establishing a strategy for volunteer efforts. DOR was duly honored at the Nov. 8 Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence (SIAE) ceremony in Indianapolis, taking home the 2018 Government Entity Volunteer Award.

Back to the start

Landis said “#DORGivesBack” began with a challenge from DOR Commissioner Adam Krupp, who sought to encourage at least 20 percent of the agency’s employees to volunteer for community service.

The call was heard – loud and clear – and DOR employees went right to work.

Together, they constructed homes for Habitat for Humanity and built bicycles for foster children involved with the Boys and Girls Club. The committed crew also cleaned and landscaped at HVAF (Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation) of Indiana, Landis said.

The number of volunteers, as well as the hours they logged, surpassed Commissioner Krupp’s initial goal, helping make inroads toward community outreach.

Landis said the work “reflects a positive, kind and enthusiastic trend” in the agency’s continued efforts to connect with the people they serve, helping “bridge the gap” between government and constituents.

It also has a natural tendency to create smiles, altering attitudes and spreading cheer in ways few other activities can match.

“Serving the greater Indiana community through volunteerism generates positivity while allowing our team to grow as a family, knowing they have improved the lives of others along the way,” the commissioner explained. “By helping families fulfill their dreams of entering newly-constructed homes, enabling veterans to enjoy a freshly-landscaped yard, and delivering bicycles to foster children, the DOR family has been able to bring smiles to the faces of those we serve in our traditional role.”

The #DORGivesBack program saw Indiana Department of Revenue employees build bicycles for foster children.

An agency cornerstone

Though it’s been in place for less than a year, #DORGivesBack is now a pillar of the agency’s community service goals. It’s an agency-wide effort Landis called a “core value” of DOR, adding the program “has become an amazing opportunity for DOR employees to volunteer as a unified organization while also supporting Indiana charitable organizations.”

Good things are on the horizon as well, as Landis indicated the agency hopes to continue to see #DORGivesBack grow and flourish.

Approximately 150 employees signed up to help out Gleaners Food Bank at the end of November, with the goal of putting together food packs destined for senior living facilities, schools and community centers. Having already established partnerships with a handful of nonprofits through previous work, Landis said future plans involve creating “more opportunities for our teams to volunteer with even more organizations.”

The employees know the agency leaders “have their back” as well, as DOR’s top staffers have helped facilitate and coordinate volunteer efforts for employees wanting to be part of the program. That has made the process to be part of something truly beneficial to the community a lot less, um, taxing.

The positive work has also created a buzz within DOR as more and more employees choose to be part of #DORGivesBack each day.

“We are already seeing more divisions within DOR wanting to volunteer as a team-building activity,” said Landis.

Awards reception

With plenty of great accomplishments in the rearview mirror, the road ahead looks to take DOR volunteers to places where they can continue to spread the good. But #DORGivesBack has already made such a positive impact on the lives of displaced children, families in need and homeless former service members that, less than a year since its inception, the fledgling program is turning heads and taking home accolades.

After receiving the honor at the SIAE ceremony, agency leaders were grateful, humbled and eager to get back to work on #DORGivesBack.

“Upon receiving the award, I felt so grateful,” remarked DOR Director of Strategic Planning Azalea DeFord. “[I was] grateful to be able to do something meaningful with amazing team members and fellow public servants, [and] grateful to see how our efforts to give back have gone a long way.”

DeFord called #DORGivesBack “a reflection of our spirit of care and commitment to serving Indiana.”

“I’m honored and proud to be part of a team that supports and encourages community service,” echoed DOR Director of Internal Communications Julie Fletcher.

Landis called the program “a true blessing” and indicated that being part of #DORGivesBack has paid positive dividends even in the workplace.

“We may not be talking taxes, but the work we are doing is helping others and allowing us the opportunity to better get to know our own team members to ensure we are doing the best job we can do at DOR,” she said.

It’s all part of the agency’s continued mission: a commitment to serve Hoosiers, said Michelle Cain, director of external communications.

Seen here are Indiana Department of Revenue employees and interns who participated in the #DORGivesBack program at HVAF, Indianapolis.

“DOR’s mission facilitates an environment of serving Indiana, both as customers and through giving back to our communities,” Cain said. “The #DORGivesBack program allows the DOR team to come together and help build our communities through service and by utilizing our great employees.”

Commissioner Krupp sees community service as an integral part of daily life. Public service and community service are synonymous, he believes, and the two go hand-in-hand.

“Being a true public servant is more than just performing daily tasks at work,” the commissioner said. “It’s a mindset and a way of life. In addition to day-to-day responsibilities, we wanted to inspire DOR employees to serve Hoosiers by giving back to our communities. The #DORGivesBack program is our platform to do that.”

Being honored by Serve Indiana appears to have motivated a group of employees already dedicated to doing all they can to help others in need. The agency certainly deserves to bask in the glow of its recent award, but it’s obvious they can’t wait to see what’s next for #DORGivesBack.

“We were genuinely excited to be nominated for the award, and hearing our name announced as the winner was a thrill,” Commissioner Krupp said. “Being the first government entity to receive this award from Serve Indiana is a badge of honor we will wear with pride.”

Photos provided by Indiana Department of Revenue

Story by Brent Brown, INSPD