At Risk Youth Thrive at Evergreen Lodge

#NiceWork! Woven into the fabric of Yosemite National Park’s western border is Evergreen Lodge, a social enterprise whose residence welcomes travelers from all walks of life and offers the greatest form of hospitality: compassion.   

Throughout your stay at Evergreen you will be greeted by young men and women, ages 18 to 24, who have been given the opportunity to realize their full potential through Evergreen’s Youth Program.  The Youth Program at Evergreen welcomes at-risk young people in the Bay Area to act as interns of the program, assisting with housekeeping, maintenance, kitchen utility, and customer service throughout the resort. Co-owners, Brian Anderluh, Dan Braun, and Lee Zimmerman have developed a business model that aims to have a long-term positive impact on at risk youth. Interns are “setup to be on the path of their next step, that could be either college admissions, getting a full-time job, living on their own, or just being independent,” said Assistant Intern Program Manager Crystal Macias in their Youth Employment and Personal Growth Video. 

Alma Escalante, who lived in a youth shelter before her internship, describes the program in Fortune Small Business as a “lifesaver” that has given her the opportunity to save money for college. The management team is anchored in Evergreen’s belief in self-realization through a kind community. “We have been able to attract fantastic staff whose priorities are aligned with ours and who have the kind of compassionate personality that is a good fit for our industry,” says co-owner Zimmerman.

There are four components to Evergreen’s approach to youth development:

1) Gaining real work experience at the lodge through employment,

2) Expanding the possibilities of life by participating in Yosemite outdoor recreation,

3) Individualized one-on-one assistance to help interns conquer obstacles hindering them from achieving their goals, and

4) The opportunity to live in a healthy a supportive community.

Unlike other Youth Programs, Evergreen lodge emphasizes the importance of comprehendible action steps. Youth participating in the program leave the high paced urban setting and slow down to self-reflect and develop. The goal is to walk them through the steps of being a good employee. Joe Juszkiewicz, Evergreen’s General Manager, says the program shows interns how to show up to work on time, present themselves, interact with others, and deal with conflict on the job.

If you would like to spend your next compassionate camping trip at Yosemite National Park learn more about Evergreen Lodge on their website: http://www.evergreenlodge.com. Each of us is on a journey to realize our full potential. Use your passion to inspire others and embrace your capacity to make a positive impact.

Great Harvest Bread Warms the Hearts of Anchorage Residents

#NiceWork! Great Harvest Bread in Anchorage, Alaska  does phenomenal business. For the past several years, it’s held the top spot in sales for restaurants in Anchorage. But their success can’t simply be explained by their infamously fresh and organic bread. Anchorage owners Barb Hood and Dirk Sisso believe that 90% of sales are due to the restaurant’s connection with the local community. Anchorage residents know that a purchase at Great Harvest Bread is a purchase that supports Anchorage.

Great Harvest Bread, a franchise, with over 100 locations throughout the United States is unique.  The company doesn’t solely focus on profits. In fact, the company’s tops priorities, aside from making delicious bread, are freedom and people. The parent company encourages each individual branch to do what’s best for their location and connect to their customers in a unique and personalized way. That’s why to many Anchorage residents, Great Harvest feels like home.

Ever since the Barb and Dirk opened shop in 1994, they’ve been a community favorite. They’re probably most well known for their generosity of spirit. As Bonnie Harry, an employee of Great Harvest, explained, “It’s not for show. They do it because generosity to others is part of who they are. The fact that it benefits the business is a bonus.”

Barb and Dirk’s generosity radiates through Great Harvest. They’re frequent donors, and they let the community choose where a large portion of their donations go by encouraging Anchorage residents to submit requests to support local events. Over the years, they’ve supported hundreds of events including annual fundraisers for Breast Cancer and Leukemia research. The restaurant is also an official partner with three schools: West High School, Romig Middle School and North Star Elementary, where they support school events with bread and cookies.

Great Harvest may be most famous for their exceptionally large free samples. When speaking with Envision Kindness, Barb explained an instance in which a young girl came to the counter to get a free sample. She returned again a few minutes later to get another. When Barb saw this, she encouraged the girl to bring a third piece back to her mother. Upon hearing this, the mother burst into tears. “You never know where people are coming from,” Barb explained. “So, you just try to do your best.” Two families have even come up to Barb to tell her how important this free bread has been to them during tough times over the years. Great Harvest also donates unsold items to the local food bank, Beanz Café, each day.

Barb and Dirk even lend out their restaurant’s space. They have made their shop into a community center, helping local artists display their work and hosting open mic nights for poets, musicians, and others.  This personalized engagement with customers and customer values has allowed Great Harvest to become a cornerstone in the community.

Outside of Great Harvest, Barb is known for taking pictures of underrepresented populations and telling their stories. Dirk is currently serving as president of the local neighborhood Basher Community Council, working to protect natural places among other things. Dirk carries his interest in environmental protection to the bakery. Great Harvest has received Green Star’s award for environmental responsibility, a shining example of an eco-friendly business.

Inspired by Barb and Dirk’s Great Harvest in Anchorage? No need to fly to Alaska. Check out what your local Great Harvest is up to these days. No Great Harvests near you? Think about what can you can do to be help others in your community.

Young Mugs Coffee Roasters Pays it Forward for Zoë Faye

NiceWork! A cup of Young Mugs Coffee is more than filtered coffee grounds, it’s a cup of kindness. Zeppo Young, owner and roaster of Young Mugs Coffee in Webster, MA, has successfully turned his passion into a means to pay it forward. “I want my business to be known not only for excellent coffee, but for also having a sincere desire to make the world a better place…It makes me happy knowing that I can be a force for good, while serving excellent coffee.” Zeppo explained to Envision Kindness.

Young’s pay it forward journey begins with the life of his eldest daughter, Zoë Faye Young. In December of 2011 when Zoe was just 1 month old, doctors discovered a malignant Rhabdoid Tumor in Zoë, a rare form of cancer. Even when faced with unimaginable difficulty, Zoë, Laura and Zeppo found refuge in the kindness given to them by others. Whether it be hospital visits, blood donations or gifts, random acts of kindness began to accumulate from all over the country.

In her 6 months of life, Zoë touched the lives of not only her parents but people from across the country. “She made you aware of how fragile life can be, and how to live with a fire in your soul,” said by Laura Young on her blog, “Little and Fierce”.  In honor of the fierce life lived by their daughter, Zeppo and Laura created the “Zoë Faye Foundation,” an organization dedicated to providing support and assistance to children diagnosed with rare tumors including Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors, Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors, and Non-CNS Extrarenal Rhabdoid Tumors.

As the loving father of 3 children and devoted husband to his wife Laura, Zeppo is well seasoned in the act of giving and receiving kindness. He is an integral part of his children’s lives. “I get to teach my children to work hard. To work smart. To follow their passions. That they are empowered to build a life full of joy and happiness,” written by Zeppo in the Young Mugs Coffee Roasters blog. Young is a man who values both his role as a father and the responsibility of living to make this world a better place.

Following in the footsteps of their foundation, Young Mugs Coffee Roasters has made it their mission to use their business as a platform for doing good. The coffee shop has donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and plans on raising money for Zoë’s Lemonade Stand, which benefits the Boston Children’s Hospital for September, Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Zeppo uses the profits from his coffee shop to compliment the efforts of the Young’s foundation.

To learn more about The Young Mug Coffee Roasters and the Zoë Faye Foundation you can visit their websites: http://www.youngmugscoffee.com and http://www.teamzoecancersucks.com. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Next time you meet a stranger on the street, think about how you can pay it forward and be a hero in their life.  

“Be a Blessing to Somebody”

Sometimes, you need to go somewhere where everyone knows your name. For many Memphis, TN residents, Manna House is just that place. A colorful safe haven for community members who are down on their luck, the house provides showers, fresh clothes and a cup of coffee for folks who need some community feels and a pick me up.

Open 3 days a week, the house is run by volunteers. Karen Pulfer Focht, a talented and socially conscious photojournalist who is a frequent contributor to Envision Kindness, was able to catch up with one of them. Almost every Thursday on the front stoop of Manna House, you can find Kirk Whalum, the Grammy award winning jazz artist, giving the homeless a fresh shave and a haircut.

Whalum is a celebrated and sought after artist. On top of winning awards for his solo and collaborative albums, he has been “an in demand session player for top artists like Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Larry Carlton, Quincy Jones and most notably, Whitney Houston, amongst many others.”  In fact, the hit song “I Will Always Love You” features his saxophone.

Still, Whalum is a very self-aware man. After reflecting on his own life, he decided that he wanted to do more. He wanted to be a “blessing to somebody.” So, he began blessing the Manna House with his service. Whalum understands what it means to care consciously. An ordained minister, he listens to people, finds out what they need, and responds to the best of his abilities. After speaking with people at Manna House, he realized that people needed shaves and haircuts. So, he dove right in it. Rick Greer, Memphis resident who frequents Manna House, says he is thankful for places like this where he can get cleaned up.  “Us street people…we got to keep our appearances up,” Greer explained.

“We are all in need of care and kindness,” Whalum tells Focht. He strives to be in solidarity with those who he cleans up. That’s why he’s constantly greeting people and making sure they feel welcomed at the center. In Focht’s enlightening interview with Whalum, he speaks humbly about his service. At one point, the man who he is caring for looks up at him. “I appreciate it,” the man says. “You’re welcome, bro,” Whalum responds with a smile.

Thank you, Karen Pulfer Focht, for the beautiful video, still images, and story.