Photo of the Week #24: “Sharing With Others”
Photo and Text by Froilan Robas
“The photo symbolizes giving and sharing to those who are in need.”
This image was submitted to our 2017 Our World is Kind Photography Contest
Kind Business #17
Nice Work! When entering We Olive Pasadena, customers are greeted by the welcoming smiles of We Olive staff and the intoxicating aromas of locally sourced olive oil, vinaigrettes and wines. Owner Ervin Galvan is extremely passionate about the company’s quality products and providing local residents with healthy and delicious foods. But these products are not the only thing Galvan is passionate about; he is also dedicated to supporting the flourishing community around him. The company is constantly working to engage the residents of Pasadena and doing what they can to provide support. To Galvan, doing well and going good go hand in hand.
Galvan expresses in the “Our Neighborhood” blog that “Pasadena is an excellent home for We Olive because our values directly reflect what this city is all about. We focus on being involved in the community, providing a comfortable and educational atmosphere for shoppers, and an experience that is unique and exciting.” We Olive of Pasadena translates this community passion into initiatives that strengthen the city as a whole. One such event is We Olive’s Sunday Yoga and Mimosas. This initiative, put on in partnership with Lili yoga, donates proceeds once a month to homeless children in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). This program supports 13,000 homeless students in in the LA area and works to maximize access to educational, social and enrichment programs for students.
The company also works to support organizations doing good work in Pasadena. Galvan has made it his mission to support those most in need of kindness. He frequently donates goods to local organizations including the Pasadena Humane Society, Outward Bound Adventures, and Friends in Deed which provides supportive services to homeless and at-risk Pasadena residents. Galvan is always on the lookout for new opportunities to get involved in the community.
Though Pasadena is their focus, the company also gets involved in national disaster relief causes outside of the community. We Olive Pasadena contributed to the Louisiana Flood relief efforts last year. They held an incredibly successful Mardi-Gras event in 2016 to aid those heavily impacted by the flooding in that region. Most recently, Galvan held a fundraiser weekend in response to the growers who were affected by the devastating fires in Northern California.
Businesses like We Olive Pasadena are leading examples of Capitalism with a Conscious. Be it large initiatives responding to natural disasters or involvement with local nonprofits such as Actors for Autism, We Olive Pasadena is an agent of positive change.
If you or those you love are in the Los Angeles/Pasadena area, stop on by and experience the kindness of We Olive first hand. Not in Southern California? Cultivate kindness within your communities and nominate other Kind Businesses supporting local development!
#NiceWork! Post 15 Tuft and Needle is a national mattress company on a mission to spread compassionate comfort. The company is an innovator in both premium mattress production and providing those in need with a great night’s sleep. By donating mattresses and profits to local charities and causes, Tuft and Needle is strengthening communities and engaging customers at the same time.
Valuing transparency and teamwork, Tuft and Needle founders, Daehee Park and JT Marino, have assembled a team of entrepreneurs dedicated to making a positive impact. Melanie LaDue, a member of the Tuft and Needle team, told Envision that Tuft and Needle, “has been intentional in making social mission and the community the heartbeat of our company.” In order to engage customers and donate mattresses, Tuft and Needle has pioneered a unique return policy. If a customer chooses to return a mattress, the mattress isn’t returned to headquarters. Instead, the company works with individual customers in order to donate the mattress to local charities and nonprofit organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul Society in Phoenix, AZ. Of course, Tuft and Needle still redeems the customer for the cost of the mattress.
In addition to return donations, Tufts and Needle supports communities by partnering with a variety of nonprofits and charitable organizations such as, UMOM, Chrysalis, Ronald McDonald House Phoenix Charities, firehouses, and schools nationwide. Through Tuft and Needle Gives Back program, partner schools are able to absorb 25% of profits from mattresses ordered by anyone affiliated with the school, from parents to teachers. Recently, Tuft and Needle even made a large-scale donation to help Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston.
The social mission of Tuft and Needle is embedded within all of the staff acting from the belief that, “values aren’t what you want to be, it’s who you are…we’re going to take the spirit of [Tuft and Needle] and find more problems worth fixing…we’re just getting started,” founders Daehee Park and JT Marino say in their “Our Story” video on the Tuft and Needle’s website.
If you are in need of a better night’s sleep, check out Tuft and Needle’s mattresses: https://www.tuftandneedle.com/. Think of innovative ways to spread kindness and continue to positively impact your community!
#NiceWork! After taking a trip to Germany, the owners of Wasserhund Brewing Co. turned their passion for good times, great people, and German beer culture into an opportunity to serve the community in Virginia Beach.
Before opening Wasserhund, owners Aaron and Christine Holley spent five years in Northern Virginia where Aaron was on active duty in the US Navy and Christine was an engineer in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Now, Aaron and Christine are all about serving their hometown. “My husband and I opened our business back in the community that we both went to high school in. We knew that we wanted to raise our family here and build our business. Being good stewards of the community is important to how we live our life,” Christine explained to Envision Kindness. The couple has turned their passion for bringing people together into their life’s purpose.
Wasserhund Brewing Company is committed to making the Virginia Beach community stronger, closer, and better supported. One of their primary avenues of support comes in their financial donations. The brewery donates 5% of each month’s revenue to a cause chosen by a customer. August’s cause of the month was dedicated to the ALS Association whose works to “discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest.” As of September 2017, Wasserhund has contributed $76,197 since its opening to a wide variety of locally impacting charities.
Alongside their financial contributions, Wasserhund Brewing Co. donates time and resources to events centered around charitable and community organizations. A portion of proceeds from these events also go to support the groups. One such event, the Beer, Dogs, and Veterans festival, benefited the nonprofit Dogs on Deployment in its efforts to care for the pets of those who have been deployed. The brewery has also supported groups like Lady’s Grace, a nonprofit dedicated to helping military families, by hosting the Hampton Roads BBQ Wars and VB Jaycees, a group that provides development opportunities to young people, by hosting an Anti-Valentine’s Day event.
If you are in the Virginia Beach area and want to support the cause of the month and have a taste of German beer culture step on into Wasserhund Brewing Co. To learn more about their contributions and upcoming events visit their Website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages!
Take time to discover your passion and use it to create a kinder world.
#NiceWork! Born as an espresso cart in 1986, Kaladi Brothers Coffee has grown to be a staple of Alaska. Today, Kaladi has fourteen locations across the State and one in Seattle, and they produce almost a million pounds of coffee every year.
How did they do it? On top of roasting and brewing fantastic organic beans, Kaladi cares about its customers. Former owner Mark Overly explained to the Alaska Dispatch News that, “[The community aspect] was [always] the intention of the business…And [we knew that] everything would follow that.” As a “catalyst of community,” the shop is incredibly dedicated to supporting and growing the communities they serve.
Kaladi sponsors countless community events, drives, and causes. By teaming up with other local businesses and nonprofits, Kaladi is able to put on incredibly fun and generous events to benefit Alaskans. One such event was for a launch party for Read on the Fly. The event, sponsored and hosted by Kaladi, called on community members to donate children’s books. They turned this donation drive into a party for the whole community along with free hot dogs provided by Phat Kid Food Truck and a craft station put up by the Anchorage Community House.
Kaladi is incredibly generous in its coffee and gift donations. From offering free coffee for moms on Mother’s Day to donating gift baskets to local drives and auctions, Kaladi is constantly finding new avenues to give their support. They’ve donated money to the University of Alaska Anchorage Debate Team and the Anchorage Running Club. Kaladi’s marketing team estimates that Kaladi supports around 250 events per year. Along with the work of their Community Cafe and other donations, this comes out to about $150,000 in donations every year.
Across Alaska, Kaladi is famous for their Community Cafe. This cafe-on-wheels travels around the state to spread its warmth. They’ve been there to meet parents with a free 12 oz cup of coffee when dropping off kids at their first day of school or to provide free espresso at the Pride Parade and at events for the Anchorage Motorcycling Community. No matter the gathering, Kaladi shows generosity to all community members. By using the hashtag #FollowTheRedGoat, inspired by their Red Goat logo, Kaladi has gained huge popularity across Alaska. When the Red Goat comes, everyone knows that warmth and community come along with it.
Kaladi is also famous for bringing the community together in their open and shared community spaces. Spaces are used for just about everything, from family gathering and group meetings to art shows like Susitna Elementary Student Art Show. They currently have 3 large community spaces at their Brayton, Downtown and Soldotna/Sterling Highway locations.
Kaladi support groups like the Cook Inlet Tribal Council. They provided the coffee for their Native Youth Olympics and they purchase wholesale goods, such as sandwiches and baked goods, from their Chanlyut program. The program gives residential, vocational, and educational support for participants to overcome challenges such as reintegration post incarceration, addiction, and homelessness.
“Kaladi is an industry leader when it comes to coffee, community and customer experience,” customer Seth Stetson said.
So, if you ever find yourself up North, drop on in to enjoy a cup of joe at Kaladi. Your dollar supports a company that works to support you.
#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.
#NiceWork! When you enter Bennett’s Books in Deep River, CT, you’ll find nothing but cozy. Between narrow corridors and massive columns of books, you’ll meet the warm and welcoming owner, Colin Bennett. These days, it can be difficult to find independent bookstores like Bennett’s. With e-readers and large chains, it’s almost impossible for small stores to compete. Luckily, Bennett found a creative (and compassionate) solution— he involved the community. He operates the store as a CSB, a Community Supported Bookstore.
“Our…program is the only such program in Connecticut, in fact, as far as we know, it is one of only three in the entire country,” said Bennett in an interview with Zip06.com. Most of the books in the store are donated from community members, and Bennett works tirelessly to return the favor. In fact, this entire bookstore is centered around one thing: the community. Bennett is on a mission to promote affordable literacy. Everything in the store sells for $10 or less (though most books are $5 or under). He also has a laundry list of promotions, from a free book on your birthday to encouraging the exchange of a canned good for 10% off your purchase. All donations go to Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
Bennett is involved in a number of community-focused causes. Not only does he donate much of his proceeds, he also encourages customers to donate whatever they can. He’ll encourage different items during different times of the year, from hats and gloves to boxtops. One of his Facebook posts even calls on community members to collect acorns for the town’s squirrels because of limited access to natural resources.
When you meet Bennett, you’ll realize that he is not only fascinating, he’s fascinated. He tries to read a book a week. In fact, the idea for this bookstore started back in 2000, when Bennett started selling books from the trunk of his car to finance a road trip across the country. He estimates 40% of all stock comes from his own personal collection.
Bennett is also passionate about the environment, peace, and love. His bookstore might be most well-known in Deep River for their infamous Vigils for Kindness. Every Friday from 5:00-6:00, dedicated community members gather with peace and love signs in the town center. They do it to remind everyone of the importance of kindness, compassion, and community. Brandy Richards, Killingworth resident, explains that there is something magical about the smiles you see in the cars driving by during the Vigil. Bennett has been involved in a number of environmental organizations, including his role as the founder and director of the Great Land Conservation Trust. He also hosts a “green” drinks get-together, where interested people come to discuss environmental issues while enjoying eco-friendly refreshments.
Moving forward, Bennett says he’d like to support more member-voted initiatives. “I would like to get to a point where profits over what are needed to keep the bookstore running can be given to social justice organizations or to community organizations—I would love to sponsor a little league team,” (Zip06.com).
In the Deep River area? Come stop by the store! Inspired by this story? Look around you. What can you do to get more involved in your community? Kindness is connection and community.
Photo Credits: Thanks to Brandy Richards (Envision Kindness), Bennett Books, and Catherine Avalone (New Haven Register)
Brewed Awakenings is serving community, one cup of coffee at a time. At this warm little coffee shop in Newark, Delaware, people are the focus. The shop is known for hosting residents from all walks of life and making all feel welcome.
As a psychologist, owner and founder J.D. Willetts knows the importance of kindness, conversation, and relationships. When he opened the coffee shop in 2015, he had a strong focus: community. Good coffee is a plus (and trust us, they do have it), but the real focus here is on the friendly space. “…I want to spread the love. I want this to be a place where people are physically, emotionally, spiritually safe,” Willetts said in an interview with Honey Grow.
Though you will find Willets at the shop most days, he doesn’t keep a dime of the revenue at Brewed Awakenings. Instead, profit is used to help the community. Willets also tries to be free as much as possible so that he can do what he’s best at: talk. He loves to take the time to sit and chat with customers.
One true example of kindness at Brewed Awakenings is their Community Cup program. For $1.50 and a personalized sticky note, customers have the option to pay it forward and prepay for a coffee for someone in need. And if someone comes in for a sandwich too? No problem – sticky notes can be redeemed for food too.
Love what Brewed Awakenings is doing but aren’t in Newark, DE? The spirit of community can be spread to your hometown. Ask your local coffee shop what they think about starting a community cup program, or go out and buy someone a coffee today.