Turning Passion into Action with Forrestall Consulting

Kind Business #16

Forrestall Consulting is a successful social media marketing firm in Pasadena, CA. Led by Shanna Forrestall, the company has been incredibly successful, producing digital content for major TV networks, from TruTV to the History Channel. Shanna brings a special energy to her work. In all of the content she produces, she works to highlight the humanity in others. Her company has even created projects that work to humanize social media marketing, including her presentation on “Finding the HUMANity in Social Media & Marketing.”

Shanna has made it her mission to make Forrestall Consulting a force for social good.  Most notably, Shanna has involved her company in a number of domestic disaster relief efforts in Southern Louisiana and Texas.  Born and raised in Louisiana, Shanna has a special place in her heart for those affected by natural disasters.

By partnering with organizations like Crowd Relief, the Texas Navy and the Cajun Relief Foundation, Forrestall Consulting has been able to gather supplies, solicit corporate donations, and create films targeted at motivating potential volunteers.  Shanna’s ability to see the humanity in others has allowed her to create moving content from these disaster situations. Her videos have been integral in recruiting on-the-ground volunteers and necessary aid for these disasters.

Between September 2016 and December 2016, Forrestall Consulting raised $150,000 in resources and cash donations to assist flood victims with recovery though Launch Louisiana due to the 2016 floods.  

During a natural disaster, Shanna feels that it’s important to focus on low-income areas first, as the people living in these areas can sadly be the first to be forgotten. Shanna explained to Envision Kindness that she tries to mobilize her team and others to work with special needs individuals, the elderly and veterans when doing her on-the-ground disaster relief efforts.   Shanna also frequently hires her camera crew from Actors for Autism, an organization that works to empower those who are on the autistic spectrum.

On top of their disaster relief efforts, Forrestall Consulting is constantly looking for new projects to get involved in. After taking a trip to Honduras with her father as a young girl, and seeing poverty up close, Shanna has made it a priority to help those in need.  Shanna recently organized a large art sale donation with international artists and she serves as the Glendale Hills Launch charity events coordinator.

Inspired by the work of Forrestall Consulting?  Think about how you can turn your passion into action. You can be the difference you want to see in the world.

Cultivating Local Kindness with We Olive Pasadena

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!

Store Rooms Self Storage Is a Platform for Kindness

#NiceWork! When confronted with the devastation of hurricane Maria, Store Rooms Self Storage in Marlborough, MA served as a venue of kindness for those most in need. Locally owned since 1996, Store Rooms Self Storage values service in and out of the community.  

Suffering from the destructive path of hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is left in critical condition. As a response, charitable organizations throughout the world are dedicating their time to relief efforts to fulfill the basic needs of those impacted in the country. One nonprofit organization answering this call is SMILE mass, whose primary mission is to work with surrounding recreational facilities to make day trips and vacations accessible to families with disabled members. Through their work, SMILE mass is providing happy and healthy memories to families living with children or adults with disabilities.

Called to action, SMILE mass and Store Rooms Self Storage partnered with one another to hold a food and water drive in efforts to aid those most in need of kindness within Puerto Rico. When asked what inspired the business to take action along with SMILE mass, Sarah, a representative of Store Rooms Self-Storage, explained to Envision Kindness that it was necessary to take action and assist in any way they could, in order to further contribute to the relief efforts for Puerto Rico.

Donating boxes, tape, plastic bags and their property, Store Rooms Self Storage served as the platform for the massive impact made by SMILE mass. Through several donations, the drive for Puerto Rico resulted in over 120 large wooden pallets being stacked with food and water for the country.  Working with Homeland Security and Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, the donations from the event will be sent to those most in need in Puerto Rico. Aside from this most recent effort, Store Rooms Self Storage has held numerous charitable events over the years, including drives to support Toys 4 Tots and their One Warm Coat. Store Rooms Self Storage provides kindness to those most in need. The business is quick to take action positively impacting the world around them.

To learn more about Store Rooms Self Storage and SMILE mass visit their websites: https://storeroomsselfstorage.com ; http://www.smilemass.org. Use your life as a platform for compassion and bring about positive change to those most in need of kindness.

VOW Transportation Shows Us the Power of Opportunity and Understanding

#NiceWork VOW! VOW Transportation doesn’t just help its passengers get where they need to go, it gives them the opportunity to achieve more. Vision of Winning (VOW) and its founder and CEO, Lorenzo Stewart Sr. of Washington D.C, knows a thing or two about how important these opportunities can be.  

After spending years in and out of jail, Stewart was having trouble finding a job. “Nothing solid ever came through,” he explained in an interview with Courtland Milloy of the Washington Post. In addition to having a record, Stewart, struck by a stray bullet at 15 uses a wheelchair. With the support of a loving family, Stewart realized that in order to achieve success he needed to become his own boss. Fortunately, D.C. has started an incredible and kind program: Aspire to Entrepreneurship. This partnership between District agencies and Changing Perceptions provides ex-offenders with the necessary tools to start their own businesses. It believes in people to make a change for themselves. In December of 2016, Stewart got the loan he needed to make a difference (WUSA9). 

Stewart didn’t take this opportunity lightly. He took the kindness that was shown to him by D.C.’s program and decided to create something amazing with it. VOW isn’t your average business. This organization helps people with disabilities, seniors, and students with their transportation needs, a mission inspired by Stewart’s own life. VOW even offers free services. Because Stewart knows firsthand the importance of family support, he provides rides to people who want to visit their family members in prisons. Demand is high, so he’s hoping expansion is in his future. As of June 2017, he operates three 15-seat vans.

“It’s true that when we give returning citizens the right set of skills and opportunities, they will flourish,” D.C. Deputy Mayor Courtney R. Snowden said. Inspired by this story? Push for your state to support entrepreneurship programs like the one that helped Stewart in D.C. There are surely more kind organizations and people to be discovered.

 

Kindness Served One Cup of Coffee at a Time

cup of coffee

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.