Many companies are quick to say that they support their communities. But often, this means putting money in the pockets of nonprofits and going about their business day. Direct donations are vital to nonprofit sustainability, but what if companies did more? How many organizations put their money where their mouths are and get their hands dirty, too?
Each of these five companies reflects high values and ethics that employees are increasingly seeking when they job search. These five companies do more than make a one-time monetary donation. Each product sold benefits someone in need. Every nail hammered for the homeless is by a company volunteer. And every hungry mouth deserving of nutrition is important:
Yoobi
Yoobi creates fun classroom supplies and has a simple slogan: "One for you, one for me." Yoobi provides creative supplies to students in the U.S. who don't have money or access to school supplies.
Partnering with Target, Yoobi's products are full of imaginative spark. When an item is purchased, Yoobi also places an item in a Classroom Pack to be donated to the next school in need, impacting over a million kids in 2017. With most supplies coming out of a teacher's personal budget, Yoobi is providing a major service for the education of kids all over the United States.
Hand in Hand
Hand in Hand is a sustainable soap company who helps to provide access to clean water in communities all over the world. The company website states that over 5 million individuals die every year due to improper hygiene and unclean water: 45 percent of those deaths are preventable by simply washing hands in clean water. With every product purchase, Hand in Hand gifts a bar of soap and a month of clean water to kids in need.
Mast General Store
Originating in North Carolina, with stores in South Carolina and Tennessee, Mast General Store opened in 1883 as an old time general store and became employee-owned in 1996.
The company is still going strong and encourages its employees to both volunteer and contribute monetary donations to causes. Each store location actively works with nonprofits and various programs in its local community. Mast General Store resolved to make 2017 a year of giving and succeeded, encouraging customers to volunteer, too. Examples of its relationships include:
- High Country, North Carolina: Mast Store supports F.A.R.M. cafe, a pay what you can community kitchen whose goal is to build a healthy and inclusive community. The cafe runs on a 90 percent volunteer staff, who pay it forward by helping, becoming an intern or working one hour in exchange to eat.
- Waynesville, North Carolina: Mast Store in High Country built a Green Valley Habitat with Habitat for Humanity in 2011. In 2015, Mast Store was a part of a team of 2,000 volunteers who gave 60,000 hours to build homes for families.
Every year, Mast Stores also collects coats for the Share the Warmth initiative. Every store is deeply involved in giving back to its community.
Flatiron Construction
Based in Denver, Flatiron Construction is a civil engineering and transportation construction firm who has partnered with Bridges to Prosperity. Their mission is to offer access to vital basics in remote areas, such as health care and education.
Those who reside in remote locations often can't travel to health care or go to school because of inaccessibility. The partnership builds literal bridges over impassible rivers, and over 200 footpaths have been constructed in 14 countries. The initiative has allowed citizens in the Caribbean and Latin America to travel to see the doctor and attend school.
Rocky Top Furniture
Mere days after Thanksgiving in 2016, 14,000 residents and visitors were forced to flee Gatlinburg, Tennessee due to the spread of a raging wildfire. Some had to leave loved ones and animals behind when they couldn't be found. 17,000 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were burned, and 2,400 businesses and homes were damaged.
Community members and businesses stepped up to do their part. Rocky Top Furniture got in touch with Banner Baptist Church of Gatlinburg and donated furniture to help families get back on their feet. Giving over $60,000 worth of furniture to the cause, they helped people feel at home again after the catastrophe.
These five companies are known for making waves internationally and locally. Through them, people gain access to clean drinking water, health care, education and more vital human needs.
This guest post was authored by Kacey Royer
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Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.
