When companies find ways to give back to their communities, it makes the business world a better place. From charitable donations to company mission statements that include regular volunteer work, some companies are finding ways to turn their success into good will toward others.
Here are five companies making it their business to give back to the community and the less fortunate.
Davison – Pittsburgh, Penn.
The holidays are a time for gift giving, but not all families can afford to put presents under the tree. Davison, a new product development company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania decided to turn things around by helping the local charity toy drive, which benefits less fortunate families in the metro area.
By partnering with the local Kiss 96.1 radio station, employees of Davison raised more than $1,500 for the Stuff-A-Bus toy donation campaign. All of the money raised by Davison and other local supporters went to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Rethreaded – Jacksonville, Fla.
It’s hard to imagine, but sex trafficking has become a major problem on both a global and local level. Rethreaded, a clothing and accessory company out of Jacksonville, Florida realized just how close to home the sex trade can hit and decided to aim their business efforts to holistic training programs for sex trafficking victims.
Rethreaded provides four-month programs where both local women and victims from abroad train to become seamstresses by upcycling donated t-shirts into stylish accessories and other items for sale. All proceeds go back to Rethreaded so they can keep their cause going.
Stanton Optical – Dayton, Ohio
Some companies consider giving back part of their business best practices; such is the case with Stanton Optical. All three of Stanton Optical’s Ohio locations, which include its Miamisburg, Beavercreek, and Toledo branch, have eyeglass donation boxes that benefit the Lions Club Recycle for Sight Program.
The giving doesn’t stop there because employees of Stanton Optical also donate their own money to the local Sparrows Nest Cherry Street Mission Ministries regularly. In addition, Stanton Optical wins the Sphere of Influence Award for their support of charitable organizations and their community outreach.
ShelfGenie – Colorado Springs, Colo.
When soldiers return home severely wounded, they oftentimes need extra assistance due to their life-changing injuries. ShelfGenie owners Ryan and Katie Linnell of Colorado Springs, Colorado are giving back to the troops by building them easily accessible shelving systems free of charge.
In partnership with the charitable home-building organization Homes for Our Troops, ShelfGenie is installing specialized glide-out shelves for local service members who require wheelchairs as a result of their injuries.
Burt’s Bees – Durham, N.C.
From local businesses to national brands, Burt’s Bees is doing its part to give back to communities across the nation. In 2007, the industry leader in all-natural bath and beauty products teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to create The Burt’s Bees Greater Good Foundation, which helps fund and build eco-friendly homes for those in need.
From toy drives to homes for the homeless, everybody wins when companies give back to the community. Tell us if you have any community programs like these.
Images: ”Community info-text graphics and arrangement concept on white background (word cloud) / Shutterstock.com“
________________________________________________________________________________
Connect with Tweak Your Biz:
Connect with Tweak Your Biz: 
Would you like to write for Tweak Your Biz?
Tweak Your Biz is an international, business advice community and online publication. Today it is read by over 140,000 business people each month (unique visitors, Google Analytics, December, 2013). See our review of 2013 for more information.
An outstanding title can increase tweets, Facebook Likes, and visitor traffic by 50% or more. Generate great titles for your articles and blog posts with the Tweak Your Biz Title Generator.
