We’ve been blown away by the examples of generosity and kindness that are at the heart of so many brands in the community. We asked some of the most giving entrepreneurs and leaders we know to tell us about how they think about the practice of donating a percentage of sales.

Aimee Straw

Because I care so much about this community and the people in it, I try to give back whenever and wherever possible! The areas I work in are so special to many humans and it’s where I have chosen to raise my family. For every closing I have, I donate to the Summit Foundation’s annua duck raise fundraiser. It’s a win/win because all of my clients get a chance to win a fun prize, but can also feel good knowing that those dollars go toward local scholarships and grants to many other non-profits in our mountain towns. I am a proud member and corporate sponsor of the Rotary Club of Summit County, with countless programs that support the health, education and well being of our community members. I love being a part of Women of the Summit, a local non-profit that has a mission to close the wage gap for women. And believe me, when women win, our whole society wins. I love to sponsor events for my child’s non-profit preschool and support things like the annual chamber music festival. The quote by American actor Jeff Bridges sums it up best: “the way to change the world is through individual responsibility and taking local action in your own community.” Read more>>

Craig Thrift

Thrift McLemore is a proud sponsor of esp, Inc., a leading non-profit offering essential resources, advocacy, and inclusive programs for those with intellectual, physical, learning, and developmental disabilities across the Atlanta, Athens, and Rome areas. Through our estate planning department’s work with special needs trusts, we recognize the unique challenges these families face and the importance of securing a stable future for people with disabilities. Partnering with esp, Inc. was a natural extension of our effort to support families in meaningful ways.  Read more>>

Brittany Webster

As of now we donate two custom cakes a year to foster children. As we grow and expand I would like for it to become more frequent or even a percentage of sales. I am passionate about foster children because I was in the foster care system from 12-18 and just wish something could have been special for me back then. So this is my way of giving back! Read more>>

Kc Springberg-dill

Northern Nail Polish donates $1 for every order, no matter the size, which results in over 1,000 trees being planted each year through our partnership with One Tree Planted. I chose this organization because of their transparency and impact—they allow you to select specific reforestation projects across the country and provide detailed updates on their efforts. Their mission to restore natural ecosystems resonated with me as I wanted my contributions to focus on environmental sustainability, a value that aligns with the ethos of Northern Nail Polish. After the first year, I also polled my customers to ensure they felt connected to this initiative, as their support is key in driving this mission forward. Read more>>

Sherry P. Hamilton

We donate 10% back to organizations that joins us in our Matters of the Heart Program its our community initiative committed to aiding Nonprofits, Churches, Community, and low-income groups facing economic hardships.Our program emphasizes the importance of understanding Cardiovascular Disease and CPR. We provide educational presentations and practical demonstrations to spread knowledge, and offer low cost training and certification for CPR AND FIRST AID TRAINING. Participants has an option to either choose a free training for two participants or receive the 10% of sales generated from course participants registration. Read more>>

Kailey Edwards

Something that I began this year as a new initiative is called the Memories Fund. When a client books a photoshoot, wedding, anything, a portion of those proceeds are put into a fund to give back a free photoshoot to someone in the community who needs it! It’s been such a blessing to myself and my clients who know that the cost of their photoshoots aren’t all going towards my wallet, but rather giving back to those in the community who deserve to have their memories captured for a lifetime. Read more>>