- December 22, 2014
- 10:31 am
- Andrew Keyt
- no comments
Family Businesses Give Back to their Communities
As the holidays are upon us, the spirit of giving is in the air—especially for family businesses. A unique characteristic about family businesses is that they hold philanthropy to a very high standard, and not just around the holidays. A family business’s reputation is based on the support they receive from their community, as well as the support they give back. Many of our FBC members have focused greatly on giving back, and we are proud to highlight a couple of families and share their contributions this holiday season.
For nearly two decades, employees of Mundelein-based medical supplier Medline Industries Inc., have contributed to a gift donation drive for Chicago-area nonprofit One Hope United to support local children in need during the holiday season. In early December, more than 400 children and teens received gifts to brighten the holiday season, including toys, games, and warm coats and clothes thanks to donations from Medline employees. One Hope United’s dedication to protecting foster children and strengthening families has inspired local Medline employees to collaborate and give back to the community, and top the company’s overall donation year after year. Since the start of Medline’s involvement with the organization, employee contributions and donations have had a positive impact on more than 4,000 people in the Lake County area.
In early December, Mundelein-based medical supplier Medline filled its trucks with gifts donated by employees to go to foster children and others in need. Over 400 children and teens across Lake County received toys and warm clothing to help brighten the holiday season for families in difficult situations or unsafe environments.
At Sasser Family Holdings, “Change for the Better” isn’t just an expression, it’s an official program that they’ve developed to support their charitable giving through the entire year. Along with their continual philanthropic culture, Sasser also participates in a few additional special events during the holidays. In Sydney, Australia, Sasser’s holiday giving starts in November with a Melbourne Cup celebration, where employees and customers raise funds for Kookuburra Kids, an organization that supports children living with families affected by mental illness. Contributions this year reached nearly $10,000. In December, Sasser’s Chicago-based employees kicked off the holidays by working side-by-side in the fight against hunger via local food pantries and programs through Northern Illinois Food Bank, and hand-packing meals for children all over the world via Feed My Starving Children. Sasser’s holiday philanthropy produced 4,416 meals for local families, organized 5,850 lbs of cranberries to be delivered to local food banks, and boxed over 3,000 meals which were sent to feed children in Zimbabwe.
Sasser employees and friends volunteer with Kookuburra Kids (upper left), Northern Illinois Food Bank (upper right), and Feed My Starving Children (lower middle).
At the Family Business Center, we practice what we teach, and we also helped to give back this holiday season. A few days prior to Thanksgiving, we volunteered at the Chicago Basket Brigade to help feed 1,500 less fortunate families in the Chicagoland area. Along with raising funds to help sponsor supplies for the baskets, we took part in preparing the baskets to be delivered to the families. A simple gesture can go a long way, and we are honored to have been able to bring hope and positivity to struggling families this Thanksgiving.
Our FBC team preparing food baskets for families in need this Thanksgiving.
A special thank you to Medline and Sasser for sharing their contributions, and for their philanthropy this holiday season. We encourage everyone to give back to their communities, whether locally or even globally. Every little bit helps, and together we can make a significant impact in strengthening and improving our communities.
How have you given back to your community this year or holiday season? Share your story below or tweet us @LoyolaFamBiz using the hashtag #FamBizGivesBack.