A recent article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy explored the question of whether for-profit corporations are hindered in their profit making potential when they consider greater social good as a factor in investments and operations. The authors drew the conclusion that it is possible for corporations to pay attention to both today’s bottom line and tomorrow’s impact on the world when making decisions.
Loudoun Hunger Relief acts as a partner to a number of corporations who began their relationship with us as a volunteer outlet for their employees. Volunteer days are a popular trend among corporations–they offer immediate evidence of impact and improve employee satisfaction and retention. As corporations deepen their relationship with LHR, we often find that there is a great commitment on the part of the employees and executives to make a real difference in the community. It’s beyond the one-time experience of helping, and becomes a deeper part of the corporate culture.
This isn’t a new idea. Although corporations for the last 100 years or so have been focused on yielding the most profit possible, there was a different path in the early day of America. Benjamin Franklin himself urged his fellow Philadelphia entrepreneurs to do “well by doing good”.
LHR is happy to work with corporate teams to find the right opportunity for each one. We ask that our corporate partners always keep in mind that our mission is at the core of what we do. That means that if a corporation has a particular volunteer day and experience in mind that doesn’t benefit LHR’s mission, we must decline. It’s not that we don’t want your help, it’s just that we have some constraints around what is helpful.
To find out more about how corporations can further LHR’s mission, check out our Corporate Engagement page. We can’t wait to talk to you about the needs of those we serve, and how your team might help fill them.
