When I interviewed for my position with the company, those four words drew me to apply for the job. There was a sense of excitement, and I “thought how cool is that?” - a company specifically addressing “giving generously to others” in their mission statement.
Do you know that, according to Philanthropy.com, on average corporations donated approximately 5.2% of their profits to charitable organizations with cash contributions for fiscal years ending in and 2011? Giving USA 2012 reported that charitable giving accounted for 2% of the United States GDP. In 2011, total giving by Americans was $298.3 billion.
Great Harvest Franchising donates generously to others, and encourages its franchise owners to do the same. It starts at the breadboard of our locally owned franchises. Bakeries offer a slice of fresh bread to anyone who enters the bakery, giving, with no expectation of receiving in return. When prospective bakery owners come to Dillon to learn more about opening a freedom franchise, one of the questions they answer is, “What does ‘giving generously to others’ mean to you?” It’s no surprise to me that many of our franchisees are also passionate about giving back to others.
It’s been said that “there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting
people up”. Ruth Kloser has been exercising her heart during the past 17 years as the local owner of the Minnetonka, MN Great Harvest bakery. I recently visited with Ruth by phone and was truly amazed by the many ways she gives to the community. Ruth has a soft, matter of fact voice that quickens with excitement when she rattles off the various charities and organizations she supports in her community. I hurriedly jot them down… ICA Foodshelf, Women Heart, Homeward Bound, ResourceWest, Little League, 5K events, silent auctions for various organizations, local churches and schools, and I’m afraid I have missed a few.
The concept of a Freedom Franchise extends to the charitable arena. As Ruth says, “We (owners) choose how we run our business and who/what we support is an incredible gift.” She likes that. Giving is one of the reasons Ruth “loves Great Harvest”. As a former employee of the Minneapolis Great Harvest, Ruth was mentored by owners Tom Amundson and Sally Weissman in the art of giving. “Tom and Sally were so generous with their support of the community, it was just a natural fit to carry that over when I opened my bakery.”
One of Ruth’s favorite projects is the ICA Foodshelf, a non-profit organization that provides food to families in need in the community. Ruth donates day-old product to the Foodshelf regularly. Many years ago Ruth began participating in the annual Artful & Empty Bowls event that benefits both the ICA Foodshelf and ResourceWest, another community group that helps families in need. Students from local schools create handmade bowls that are given or auctioned off to donors. The culmination of the event is a symbolic soup and bread meal served to those in attendance. Ruth and her crew, hand crafted over 2700 delicious rolls that were happily donated to the cause. This year’s Artful and Empty Bowls event raised over $92,000. Ruth was part of that success.
Ruth tells of a “Baker of the Day” event, held in 2006 for the Mother Bear Project. This event gives an organization the opportunity to run the bakery for the day and all proceeds are given to that organization. Volunteers of the Minneapolis-based project hand-knit and stuff bears that are sent to children in Africa who have been affected in some way by AIDS/HIV. In 2006, Amy Berman approached Ruth about sponsoring the first fundraiser for her organization. The one day event raised over $8,500 for the project. To date, more than 87,000 bears have made their way into the hearts and hands of African children. Ruth says she was happy to help and she is amazed at the generosity of the founder, Amy Berman, and the many volunteers that make the bears.
I am humbled by Ruth’s generous spirit. Giving as a percentage of her business surpasses many corporate givers. She donates approximately 5% of gross sales revenue to charitable causes, not 5% of the net profit…the income left at the end of the day. She is quick to praise the generosity of others and takes her own giving in stride. Giving is part of who she is…
Ruth Kloser and her son, Blake
Ruth is baking and making a difference every day in her town. The seeds of kindness planted by former bosses Tom and Sally have grown. Ruth is planting her own seeds of kindness, lifting people up with her generous heart. Those seeds taking root in others’ lives, where the cycle continues...how cool is that?
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