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CAP, December 10 – Business Partners Talk About the Benefits of Benefiting Others

Mesa has “impossible” tasks this coming year, including homelessness, and this meeting of Community Action Partnership (CAP) focused on the partners who work with our community of nonprofits, helping us all achieve the impossible. 

Recently Chamber Member “Meineke Mike” Jackson collaborated with other businesses including Republic Services to provide a veteran who had his car stolen with another set of wheels to keep him on track in his studies at ASU to become a nurse. 

Mike, along with Emma Reyes, Municipal Director for East Phoenix and Tucson with Republic Services; Allison Grossman, Assistant Vice President, Social Responsibility & Desert Financial Foundation with Desert Financial Credit Union; and Sarah Scott, Personal Lines and Practice Group Leader with The Mahoney Group spoke about why they partner with nonprofits as part of their business model.

“A better community is a better everyone,” Mike explained. “We learned early with my mom Lavonn to feed others not as fortunate as we were. We all become stronger when we give back” 

“We realized we could do more to support the core of our business, which is our drivers and our mechanics, many of whom are veterans or who know of people that may be struggling,” Emma added.

Knowing Arizona and the Valley had supported them, companies like Desert Financial and The Mahoney felt the need to return the favor, and to be more actively engaged in the community. Both also have employees with a stake in the company, and charitable activities sponsored by the companies also help build stronger relationships among employees. 

Smaller companies may not be able to write large checks, but as Mike pointed out, “we can always help someone by rolling up our sleeves. As for larger companies, they often operate through corporate social responsibility programs that involve employees, but also have foundations that focus on funding specific needs. 

Overall, the panel agreed that the gifts a business has are the best things to give away to help others the most, and that giving beyond simply writing a check is the most meaningful. Partnership starts with “the ask,” and finding the right fit between the nonprofit and the benefactor.

But wait, there’s more! Exciting news as next month/next year: CAP will meet in a Town Hall  with new Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman and new council members to discuss homelessness. Please watch your Chamber announcements carefully as we determine the venue!

Summary provided by: Denise Konkol 

Denise Konkol is a Chamber member, assisting clients as a writer, and a financial literacy coach with Ramsey Solutions.