SVN 20th Anniversay

So I joined SVN, Social Venture Network, a few months ago and attended my fist SVN member gathering, which happened to be its 20th anniversary. This was one of the best decisions of my life and one of the best events I've ever attended. What made it so great. First the people, the quality of people and the work they are doing. Second, the inspiration, just when you thought you were doing everything right, these folks show you what it really means to "do it right". So you want examples of what I mean by this, I can give you two:

1) Judy Wicks and White Dog Cafe - Not only is Judy a pioneer but she keeps on innovating. It was not enough to be organic, she had to be local, and then when she was local, she provided those resources to her competition to help the local community farmers. Her commitment is to the health of the community.

2) Bernie Glassman - and then their is Bernie - he truly is a Zen Master. But his commitment to socially responsible ventures is in one word, "inspiring". Here is just a slice of his story, more on his website:

Greyston Bakery. Founded in 1982 in the southwest corner of Yonkers, a poor neighborhood beset by high unemployment, violence and drugs, the bakery began to hire people that conventional businesses had deemed “unemployable.” It trained its employees in bakery crafts and soon they were producing some of New York's most expensive, high-end cakes and tarts sold in the city's fanciest eateries. In 1990 it began to produce brownies for Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and its revenues shot up dramatically. Since its humble founding, the bakery grew into a successful $6 million business with more than 75 employees. Its hiring remains to this very day "First come, first served," and much of its profits are recycled into seed money for its sister not-for-profits, thus making the entire network more sustainable and financially independent.




I am looking forward to more of SVN.


More on SVN to come.