The number one reason I wanted to work at Muddy's was our involvement in the community. We offer local products, use local vendors, and give back whenever we can. That's why when Kat announced that she wanted one of us to manage Muddy's giving back programs, I was excited to volunteer. As the new (and first!) Chair of Community Giving, I have the honor of allocating donations and overseeing our involvement in community events.
One of our biggest programs for donations is the Refilling Our Community with Positive Change (ROCWPC) jar. As you may have noticed, we don't have a tip jar at Muddy's. Instead, our staff chooses a new charity or non-profit each month, and you have the opportunity to donate your spare change or more to some great local organizations dedicated to changing Memphis for the better.
In November, we decided to adopt a family for Christmas through the Neighborhood School. All through the month, you donated generously, providing $597 to make a family's Christmas brighter. Sara, who tutors at the Neighborhood School, coordinated with the family to find out what their needs were and led Lea, Chris T., Hayley, and me in our gift-giving adventure.
The money you so lovingly gave allowed us to provide gifts as well as funds for grocery shopping and some stylish new clothes for a mother and her two young girls. They were so grateful for your amazing generosity. In fact, you were able to bless two families; we purchased two bikes for the girls, but they already had one. The mother of our family asked if it would be okay to give one of the new bikes to a family down the street. All of this wonderful holiday cheer was due to you, our wonderfully kind-hearted customers.
This month's ROCWPC recipient is MidSouth Pug Rescue. Whether it's a stray or a pup whose owner can no longer care for it, MidSouth Pug Rescue's mission is to save pugs from neglect and danger, give them medical care, and help them find a "forever home". Last year, they rescued over 30 pugs, and with your donations, we hope they can do even more in 2012! If you're interested in volunteering, donating directly, or adopting a rescued pug, click the link above or call them at (901) 209-9PUG.
We love being able to give back to our community like this, and we would love for you to participate. If you would like to submit a suggestion for ROCWPC or request a donation for your event or organization, you can visit our giving back page to download a request form. All requests and suggestions must have a form submitted (it's painless, we promise!), and we need at least two months notice. ROCWPC recipients must be registered 501(c)3 organizations.
Muddy's is excited to be a part of this incredible Memphis community, and we feel very fortunate to be able to give back. If there's anything I help you with in the area of giving, please shoot an email to giving(at)muddysbakeshop.com. I'm looking forward to being involved in all the work you do to make Memphis the best city it can be!
-Jarrod