Giving back to your community is not only reserved for wealthy individuals and large corporations. The residents of Cambridge, Ontario like to help wherever they can, and they bring this spirit with them when they head in to work and often share their community spirit with their coworkers.
Many business owners in Cambridge have listened to their employees. They understand how running a business isn’t solely based on the profit and revenue figures and it has been fantastic hearing about some local gems that have made giving back a priority and today we are looking at 3 different companies in very different industries that have found ways to give back into our community.
Actively Putting the Charity into Being Charitable
Many people undoubtedly have bad impressions of car dealerships. They often think that people who sell cars are an unscrupulous bunch that only talks in the language of cash. While that may be true for some of them, Garston Motors on Eagle Street in Preston is the exception to the rule. Garston and their team have given back a whopping $117,000 over the last 4 years to local charities and non-for-profit organizations including Kids Ability, Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region and Argus – which helps combat youth homelessness in our area. These charities along with several more have benefited by the giving attitudes of the owners and workers from Garston and I think it is wonderful to have this kind of business in our city.
Curating Cambridge’s Culture and Kids Activities
Real Estate agencies can sometimes be painted with the same brush as car dealerships – focused on the bottom line and not necessarily on the community around them. R.W. Dyer Realty located on the West side of Downtown Galt has been giving back to their community quietly but in big ways. The team has been sponsoring some great events including the Grand River Film Festival and to the Cambridge Arts Guild for use with the Cookies and Kids Family Theatre. These are only a few ways that this small but busy team has proven that it is possible to help make a difference in your community.
Helping the Homeless with Heart
I can’t help talking about businesses that give back without mentioning Wuddup Dog. When stopping into “Wuddup Dog” on King Street in downtown Preston, you may expect some crazy flavours of hot dogs. Perhaps you guessed they would have some pretty great french fries and milkshakes too. What you may not have expected was just how much this little hot dog shop has given back to the community with their “Window of Hope” initiative. Wuddup Dog offered hot and fresh meals for FREE to those in need every Sunday. Along with a team of volunteers, they accepted donations from the community to be able to winter gear over the cold months. It was a wonderful initiative and I was sad to hear they had to shut it down in February. This truly was an excellent demonstration of how simply giving back one person at a time can make a huge different into that person’s life.
These are just 3 of the many businesses in Cambridge that have a hidden social enterprise. By giving back toward their city, they not only promote economic growth but also help make our city a better place to live.
On behalf of all the citizens in Cambridge, Ontario, I want to thank you for giving back to our community. You, along with many other companies and citizens who care, help make me incredibly proud to be from Cambridge.