Celebrate with Purpose by Supporting a Social Enterprise this Holiday Season

The holidays are a time meant for more than lights and gifts. This special season is about connection, gratitude, and making a difference. When looking to combine gift-giving with impact, we always recommend choosing something driven by purpose.

Have you thought about social enterprises?

Social enterprises are organizations that combine business strategies with a social mission. Unlike traditional businesses focused solely on profit, social enterprises reinvest their resources to create positive change, whether through job creation, sustainability, or community development.  

Although these organizations operate like businesses, they prioritize solving social or environmental challenges. Their goals often include: 

• Empowering marginalized communities through employment and training. 

• Promoting sustainability with ethical sourcing and eco-friendly practices. 

• Driving systemic change by addressing root causes of poverty, inequality, and injustice. 

By choosing to purchase a product, you can invest in a mission. 

Here are some ideas to infuse a social enterprise into your gift-giving traditions:  

• Create a Giving Challenge: Each family member can pick one social enterprise to support. This gives you an opportunity to share in a mission that speaks to you. 

• Gift Experiences that Give Back: Choose nonprofit events or classes that create memories and impact. This could be a great way to start a new holiday tradition with your loved ones. 

• Double the Impact: Pair purchases with charitable donations to boost their impact. 

• Share the Story: Include a note about the organization’s mission when gifting to your friends and family. This special detail can dial up the meaning of the gift. 

Looking for some social enterprises in your community? Here are a few we have rounded up: 

Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Area 

• Bonton Farms – An urban farm creating access to fresh food and jobs through a café, coffee shop, and farmer’s market. (South Dallas)

• Hugs Café – Offers employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a restaurant and online store. (McKinney, Wilson Historic District in Dallas)

• Ruthie’s Fueled by GOOD – Gourmet grilled cheese food trucks and café that provides second chances by hiring individuals impacted by the legal system with proceeds from the café supporting St. Philips School and Community Center. (Café in South Dallas)

• The Worthy Co. – Invests 100% of every purchase into fulfilling its mission to employ and empower survivors of trafficking. (Ft. Worth Candle Studio and online store) 

Austin, Texas Area 

• Brookwood in Georgetown – Empowers adults with disabilities through meaningful work at a shop, café and online store. (Three campuses in the greater Austin area) 

 Colorado Area 

• Café 180 – A restaurant where 100% of proceeds go toward feeding people experiencing food insecurity. (Englewood)

• Change Please – Coffee shop that empowers individuals experiencing homelessness by providing professional barista training and employment opportunities. (Aurora, Charlottee, online store)

• Osage Café – Provides affordable, fresh food and employs underserved young adults, equipping them with culinary skills for future success. (Denver’s Mariposa District)

• Bridge House Brownies – Helps adults experiencing homelessness transition off the streets by providing employment, housing, and support. (Boulder local pickup, online store) 

Nationwide 

• Cafe Momentum – Nationally recognized nonprofit restaurant and professional training program that empowers justice-involved youth (ages 15–19) by providing a paid, 12-month internship in a fine-dining environment. (Restaurants located in Atlanta, Pittsburg, Denver & Dallas; online gifts)

• Homeboy Industries – Based in Los Angeles, the organization is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, offering job training, employment, and social services through businesses like Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Café. (Bakery and café in Los Angeles, online market)

• Howdy Homemade Ice Cream – A homemade ice cream shop that harnesses the hope & hard work of people with special needs. (Seven shops around the country)

• Matr Boomie – Purchases of Matr Boomie’s exclusive products sustain jobs for artisans across India who have been handcrafting for generations. (Online store)

• Nest – A nonprofit building a new handworker economy to support artisans and makers through ethical sourcing, transparency, and economic development. (Refugee artisan online marketplace)

• Paper for Water – Proceeds from origami ornaments fund water wells to bring clean water to thousands of communities around the world. (Online ornaments and in-store at Talulah & Hess)

• The Refugee Collective – Provides fair-wage, dignified employment for refugees and immigrants through two social enterprises: a textile manufacturing studio and an organic farm. (Online store)

• Thistle Farms – Nashville-based social enterprise providing employment and healing for survivors of trafficking and trauma through handmade candles, body care, and home goods. (Café and shop in Nashville, online marketplace)

• Women’s Bean Project – Provides job training and employment to women facing significant barriers to work, selling high-quality food products made by these women to support their mission. (Retail stores nationwide with online store)

This holiday season, let your family’s traditions reflect your values. Supporting social enterprises is a simple yet powerful way to spread joy and strengthen our communities.