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Charliemadison Celebrates 10 Years of Giving Back to Military Families: Our 2024 Charitable Donation Recipient
From $50 to over $35,000! That's quite a journey, isn't it? Starting as a bootstrapped, side-hustle, military spouse-owned business with just $200 in the bank, and now making such a significant impact for military families over the past 10 years—it's truly a dream come true.
You know the old saying, “You have to start somewhere.” That somewhere for us was 2014 when we started giving back 5% of annual sales to military-affiliated nonprofit organizations with our first donation - it was just $50 and it felt small and insignificant at the time.
But I knew in my heart that if we continued to honor our deep military roots, kept coming back to our “WHY” - our mission to give back to military families - and built a community that believed in what we did, the donations would grow. Not only did they grow, but the impact we’ve made for several small nonprofit organizations has been truly remarkable.
Now in our 10th year of giving back to military families, I am incredibly proud of the community we’ve built, as it is the sole reason we’re able to have a business with a charitable giving component. Their support of our mission and belief in the power of giving back are what makes this dream a reality.
My favorite day of the year? It's when we get to tell a deserving nonprofit that a check is on its way. We’ve chosen some very small nonprofits the past few years, as they are so passionate about the work they do, they have very small budgets, and are typically staffed by volunteers. We know that our donation will go a long way in supporting their missions.
We are honored to announce that Charliemadison Originals’ 2024 charitable donation was given to Stronghold Food Pantry.
Stronghold Food Pantry was founded by 2022 Armed Forces Insurance Army Spouse of the Year, Monica Basset, and is a 100% volunteer-operated organization in Fort Leavenworth. Stronghold is a boots-on-the-ground, grassroots effort organization that operates on generosity of others, to include YOU!
All monetary and in-kind donations go to provide immediate actionable and tangible solutions for military families. With the support of partners and donors, Stronghold has been focusing on extending their reach in 2024 and has been popping up across the nation with popup food pantries at various installations.
During its first year, Stronghold made a significant impact for military families and was able to hit these amazing benchmarks:
Stronghold’s founder, Monica Bassett, shared with us, “I'm most proud of our programming. Our strength lies in our patrons and by listening to their voices, we have tailored our programs to address their primary concerns.” A few of those programs include:
As we celebrate a decade of giving back to nonprofit organizations, the joy and excitement it brings make all the tough days of entrepreneurship worthwhile. We are incredibly blessed to be a military family filled with three generations and four service branches of heroes that remind us what it means to serve others. While writing that check is a huge honor for me personally, I am humbled and inspired by the families in the Charliemadison Community that make it happen. Thank you for supporting our mission and for being a part of this journey. Cheers to another 10 years of giving back!
Learn more about Stronghold Food Pantry and support their mission here.
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