Lifestyle: Giving Back

"Is the Jar Half Empty / or Half Full" is our in depth firsthand account of starting and growing OLE MASON JAR into a successful Gentleman’s clothing company, as it happens. You rarely get a glimpse of the behind the scenes process for companies, and so we are here to share stories as they happen because we want you to grow with our brand every step of the way. This week we spotlight Giving Back.

When we first started OLE MASON JAR we knew two things. 1) we wanted to make great clothes and 2) we wanted to give back. The driving force that continuously pushed us in those early days was that there was certainly something bigger than us or are ideas at play. At those times it would have been really easy to walk away from this idea with nothing lost, but seemingly every time things got a little difficult we would get a subtle reminder it was up to us to make sure we followed through with OLE MASON JAR so that we could give back and make a difference in this world. I can still remember distinctly on multiple occasions, sitting in church and being overwhelmed with a feeling that we were supposed to start OLE MASON JAR...it wasn't an option.

Fast forward a little over a year, and we are closing out our second quarter of business. In addition to being a time for us analyze our sales performance, it also means it is time to send a check [1] for ten percent of our total revenue[2] to the great organization we have partnered with... Project 61. We are also very proud to say that this quarter we will be sending our largest check to date to Project 61!

How we selected Project 61: While we knew we wanted to give back from the beginning, we didn't immediately know what organization we should partner with. Since it was so important for us to give back, it was a tough decision to make sure the organization we partnered with shared the same vision for making a difference and a positive impact. We first heard about Project 61 due to a good friends close involvement, and thus we were able to get a really good idea about what Project 61 was about from someone first hand. Through him, we were able to talk with their board and realized their goals and purpose did exactly what we were looking to do. It was the perfect partnership!

About Project 61: Project 61's primary purpose is to help develop communities in under-prevliged areas of the world. Specifically, care is given for immediate needs such as orphan and health care, through feeding programs and sponsorships. This focus creates a long term plan to help make a difference for those that otherwise would have no hope of getting these basic essentials.

Currently, Project 61 is focused on children in the community of Korah in Ethiopia. Korah is adjacent to the city’s trash dump, and many of the families in the community search for food and items in the trash dump daily. There are many diseases in the community, including HIV/AIDS and leprosy, which have left a large portion of the older population disabled and unable to work. By sponsoring the children here, Project 61 is giving them opportunities to improve their future and break the cycle of poverty. Every dollar (including what we send) goes to helping feed, clothe and provide an education for these underprivileged children.

For more information on getting involved or donations, visit the P61 donation page.

Check out this great documentary for a more in depth look at Project 61.

Project 61: Spreading Hope - A short documentary from Session 7 Media

Also, make sure to follow Project 61 on Facebook and twitter.

Stay tuned for more exciting things to come!

Best,

A native of NC, Bradley Rhyne is OLE MASON JAR's Co-Founder and CEO, as well as chief editor for all content and social media. With his extensive experience in the finance and accounting industry as a Vice President for a fortune top 10 company, Brad brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity and business acumen to OLE MASON JAR.