What are the best ways for landscape/lawn care companies to give back to their communities?

Landscape Professionals

Richard Bare

Arbor-Nomics Turf, Norcross, Ga.

“Any landscape project for city/state parks, botanical gardens, battered women’s shelters, poor areas for the underprivileged homeowners—things like that. Be sure your name goes on the promotion.”

Chris Joyce

Joyce Landscaping, Cape Cod, Mass.

“Giving back to your communities is one of the most important things you can do as a best-in-class company. In our company, we call it “paying our civic rent.” There are numerous ways to give back, but I think the most powerful ways is to use our professional resources and collaborate with the community and schools in areas such as education, support and green space restoration to name a few.”

Adam Linnemann

Linnemann Lawn Care & Landscaping, Columbia, Ill.

“The best ways to give back to the community are to simply get involved. Join a local rotary club, chamber of commerce, Kiwanis, etc. Also, volunteer with the NALP Day of Service. Each year we go to the schools and talk on the importance of Earth Day and hand out plants to the students to bring home and plant with mom and dad.”

Jerry McKay

McKay Landscape Lighting, Omaha, Neb.

“We try to pick a nonprofit every other year that could use our work (lighting) and do a job that would have a sizable impact that would bring more attention to their cause.”

Industry Consultants

Kevin Kehoe

3PG Consulting, Laguna, Calif.

“Donate money or time.  Time is always better where you can direct your effect.

Select a focus of your giving…  be about something…  business excellence, industry awareness, personal development…  then select where you give time and money

Time

-Teach Business at High School or Community Colleges or Trade Schools

-Involvement in Neighborhood renewal

-Involvement in Hospital

Money

-Fund a Program for Business Education

-Fund a Health Initiative – Cancer

-Fund Neighborhood renewal”

Phil Harwood

Pro-Motion Consulting, Farmington, Mich.

“Focus on an unmet need or an area of passion. This will make your efforts more meaningful than just doing something for the sake of doing something or for exposure. Involve your constituents, including clients, in this discussion and see what ideas they come up with.”

Jeffrey Scott

Jeffrey Scott Inc!, Trumbull, Conn.

“The best ways are to give from the heart, involving your employees, focusing on issues and organizations you and your employees truly care about, while expecting nothing in return. Continuity is key because over a 5-plus year period you will develop a reservoir of good will in your community that will eventually overflow and water the roots of your company and produce fruit that will feed your employees and family. The added benefit, besides the fact that it feels good and is the right thing to do: Your employees will respect your company and your mission when they see you taking care of their community. It is the circle of life.”

Jody Shilan

FromDesign2Build.com, Upper Saddle River, N.J.

“This is probably one of the easiest and most beneficial things landscape contractors can do for the community, for their company and for their karma. Every school in every town has a limited budget but has outdoor projects to do.  We always try to do a design/build project at an elementary school that’s educational, but a good cleanup or lawn repair can be just as beneficial. The schools are always very appreciative (as long as you do the work after school hours or on weekends.”