When we founded Solid Blend, we wanted to build something beyond a company. We wanted to build a family within our organization and build into the community around us. It was with that approach that we arrived at a relationship with Good Shepherd Ministries (GSM). Years ago, I was serving as Vice-Chair for the Life Enrichment Center and, through that position, became acquainted with Good Shepherd Ministries. I regularly interacted with their participants in various capacities and was inspired by their work and the lasting impact the program had on their lives.
It has been four years since that fateful introduction, and I’m proud to say that since then, we’ve found new and ongoing ways to support GSM. For example, we provided two vehicles to men matriculating through the GSM program, donated laptops for life skills instruction and job searches, and hired GSM to cater company events and provide landscaping at our facilities. Each year we enjoy supporting their fundraising events. Lois Elrich, president of our company, personally gives her time as a certified coach by providing professional development assessments, one-on-one coaching sessions, and team building sessions to GSM leadership and participants. Lois and I have also invited GSM to our personal property, where they have started the Garden of Hope. This garden allows participants to grow vegetables for Good Hope Church and raise cattle for their free cookouts supporting the surrounding community.
Beyond supporting Good Shepherd Ministries as an organization, we’ve also had the pleasure of hiring four participants as part-time Solid Blend team members. We’ve enjoyed having them on our team at Solid Blend and are proud of the work they’ve been a part of, like the pro-bono testing and remediation we recently completed at Milton Union High School.
We’re proud to partner with an organization that has such a positive impact on our community. As clients of ours, we hope you’re proud knowing that hiring Solid Blend isn’t just helping this small business in Ohio. It really is having a meaningful impact on the community we live and operate in.
-Ken Elrich, Vice President, Solid Blend