My business, Earth Tools, supports many non-profit organizations doing good work around the country. However, the ones “close to home” here in Kentucky are the ones we support most (Local, Local, Local!!). A further connection to many of these groups is that my wife, Chris, was a founding member of many of them. I am honored to have the privilege of supporting one of the most effective volunteer activists in the state…and I have NO qualms about supporting groups my wife is involved with, since they are all-volunteer organizations and she has never earned a dime working for any of these causes! All monies these groups spend is on outreach, education, litigation (when necessary), office expenses, etc….and they do great work, on shoestring budgets.
It is really a win-win-win situation: My wife wins, because having a “pay job” would drive her crazy, and she has a passion for land & ecosystem protection. I win, because I get to enjoy my work three-fold: because I enjoy and believe in the products we deal in, because I know I am supporting organizations doing good work that I believe in (but don’t have the time or energy to do myself), and because I have a happy wife! AND: Our community wins, because good work is done by people who care about our collective future.
Below is a little list of some of these non-profits we support. If you find their goals inspiring, I encourage your support as well, either to one of these groups, or one doing similar work in your area.
Kentucky Heartwood http://www.kyheartwood.org/ Kentucky Heartwood is a not-for-profit organization and community of individuals dedicated to the health and well-being of Kentucky’s native forests. They are driven by a reverence and respect for wild nature, a love of old trees, and the dream of a future where the rich forests of our region are once again allowed to grow old for their benefit and ours.
Envision Franklin County http://sites.google.com/site/envisionfranklincounty/home EnvisionFranklinCounty is citizens’ movement in Frankfort & Franklin County, Kentucky, that promotes a healthy, beautiful, and thriving community among people, the land and future generations. Works on issues of urban sprawl, green space, sustainable land use, intelligent planning & zoning, etc.
Apogee Climate & Energy Transitions
Frankfort, KY - 502-699-2553
https://apogeeclimate.org/
This is actually a program of Earth Tools…it started out as our “Sustainable Systems” division, but it has morphed into more of a educational and consulting service to help with the local / regional transition to renewable energy. Headed by Andy McDonald, this “arm” of Earth Tools operates primarily in the North / Central Kentucky region. (While not technically a Non-profit, we operate this branch of Earth Tools as a public service.)
Community Farm Alliance http://cfaky.org/ CFA’s mission is to organize and encourage cooperation among rural and urban citizens, through leadership development and grassroots democratic processes, to ensure an essential, prosperous place for family-scale agriculture in our economies and communities. We envision a food and fiber system for Kentucky that provides safe, adequate, and nutritious food for human consumption in a manner that is socially, economically and ecologically sustainable and is a vital component of the state’s economy.
National Young Farmers Coalition Hudson, NY - 518-643-3564 http://www.youngfarmers.org/ This is not a “locally-based” group here in KY, but they do great work for farmers all over the country, and we support them. They have all kinds of useful info for farmers; they have campaigns going to on various fronts to help the small farming endeavors, and they even have programs to help farmers find land to farm on.
Certified Naturally Grown https://www.cngfarming.org Another national group we support, Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) offers peer-review certification to farmers and beekeepers producing food for their local communities. An alternative to the USDA organic certification program, CNG is aimed at smaller producers who want to promote their clean food locally, and increase awareness in their local food community.
Solar Saves Lives: The Solar Foundation Washington DC - (202) 469-3750
Please Donate!
This is another non-local group, but the project is one that we support. Puerto Rico’s power grid was completely knocked down by Hurricanes Maria and Irma in September 2017. Solar Saves Lives is an initiative led by The Solar Foundation to coordinate the delivery and installation of donated solar equipment to areas in need.