Ben Higgins’ small business picks: Gifts that give back

Capital One is proud to support #SmallUnites, a movement designed to rally communities across the country to champion the small businesses they love. Help small businesses thrive in the new normal by shopping this collection of thoughtful gifts for the holidays. You’ll do—and buy—more of what you enjoy, all while supporting the small business community.

For this Capital One series supporting Small Unites, Ben Higgins of Generous Coffee Co. shares his list of purpose-driven small businesses that you can feel good about shopping.  

Generous Coffee started as a “for purpose” company after Higgins toured a Honduras coffee farm in 2017. There, Higgins learned the process of making coffee, from farm to consumer, and came up with a business model in which he could donate 100% of his profits to nonprofit organizations. Now the earnings from his specialty coffee change the lives of people all over the world. Higgins wants to share his list of other small businesses that have worked alongside his own to make the world a better place.  

• Sackcloth & Ashes—Sackcloth & Ashes was created after founder Bob Dalton learned his mother was homeless. He called the local shelter and asked what they needed most. The answer? Blankets. Now Dalton sells southwestern blankets and donates one to a shelter with every purchase. His mission is to highlight grassroots organizations that are creating more solutions for helping the homeless. “[T]he blankets are third-party objects that connect us to amazing people and organizations doing incredible work,” he says.
• Unlocked—Unlocked is a jewelry store that strives to “unlock” opportunities for women transitioning out of homelessness using sustainable, accessible jewelry to create a permanent life change. Behind every piece of Unlocked jewelry is the story of its maker and an opportunity created. Check out Unlocked’s line of earrings and necklaces, perfect for anyone who loves a flash of gold. 
• MudLOVE—A business that was created to do good, MudLOVE sells clay mugs and bracelets handcrafted in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. MudLOVE hopes to inspire people with the messages and designs on its products and gives a portion of its proceeds to providing clean water in underserved communities. 
• Kind Karma Co.—Kind Karma is an ethical fashion company that gives back to the community by employing at-risk and homeless youth to make beautiful, custom, handcrafted jewelry. This job operates more like an art class, and proceeds from all sales fund education, housing, healthy living and mentorship opportunities for employees.
• The Scribes—The Scribes began with two simple goals—design high-quality journals and support worthy causes. The Scribes make several different journals, all with the same flat-lay design and smooth texture, with sales of each journal supporting a different group. For example, The Original provides journals to kids in Honduras, The Crosby to students in New York and The Essential to essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whichever one you choose, you know someone else is also benefiting from the same great product. 
• Generous International—Generous isn’t just a coffee company. Today, it’s expanded into a full line of clothing and accessories designed to create and multiply good in the world by providing clean drinking water, jobs for mothers and education to young children in nonprofits around the world. For every product sold, 100% of the profits are donated to organizations on the ground fighting human injustice.

For more ways to support small businesses, visit smallunites.org.