Staying Apart but Giving Together

Hello from my quarantine!

I wanted to take a few minutes and breakdown our giving during this time of crisis in the world. As many of you know, Great Lakes Proud has always been focused on supporting local communities around our lakes while Keeping Them Great. Over the last nine years, we have been able to do just that and in a much bigger way than I could have imagined when I started Great Lakes Proud! I am so thankful for what we have been able to accomplish and equally thankful to everyone who has bought a decal (or two!) over the years. Whether you knew it or not, the vinyl cutout of the Great Lakes that you put on your car, computer, water bottle, boat (all of the above) was and is a vehicle for good.

After spending yesterday with the team (virtually of course) discussing what we could do in the face of this pandemic, the answer became remarkably clear. Moving forward and indefinitely GLP will be giving 100% of our profits to make sure our community stays open for business and our neighbors have food on the table. We will be supporting local and national organizations who are facing this pandemic head on.  

Who? Local and global organizations helping people and businesses survive during these unknown times, like Detroit's Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Gleaner's Community Food Bank of SE Michigan, and Feeding America's COVID-19 Response Fund.

What? 100% of our profits.

Why? We are a for-profit business, but right now, our profits are for our neighbor, community, state, country, and world.

Let’s take a minute to dive into the numbers so there is full transparency.

What does 100% of profits mean?

Well, what it does NOT mean is 100% of sales/revenue (dollars). However, historically almost every GLP decal ever made has made a profit, and we expect that to continue.  While our revenue is needed to keep our own team employed with their lights and food on the table, it’s also needed to make sure our suppliers (all Michigan companies) can keep their lights on and teams employed. But once those things are accomplished, we are turning our attention to those around us and will be pouring all remaining resources their way.

This also doesn’t mean a given dollar amount per decal either. Although we have used that giving model in the past, we just don’t have a stockpile of orders pending or cash to give currently. It’s an uneasy time for everyone, us included. But we do have a product we all love at a price that is affordable even in the midst of uncertainty. If we end up giving $0 it’s because we are no longer in business, but as long as we are, we will give!

What it does mean is whether you shop online or locally at one of the many retailers selling Great Lakes Proud items, I promise you part of your purchase will be used to fight the ramifications of this pandemic, and the more decals we sell, the stronger we can fight!

I urge you to join us and make the Great Lakes decal a piece of the solution. Now is not the time to focus on profits, it’s an opportunity to come together and help. We owe everything to our community and want you to know that we are here for you. We are in this together.

So, let's come together by staying apart.  Now wash your hands and stay home!

-Austin