One act of kindness gives me hope.

Today my mother called to give me some heads up info. A local auto repair franchise is offering free maintenance service to those who are unemployed. This is something you don't hear companies do to often. It kind of gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside that there are business owners out there who understand who hard it is in this area of the country.

This company has five shops in the area and is offering free oil changes and free labor on safety repairs. In an article I read in our local paper, the owner said that he knew times are rough and this has been his community his whole life. He stated he felt that he needed to give back to his community. He also was quoted to say that the community was his family and it hurts him that he is not able to provide more jobs to all the people in need.

To explain where he is coming from. The county where I'm from was one of the capitols of the manufacturing industry. There were companies like Hoover, Timken Roller Bearing, All of the major tires manufacturers and Rubber Maid to name a few. Most of those companies are gone or leaving.

So to hear that there is still some business owners that actually are caring, worried about the community and not the mighty dollar makes me hopeful about where this country is going. I started to think that greed was ruining the US. Seeing this small act of kindness gives me hope.

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Comment by NeferSif on June 8, 2009 at 7:57am: I think that is great. You don't see kindness like that in the big city. People are kind. Just not like that. They would rather donate to a charity that is kind for them.

Comment by Geoffrey Bernardo van Wyk on June 5, 2009 at 10:08am: Amen! That businessman has got some sense.

Unlike most people, who will parrot: "profit, profit, profit" when asked what the purpose of a business is, he knows that the purpose of a business is to serve your community.

The purpose of a business is not to make money, for crying out loud! You cannot eat it, you cannot drink it, you cannot wear it, but if you had the money in paper form, instead of only electronically, at least you could wipe your nose with it.

So you have made your millions, what are you going to do with it?

Buy goods and services?

Which you will get where?

Yes, from people who have taken it upon themselves to supply your needs with their businesses.

Comment by yourfindit on June 3, 2009 at 10:33am: That's wonderful.

Comment by Phoobar on June 3, 2009 at 4:53am: Been reading stories like this from small businesses all over the US. I have to agree...it does warm my heart whenever I read about it.

On the other hand...I've also been reading stories about large companies doing the same thing...but laying their employees off at the same time. In this example of a large drug store chain...the company is doing it for attempted good PR at the same time to blunt public opinion about their profit motives as a company. For this company and others like them doing the same thing...just business as usual. Seems like the French & Russian revolutions have lost their impact on the causes and results.

Comment by TxNana on June 3, 2009 at 4:01am: WOW what a great story. This man has a good heart. If more people would help and give back to there community it would be a better world.

Comment by Buffet on June 3, 2009 at 3:43am: Thanks for the story and for a wonderful idea. I'm going to suggest to my boss that we do something similar.