As the New Year approaches, we at Scentsy have been taking a little time to look back on the last year. It was a year in which Scentsy’s owners, Consultants, and employees put into practice Scentsy’s value of generosity— which we interpret as “contribute more than you take.” Here’s a look at some highlights of Scentsy’s charitable giving in 2011.

In April, Scentsy’s owners Heidi and Orville Thompson presented a check for $613,177 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation from sales of Scentsy’s ‘Love. Life. Hope.’ Charitable Cause Warmer featured in the Fall/Winter 2010 Catalog. The donation was Scentsy’s largest cash contribution to date and part of the company’s overarching goal to donate $1 million to breast cancer charities across the country by 2013.

Then in August, Scentsy launched a “Halt the Hunger”campaign benefiting the Idaho Foodbank. Upon learning that one in six Idahoans struggle with food insecurity and remembering the hard times their own family experienced before Scentsy, the Thompsons sponsored a community matching campaign to raise awareness of the need for food assistance in Scentsy’s home state. The citizens of Idaho rose to the challenge and not only matched Orville and Heidi’s $300,000 pledge, but exceeded it. The Halt The Hunger campaign raised more than $635,000 or the equivalent of 1.9 million meals to fight hunger in Idaho. 

Orville and Heidi present Idaho Foodbank executives with proceeds from the “Halt the Hunger” 2011 Summer “Contribute More than You Take” campaign.

When Scentsy’s Consultants learned of the company’s efforts in Idaho, they stepped up with a pledge drive of their own to help the Dallas/Fort Worth community which hosted Scentsy’s 2011 Convention. In just three days, Scentsy Consultants and vendors helped raise $50,000 for the Tarrant Area Foodbank, serving 13 counties in northern Texas. It was a powerful demonstration of how Scentsy made a positive, impactful change on a community in a short period of time.

Just when our Halt the Hunger campaign was wrapping up, we jumped right into another philanthropic effort. Scentsy’s 84-hour Teeter-Totter-A-Thon was designed to celebrate Scentsy’s seventh anniversary and to raise money for  seven children’s charities. Orville and Heidi, Scentsy’s vendors, employees and community leaders all purchased hours at a going rate of $1,000 each so they could ‘assign’ people to ride the teeter-totter. With such community-wide support, Scentsy raised more than $150,000 for the charities benefitting children and youth locally and across the country.

A final giving highlight in 2011 took place in September when the Thompson’s presented a check for $533,800 to Autism Speaks executives in New York. The funds were raised thanks to Consultant sales of Scentsy’s ‘Piece by Piece’ Charitable Cause Warmer, featured in the Spring/Summer 2011 Catalog.

We’re already looking ahead to 2012, and you can help! Scentsy’s current Charitable Cause Product is Sasha the Bear, our first Charitable Cause Scentsy Buddy benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities. Sasha is a gift that gives twice—first by delighting the child who receives it and second by benefiting sick children and their families who stay in Ronald McDonald Houses across the United States and Canada. 

At Scentsy, “contribute more than you take” is a vital part of our culture, and we believe that acts of generosity have the power to make significant, lasting change for good. As you look ahead at 2012, consider sharing your plans to make a meaningful difference in the coming year. You never know who might be inspired!