Taylor Grey Community Outreach Program Recognized in Fairfield County Business Journal

Created: 12.16.08

Seed turkeys
Hands-on charity work from a Stamford company

BY RYAN DORAN



Thanksgiving served as a platform for a Stamford recruiting company to dig its roots a little deeper into Fairfield County.


With the help of the Boys and Girls Club, Taylor Grey Inc. received the names of two families who needed help on Thanksgiving and provided them with a feast. If the meals also help them prosper, that’s the idea.


The project was conceived by Scott Witkin, managing director of Taylor Grey.
“What we’re trying to do is dig deeper community roots,” said Witkin. “As bad as it is for us, it’s exponentially worse for people who aren’t running businesses, who aren’t working or have medical issues. The whole idea is that it costs us less than a few hundred dollars a month to keep a few families above the line to give them an opportunity to get out there, work and create income. It’s worth it.”


Taylor Grey covered the costs and coordinated a turkey feast for both families, one in New York City and the other in Stamford.


“What are we doing?” said Witkin. “We pay our taxes like everyone else and those taxes are spent as the government, state, local and federal, see fit. This is a little piece of a way of taxes ourselves.”


According to Witkin, this will be a theme coming from Taylor Grey on at least a monthly basis.


“You have to get out of the office,” said Witkin. “The whole project is to give back on a very micro level. It’s done on a relatively arbitrary basis. It may have made the difference between them losing hope and finding something to hold onto for another month, two months.”


Inspired by the generous holiday traditions of Taylor Grey’s founder, Fairfield resident Jodi Fournier, Witkin has put together a want-and-need list for the less fortunate in the area.


“It might be just basic life essentials,” said Witkin. “It might be Band-Aids, diapers or formula, and for you and me that’s not something we’d ever think of. There’s no reason you can’t do it.”


Witkin said the program will extend to Taylor Grey’s New York City office.
“From a corporate standpoint, it’s about deeper roots and getting out there and giving help to the people who need it,” said Witkin. “We’re trying to create an ethos companywide which says it’s okay to give back. It’s always better to leave something on the table than take a little bit more than you should.”
Witkin’s local initiative was preceded by Taylor Grey taking part in Kiva, a person-to-person microlending Web site, which allows individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs worldwide.


“We see that in the way we do business,” said Witkin. “A year to six months ago is was about how to maximize, capitalize and monetize and now it’s about how we do this as fairly as possible so that it’s a win-win. It wasn’t even a conscious change; it just happened.”


Witkin sees a possibility for modified Kivalike programs to be applied to the area.


“It’s won’t take a huge amount of capital to get a smaller business off the ground and there is a need,” said Witkin. “It’s the right thing to do, it makes sense. Once we’re through this recession I think you’re going to see that entrepreneurial spirit pick up again.”

http://www.fcbizj.biz/archive/121508/news12150801.php

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