Giving back makes our communities stronger and more resilient, which helps uplift us all. Read on to learn about our collaboration with Communities in Partnership (CIP) to kick off GivingTuesday, the global generosity movement. 

Teaming Up for GivingTuesday 

Burt’s Bees x CIP are giving out over 1,000 Burt’s Bees care packages as part of CIP’s monthly Community Food Co-op and the East Durham Farmers Market, together aimed at building an equitable food system in our hometown of Durham, North Carolina. 

The Community Food Co-op 

Provides free and subsidized produce grown by local Black and Brown farmers to East Durham residents. By choosing a cooperative model, CIP gives ownership, agency and decision-making power directly to its members. It was members who conceived of the idea to source fresh foods from Black and Brown farmers to serve a Black and Brown urban population, and they continue to evolve it to serve their needs.

The East Durham Farmer’s Market 

Helps generate revenue for the co-op by selling produce boxes to Durham residents. CIP also partners with local Black and Brown farmers and high-end distributors to provide monthly produce boxes as well as dry goods and local meat. Supplementing monthly groceries, each box provides enough fresh food for a little over a week and helps generate revenue for the Co-op.

Images: L: Mrs. Carrie Walker. R: Market Produce box with fresh organic produce from Black and Brown farmers

About Communities in Partnership

Communities in Partnership is a Black women-led, Black women-founded grassroots organization working to organize and cultivate long-term residents, especially residents of color and low wealth, to work towards racial, economic, and social liberation. 

This resident-led organization focuses on addressing policy and systemic inequity within Durham, focusing on social determinants of health through interconnected programs addressing food sovereignty, entrepreneurship and workforce development, affordable housing, and leadership development.

“We are proud to support Community in Partnership’s efforts to build a local food ecosystem that is more autonomous and more equitable for Black community residents of East Durham. The co-op model CIP is building out will allow members to procure healthy, affordable food directly from Black farmers, thus boosting the latter’s income as well.” 

—Matt Kopac, Burt’s Bees Foundation

Since 2019, Burt’s Bees and its Foundation have contributed over $38,000 to Communities in Partnership to support their Food Co-Op and Community Health Organizer initiatives—powerful equity development practices to serve community residents.

In their Community Health Organizers program, local community members go through training from Durham Tech’s Community Health Worker Certification. They learn to help answer basic health and wellness questions, assist with referrals for any chronic or specialized issues and provide support to help navigate the health care system.

According to CIP, one of the reasons for health disparities is lack of connection and trust, which lead to a lack of early intervention and detection. Community Health Organizers act as advocates and a supportive connection to the health system, which has historically negatively impacted communities of color.  

Images: L: Team members assembling care packages. R: CIP leadership team: Veronica Terry, Midori Brooks, and Camryn Smith

Giving Locally for GivingTuesday 

All year long, The Burt’s Bees Foundation focuses it’s giving locally—to help restore biodiversity and food systems, promote local resilience through green infrastructure, and connect people to natural environments. Since 2007, the Foundation has donated $4.64 million to these causes, and each year we also provide in-kind product donations, volunteer support, and employee drives to support partnering organizations. We truly are grateful to give back to our community, which is why we love GivingTuesday.

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 with a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. GivingTuesday has now become the world’s biggest day of generosity and a year-round movement not just limited to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving! 

Get inspired and find ways to give back for GivingTuesday and beyond at GivingTuesday.org.

It’s good for you, and the communities you call home. Win, win. 

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