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View Full Version : feeler: support for social business model?



bltzkrg
01-26-10, 19:33
I've been kicking around an idea of starting a "charity" to benefit retired mil and police K9s. I read an article in my local paper that explained how a local police dog was retired due to health issues (cancer). The article went on to explain that the dog will live out the rest of it's life with the police officer who was his handler, but the city wouldn't be paying the officer any stipend toward the dogs health care, food or other expenses. Cops in my town make about $45-55k a year, they're not starving but several thousand dollars of doggy medical bills aren't easy to eat.

This had me thinking. I despise charities as much of the money collected doesn't make it to the needy. The needy sometimes have issues accepting what does come their way. I also disagree with the govt. pension system which is allegedly quite corrupt in IL. I do believe in small private business and I think business can help solve this need (any many others currently surved by charity.)

Would you support a business that set aside a respectable portion of profits to benefit retired police K9 medical care? Monies would be distributed to the dogs' medical treatment facility to prevent the fund from not being applied appropriately by the dog owners.

The business would sell unique novelty t-shirts, hats, mugs etc.

As part of the social business model I plan to have the product produced by a company that exclusively employs recovering drug addicts who have just completed their detox programs. These people work at this place to build job skills they can market while being supervised in a supportive environment.

So in sum would you buy a t-shirt from a socially responsible business that helped support the recovering addicts by providing them with jobs and medical bills for retired police dogs?
How much would you pay for a shirt that supported these causes? (Remember it has to be enough to support overhead, profit and charitable giving.)
If not retired police dogs, what other causes would you be interested in supporting through this model?

LockenLoad
01-27-10, 13:03
yes I would

Iraq Ninja
01-27-10, 14:29
Good idea, but I wonder how many retired K9s have serious health issues? I would not mind donating directly to the owner.

I think you would have to sell a lot of shirts and hats to make it work. Why not start a 100 club? 100 bucks straight to the owner?

Also, approach some of the tactical companies for donations, such as LaRue. The owner needs money ASAP I assume.

bltzkrg
01-27-10, 23:13
As a business, I doubt the tactical companies would donate as there would be no write off available. I looked at doing a not for profit but there are many, many hurdles to cross before that can happen. On the other hand I can start a for profit business with money in my savings account and a few phone calls to my lawyer, accountant and vendors.

There was a follow up in the paper, the dog in this story was sent about $1500 in the week after the story was printed.

Using the responce to this posting it doesn't look like the LE/Contractor/generally conservative leaning crowd here supports the model. I'll have to bounce this off the "dog fancy" crowd I guess.

Iraq Ninja
01-28-10, 00:35
Well, your topic has only had 75 views. I think that may be due to your title being too nondescript. Change it to something like "Would you help K9 Cancer dogs"? and things will be different.