Last week, while we were traveling around the country making more Love Grown Cereal (more on that later – but it’s coming!), we were horrified and heartbroken to see the fires spreading across LA and to learn about so many people being displaced from their homes.
At Hive, we believe in using business as a force for good and in the power of collective action. We try to help wherever we can, especially when we know we can make a meaningful impact.
When Kate, our brilliant chief merchant, suggested we work together to donate as many essential items as possible, we immediately sprang into action.
I reached out to my good friend Jess, who has one of the biggest and most compassionate hearts I know. Jess was already on the ground, working tirelessly to get supplies to those in need. Together, we came up with a plan to donate over $100,000 worth of items, including personal care products, pet food and treats, and baby essentials.
It was crucial to us to ensure our donations reached the right hands and wouldn’t go to waste. Jess emphasized that this recovery effort is a marathon, not a sprint. Some places may not need donations immediately, but the need will persist as communities rebuild. We took extra time to be intentional and thoughtful, ensuring our contributions would have a lasting impact.
We were fortunate to find an amazing partner in Unique World (UW). They are assembling kits to distribute directly to individuals in need, focusing on broadly relevant and high-demand items. We’re thrilled to be working with them.
That left us with a few critical categories: pet care, baby items, and period care—all things we know are desperately needed and where our high-quality products can make a real difference. Jess and her husband Michael (truly magical humans) stepped in to warehouse these products and will be distributing them throughout LA based on specific needs. Step one, done.
Next, we tackled transportation. Jess and Michael secured complimentary transport for these items from our warehouse in New Jersey—no small feat and another example of the incredible partnerships that made this possible.
Finally, our warehouse team worked tirelessly to pack everything up, ensuring the items were organized, clearly labeled, and optimized for transport. This effort will make it easier for UW and Jess’s team to distribute the donations efficiently.
Now, we’re in the midst of sending everything out.
I’m sharing this story for a few reasons:
To express our deep gratitude. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of my team (Kate, Steven, Liz, Sabeli, Sayani, Marco, Daniela, and Pam) and our incredible partners (Unique World—especially Lauren—and, of course, the incomparable Jess and Michael).
To offer a look behind the scenes. We hope sharing this process provides insight into how we think about participation and how we strive to make thoughtful, impactful contributions.
To invite you to join us. You can help ensure these donations are distributed to those who need them most. At checkout, we’ve set up an option to donate to the distribution efforts for these items. While the shipment to Unique World Markets is covered, Jess and Michael will be handling much of the distribution for the pet, baby, and period care items. Your contributions will directly support transportation and ensure these items reach the organizations and individuals who need them most.
If you have any questions or ideas, we’d love to hear them.
Thank you for supporting this effort and for being part of the Hive community.
Hive five,
Katie & the Hive Team