Community Participation

A way to give back.

Good Heart Delivers



  

Since our inception my goal has been to develop a company that could use it's sales to directly impact those less fortunate in the greater Los Angeles community. The history of this desires dates  back to when I joined the revitalization and renovation efforts of downtown nearly 13 years ago. 

Having grown up in downtown Los Angeles I have seen the daily and brutal conditions that people suffer through on the streets of downtown. Inspired by the dedicated and goodwill organizations that were working towards solutions, I decided to join the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council to affect change. I was fortunate enough to be elected to the position and enjoyed the experience and knowledge it brought along. 


That experience led my friend Peter Merle to suggest we start actively doing something on the ground floor. So we started Downtown PRO. 

Begin Downtown Pro

The goal of Downtown Pro was to collect and provide professional clothing for those in need to be used for job interviews or for day-to-day activities. 

Peter and I reached out to some of the top employers in downtown, who showed an overwhelming amount of support by allowing us to leave our collection bins in their offices, gyms and churches.

At one point our 10,000-square-foot storage was full of clothing. Needless to say we had tons of sorting to do. By the end of our campaign, we had managed to collect and redistribute thousands of clothing to those less fortunate. 
We were able to impact them directly, while giving them a sense of pride and independence. The lives we touch was fulfilling and humbling. 
The satisfaction of donating was infectious and for several years Peter and I continued our work together until he moved to Maine. 

Good Heart Catering text and image block

Continue the tradition

Practical solutions to social issues. 

To continue this tradition of practical solutions to some of the social issues we face, I wanted to incorporate a way of giving back into the very fabric of Good Heart. Then it occured to me (though not a very unique idea) that a pairing with local food banks would be a natural extension that would be a lasting effort and one that would maximize our impact on the community. Which is why, for every order you place we make a donation to local food banks who in turn directly feed those who are in need.
This partnership between private and non-profit is a great combination that allows us to inspire the community to give. Over the next several years I will be keeping an eye on direct impact to individuals through our giving and will share stories along the way. 
We've also implemented a small board in the customer portal that shows how many meals you've directly contributed, it's a fun way to see your direct impact. 
I thank you for taking the time to read about our efforts.

Jon Toktas
Founder, Good Heart. 

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We take a tour of the Los Angeles Food Bank where we make our donations.