In San Marcos, businesses give back year-round to support the communities they serve. The inspiration behind this spirit of philanthropy varies from business to business, but regardless the reason, the positive impacts are felt throughout the region.
“In honor of St. Valentine, we wanted to highlight a few San Marcos businesses that have made giving back a meaningful part of their corporate culture,” said Economic Development Director Tess Sangster.
One such company that is generous throughout the year is Shazeebo, a custom outdoor shade sail manufacturer. Inspired by his experience in Cal State San Marcos’ Leadership North County program, owner Patrick Howe recognizes the positive role that businesses can play in bettering a community.
“The program was a very eye-opening experience, and I realized that there is a lot of need here in North County,” Howe explained. “That’s when I started thinking about how I could further serve the community with my business.”
Not only does Shazeebo regularly donate its shade sails to nonprofit organizations like the Rancho Coastal Humane Society and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, but it also emphasizes seasonal giving to reach as much of the community as possible. For example, in 2019 Shazeebo coordinated the second annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive that fed more than 800 families with the support of a matching grant from the Leichtag Foundation.
North City is another business entity that shows San Marcos love throughout the year. They provide student housing scholarships for CSUSM athletes and sponsor a variety of other programs. In cooperation with the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, they also host Taste of San Marcos that supports local businesses and raises money for the Chamber. This is in addition to being a major partner of the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos as a sponsor of Great Futures Day and their annual gala, as well as working with Casa de Amparo, San Diego North EDC and Peter Sagan Fondo Gran Roadie-Oh.
“We understand and appreciate that we have a chance to serve the San Marcos community,” said North City Senior Project Manager Andy Tenn.
“We partner with many nonprofit agencies throughout the year because we know that the need for help extends beyond the holiday season.”
Hunter Industries also encourages their employees to support their communities in many ways, including an annual payroll giving campaign that includes matching contributions by Hunter. The organization also looks to donate to organizations like Habitat for Humanity that have reoccurring needs for irrigation systems to support their housing projects in San Diego.
“Giving back is deeply rooted in Hunter Industries because social responsibility is one of our core values,” said Scotty Lombardi, Global Talent Management at Hunter Industries. “We feel it is essential to give back to the communities we are invested in.”
Employees also participate in regular food drives at all of their office locations, and the food is donated to nonprofits in each respective community. Hunter’s corporate spirit of giving also extends into the traditional holiday season when employees sponsor children by purchasing gifts for them.
“We want to thank all of the businesses who give back to San Marcos at the holidays and throughout the year because it really makes a lasting difference,” said Sangster. “Our business community is invested in the continued success and growth of San Marcos, and in their charitable works, you can really see how much love they have for our city.”
