Food, Fun and Social Activism - the blinking words flashing across the website of White Dog cafe more than sum up its philosophy- they define the life spirit flowing through the café’s business model. The café does not simply offer its award-winning cuisine but does this with social consciousness through various activities and events organized throughout the year. Through its initiatives to serve the customer, community, earth and each other, the café is a model for small community businesses as levers for social change.
Innovation
Aligning with the forces behind founding the Business Alliance for Local Living Communities (BALLE) and Sustainable Business Network (SBN) of Greater Philadelphia, the café’s owner Judy Wicks brings in her belief in business as an agent of social change in the operations of White Dog Café.
With a four-part mission of serving customers, community, employees, and the natural environment, the White Dog Cafe has created numerous educational and community-building programs which focus on topics such as economic & social justice, environmental protection, peace & non-violence, drug policy reform and community arts.
The café lives up to ‘serving customers’ as an important facet of its mission through delicious and nutritious food prepared creatively using highest quality ingredients. A genuine care and concern for the customer is exhibited by all staff members. In addition to providing a clean and hygienic ambience, customer education is an important part of the manifestation of the café’s mission. By programs like ‘table-talks’ involving dinner and panel discussion, story-telling, community and international tours and its newsletter the café offers education as a product to the customer to cater not just to their palates but also to their social consciousness.
Another aspect of the café’s mission is ‘serving community’. This is actualized via sponsoring and organizing staff volunteer projects with organizations like Working Wardrobe and Habitat for Humanity. The employees are also encouraged to donate from their paychecks by the café matching the amount donated. A local ‘sister restaurant’ program promotes minority-owned restaurants in Philadelphia and Camden. Educating the customers about the project and local minority neighborhoods encourages them to visit these places they might not otherwise go to, thereby contributing to a city wide community.
Called as ‘Table for Six Billion, Please!’ the international sister restaurant project aims to promote peace through interaction and sponsoring demonstrations against militarism. Sister relationships are formed between the White Dog Cafe and restaurants in countries where there is poor dialogue with the U.S. The purpose is to promote better understanding in the world community by opening up new avenues of communication, beginning with the mutual interest in food. The major part of the program is sponsoring educational trips for customers and staff to these sister restaurant countries which are led by nonprofit educational groups specializing in those countries. It involves not only experiencing different cuisines, cultures, economic and political systems, but also gaining a better understanding of the important issues in each country and how U.S. foreign policy affects the lives of other people. The exchange of local recipes with the sister restaurant helps the café build a more eclectic and appealing menu.
The café brings to life the part of its mission stated as ‘serving the earth’ by one hundred percent use of alternate wind energy. It sources all produce from the local organic family farms providing a boost to the local economy. The project called ‘Fair Food’ connects the local farmers in the community to urban markets. The café’s ‘cruelty free menu’ is a manifestation of its belief in humanity. All meat, poultry, seafood and fish are procured from producers using sustainable practices. Food wastage is reduced by giving scraps to pig farmers and donating excess food to a local group that distributes it to those in need, in turn reducing the cost of waste disposal for the café. The café continues its belief in educating all stakeholders toward the need to save the earth through its initiatives like ‘Farmers Sunday Supper’ and annual eco-tour.
The café employs over 100 people generating employment in the local community. Values of respect, knowledge sharing, cooperation and quality of life programs exhibit its mission of ‘serving each other’. Their ‘mentoring program’ introduces inner-city high school students to the restaurant business through internships in the café.
Impact
White Dog Enterprises gross over $5 million annually serving as an exemplar of the profitability associated with doing good for the world.
The café proudly claims to have converted many of its customers to social activists by involving them in the process of living up to its values. Former and current employees state how working in the café was a transformative experience opening their eyes to social issues.
The percolation of the café’s values into the community is evident by the way it has connected hundreds of restaurants, farms and stores. It’s business success through supporting and improving the local community has inspired many other local businesses to emulate White Dog’s programs and practices creating a domino effect of doing well by doing good.
Inspiration
The motivation behind the existence of the café is beautifully articulated by its owner “When people ask me what I do I often reply that I use good food to lure innocent customers into social activism...” White Dog café’s unique blend of flavorful and wholesome cuisine with community building truly makes the organization a place for good food, good cheer and good will.
The World Inquiry editorial team edited this profile from the original submission of the interviewer or other source. The views expressed do not necessarily represent Case Western Reserve University, the Weatherhead School of Management or the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. More >>
