At 71 years old, Sandra Enos thought her working days were over. But just months after she retired from her job as a Bryant University professor of sociology, she found herself back at work – in a very different kind of gig.
Born out of the success she saw of Bryant’s holiday pop-up markets featuring goods from local social enterprises, Enos decided to make consumers’ desire to give meaningful gifts into a year-round opportunity by starting her own business.
Giving Beyond the Box LLC, which launched in November 2019, lets gift-givers tap into their community-minded conscience through curated, themed boxes featuring items from local and national social enterprises. In addition to supporting socially minded businesses, a portion of the proceeds from each box sold is donated to charity.
While holiday purchases were what drove the idea, Enos has seen interest grow throughout the year, including in the October launch of a new box featuring local businesses owned by people of color.
Boxes cost $40 to $65, with four themed boxes, as well as a customizable “create your own” option.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
