Last week was Giving Tuesday, a day when consumers on a shopping high from Cyber Monday are encouraged to continue opening their wallets—this time for charity. This year, a total of 34 million people made the world just a little bit better place, giving a whopping $3.1 billion to their favorite causes.

When most people think about giving to charity, they think about the nation’s largest charities, such as the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and Save the Children. Yet we should not overlook some of the lesser known nonprofits doing outstanding work on a smaller scale. This includes those homegrown right here in the printing industry.

Bill Prettyman, CEO of Wise (Alpharetta, GA) and his son Jack as seen in the Thrive Community promotional video.

Two years ago, Bill Prettyman, CEO of Wise, one of the largest print manufacturers serving the reseller industry, and his wife, Joy, started the Thrive Community, a nonprofit serving adults with special needs. The organization’s mission is to provide an entrepreneurial environment that provides hope and opportunity for this special population.

“For these adults, services (many of which are offered through the school system) end at the age of 21 years old,” explains Prettyman, whose wife and he were inspired to create the nonprofit by their son Jack, who was born with Down Syndrome. “When they hit the age of twenty-two, those services end and families are left on their own. Joy and I wanted to provide that next step.”

Thrive is a post-high school vocational community that empowers what it calls its “citizens” to become artisans, such as soap-makers, jewelry designers, and bakers. Their products are sold online and through local craft fairs.

Bill Prettyman and his wife, Joy, who serves as Thrive Community’s executive director.

“Eighty percent of adults with special needs struggle to find employment or retain their jobs, missing out on the value and purpose of work,” says Joy Prettyman, who serves as Thrive’s executive director. “Ultimately, our vision is to have a 100-acre campus where citizens will work, but also live and play.”

Thrive Community is available to those who, like the Prettyman’s son, are no longer receiving federally mandated special education services. Thrive will accept applications beginning at age 20 for potential placement after age 21.

Learn more by watching the promotional video here.

“Our hope is to provide a place where adults with special needs can find hope and opportunity to live out their full potential, while also helping to change the way the world sees this special population,” concludes Prettyman.

Do you know anyone in the printing industry doing outstanding charity work? Share in the comments. In honor of Giving Tuesday Extended, let’s give a shout-out to our own who are doing exceptional work outside their professional vocations to make a difference for others.