Philanthropic Printers — The Gift of Giving

December 2007 By Cheryl Adams
Managing Editor

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THE SAYING “a little can mean a lot” isn’t just an inspirational cliché for some printers. It’s a way of life. Besides being passionate about printing, they are also passionate about giving of themselves to those less fortunate. The philanthropic printers highlighted here are but a small snippet of the countless men and women in printing who professionally serve their industry, while personally serving others in need.

He’s known as the “unofficial mayor” of Tempe, AZ, for all of his good deeds. Marcus Neuman, president of Graphics of Tempe, was hesitant about providing details (that would be published) about his philanthropic ways. “Providing this kind of information reminds me of when I won the award for being ‘The Most Humble Student’ in my school,” he quips, “and, when I proudly wore my ribbon, they took it away from me.”

Neuman stresses that he’s not very comfortable “bragging” about his charitable efforts because he doesn’t believe that being generous and wanting to help others is anything out of the ordinary.

“It is just a normal practice,” Neuman says of his contributions. “Quite simply, we feel it is a company’s responsibility to be a good steward to its community, whether it be donating printing, money or time. Some charities may have a pressing need for volunteers, so even if you don’t have much, you still may be able to give your time.”

Graphics of Tempe is a small company with only eight employees. During its monthly staff meetings, Neuman likes to give his employees credit for some of the good deeds they (as part of the company) are doing because, as he puts it, “the money is made by all of us, not just the ownership.”

Partnering with the Poor

As an example, he points to a trip he made this year. “I was able to go to Timbuktu, Mali, West Africa, as part of the Tempe Sister Cities program. (Tempe Sister Cities selects and partners with poor cities across the globe and offers assistance through its members’ volunteer efforts, financial donations, charitable acts, etc.) “Even though we are a small company, we can make a difference in our community and in the world.”

At Times Printing in Random Lake, WI, Shawn Scholler, president, takes special pride in his company’s ongoing participation in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The printer has been actively involved in the relay for the past several years, and this year, it raised more than $5,000, making it the top local fund-raising team.