Did you know that direct sales and volunteering have gone hand in hand for decades? As far back as the 1950s, companies like Shaklee and Amway were dedicated to promoting environmentally conscious products in a time when eco-consciousness hadn’t quite entered the mainstream. The fact is, direct sales as a whole is focused on social responsibility—a good seller will only sell products they believe in, and a good direct sales company will only put out products and services that they can prove are worth the money.
Knowing this background, it should be no surprise that direct sales companies like USANA Health Sciences are dedicated to helping their global and local communities. Because so many of these companies have their roots in philanthropy, volunteering and direct sales go hand in hand.
How Charitable Foundations And Direct Sales Work Together For Good
It’s actually not uncommon for direct sales companies to use their reach to bring light to areas that need more awareness—in fact, many of the companies you know well have their own charitable branches! Logically, of course, this makes perfect sense: when you work in direct sales, you’re interacting with people on a much more personal basis. It’s a business built on making connections, and by using those connections, charities can do so much more good.
Because of the nature of direct sales companies, many use their reach to educate and aid causes that resonate with their target audience. For instance Mary Kay, which has an audience of primarily women, has a charitable arm whose focus is on supporting women’s rights . Sometimes, direct sales companies can combine their products and their cause, such as with ENJO’s sustainable cleaning supplies.
The USANA Foundation
At USANA’s heart, they are dedicated to helping people achieve wellness from the inside out. When the USANA Foundation was established in 2012, they set out to combat hunger, both on a global scale and in our own backyards.
According to the World Health Organization, as many as 828 million people around the world—over 10% of the global population—suffer from hunger. That makes hunger and malnutrition among the biggest global epidemics. In the efforts to bring holistic health to everyone, they’ve dedicated themselves to ensuring no one goes hungry—in foreign countries and in local neighborhoods.
USANA has since provided nearly 80 million meals in 44 countries and raised over $26 million to help those in need around the world. But they do more than just global work—they also regularly work with local volunteers, Associates, and Affiliates to provide aid to the most vulnerable in Utah. With the Kids Eat program, they provide backpacks filled with food for at-risk youth to schools and organizations in the Wasatch Front, ensuring that no child goes overlooked.
How You Can Get Involved
There are plenty of ways to get involved with the USANA foundation, and Associates and Affiliates are regularly encouraged to do good in their community in addition to offering good products. By teaming up with the USANA Foundation, there are plenty of ways to get involved in the fight against hunger in your own neighborhood.
1. Become An Ambassador
Ambassadors are the face of the good they aim to do with the Foundation. There are just three simple things you need to do to join the cause: 1) Serve in your community once per quarter, 2) Make a monthly donation to the Foundation to help the fight against hunger, and 3) Share the mission of the USANA foundation, either on social media or through your presentations.
2. Serve Your Community
Whether you’re an Ambassador or just someone looking to do some extra good, you know your neighborhood better than anyone. That’s why Ambassadors are asked to look around their community and find areas where help is needed.
Whether that’s volunteering at food pantries or homeless shelters, or putting together a food and clothing drive for at-risk kids, Ambassadors are encouraged to gather your fellow local Associates—and anyone else who’s ready to help—and bring the warmth and passion you have in your direct sales experience to the table. By helping your local community, you’ll be able to see the difference you make in your neighbors’ lives and truly embody what it means to be well inside and out.
3. Inspire Those Around You
Associates and Affiliates are more than salespeople and influencers. They’re leaders in their community, and they should be who people look to when it comes to bringing aid to their neighborhood. Whether it’s organizing charity drives or even just encouraging those around them to Start Something, they make a real difference in the lives of those around them—whether their community is over social media or in-person.
Direct sales goes so far beyond fun parties and #sponsored social media posts. It encourages people to make connections and truly get to know the people in their communities, and use those connections to make the world a better place. As an Associate or Affiliate, you’re dedicated to bringing healthy living and holistic wellness to those you meet. Don’t miss this chance to make a difference, and jump in with USANA to fully eradicate hunger in your community. Because everyone deserves the chance to thrive.
