This story is part of our 1,000 stories campaign. What’s your story?
Your Name: Sarah Gross
Business Name: Rescue Chocolate, a chocolate company that donates to animal rescue organizations
Type of Business: Food & Beverage; Social Enterprise
Business Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Website www.rescuechocolate.com
Twitter @rescuechocolate
Facebook www.facebook.com/rescuechocolate
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/rescuechocolate
Reason for starting
To raise money for animal rescue organizations, and to provide humans with delicious chocolate that is also vegan, kosher, handcrafted, fairly traded, organic, and packaged in eco-friendly materials.
How do you define success?
By having enough of a profit each month to turn over a donation to an animal rescue organization, and knowing that my funds are used to save the lives of homeless or abused animals.
Biggest Success
Partnering with Nathan Winograd’s No-Kill Advocacy Center to spread the word that the goal of achieving a no-kill nation is achievable within the next few years.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it?
Providing high-quality chocolate while keeping the cost low enough for everyone to be able to buy it. I work with a local artisan chocolatier who can create new flavors for me on a smaller scale than what most chocolate factories would require. During busy periods, I rely on volunteers to help me with packing, shipping, and selling at festivals and expos.
Who is your most important role model?
All the nameless animal shelter workers across the country! These unsung heroes clean cages, soothe scared animals, bathe and groom homeless dogs and cats, foster animals in their homes until an adoptive family can be found, demonstrate against puppy mills, educate the public about spaying and neutering, and tackle the pet overpopulation crisis in myriads of other ways.