John Paul DeJoria launched his support for Kentucky-based Grow Appalachia with an initial $150,000 contribution in 2009 through his family foundation. The initiative has since enabled more than 13,000 partner families to harvest nearly 8 million pounds of fresh produce. DeJoria's giving is rooted in his personal history of severe poverty, having once lived in his car with his toddler before launching John Paul Mitchell Systems. His corporate culture also mirrors these charitable priorities by providing employees with 2,664 hours of paid volunteer time off.
Key points
Lived experiences with poverty and homelessness directly inform John Paul DeJoria's phila…: Lived experiences with poverty and homelessness directly inform John Paul DeJoria's philanthropic focus on food security and vulnerable populations.
The Giving Pledge signatory has committed at least half of his accumulated fortune to cha…: The Giving Pledge signatory has committed at least half of his accumulated fortune to charitable endeavors.
Corporate operations tied to DeJoria support community engagement by granting thousands o…: Corporate operations tied to DeJoria support community engagement by granting thousands of paid volunteer hours to staff.
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John Paul DeJoria was six years old when his mother handed him and his brother a single dime one Christmas. Wondering what the money was for, John looked at his mother. She asked him to drop it into a bucket beside a man ringing a bell outside a downtown Los Angeles department store.
The coin could buy a few candy bars back then, and the boys wanted to know why they had given it away. Their usual Christmas treat was a visit to see the holiday displays.
“This is the Salvation Army that helps people who really are in need. Remember, boys, no matter how much you have, there is always someone who is more in need than you. Always try to give, even if it is just a little,” their mother told them.
A lesson that stayed
The lesson stayed with John Paul DeJoria for the rest of his life. It guided him through two periods of homelessness and remained central to his outlook even after he became a billionaire. Having experienced hardship himself, he would go on to…
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