As the year draws to a close, November is a time to express our appreciation for the people and things that enrich our lives. Moreover, November inspires us to engage with our communities and contribute to the common good. It is a time of reflection, gratitude, and community engagement. The vision of A&B Business Solutions is Developing Strong Communities and that is exactly what we strive to do both internally with our employees and externally with the community around us.
One way A&B Business gives back to our community is supporting Children’s Home Society. A&B Business has been a long-standing partner of Children’s Home Society, with Dennis Aanenson serving on its Board of Directors for over twenty years. For the last nine years A&B Business, together with Catering by Cleavers have organized a fundraising event called Cleavers Chef Challenge in order to support Children’s Home Society. This event is part of a long-term partnership between these two businesses and the Children’s Home Society, has raised more than $250,000 over the nine years. In 2023 alone, this event has raised $44,500. As a company we strive to give back and make our community stronger.
At A&B Business, we believe that if you want to make the world a better place, you need to start where you live. That’s why we developed Bring It Home, a program that gives back to our home communities by donating at least 1,000 hours of volunteer time per year. At A&B Business, we encourage our team members to volunteer for causes that are meaningful to them. We offer 32 hours of paid time each year for our employees to go out and make a positive impact in the community. Here are a few places that our employees have been volunteering their time: Helpline Center, Feeding South Dakota, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire, Junior Achievement, Girls on the Run and so much more. We know that the best way to improve the world is to begin with our own neighborhoods.
Additionally this year we were honored to be nominated by Junior Achievement of South Dakota for the Spirit of Volunteerism Award hosted by Helpline Center. A&B was picked as one of the 2023 Volunteer Honorees!
Statement from the nomination:
“For more than 20 years, A&B Business Solutions and owner, Dennis Aanenson, have been incredible supporters of Junior Achievement of South Dakota through board service, employees volunteering in the classroom, and financial support of JA experiences across the state. This past year, when Junior Achievement USA had sourcing limitations for materials and JA of South Dakota needed to secure local printing for elementary program materials, A&B Business Solutions stepped in and offered their services to ensure South Dakota students were provided a quality JA experience. Dennis and A&B Business Solutions were generous toward donating printing costs; and Joe Blashack, Production Solutions Engineer, volunteered many hours to brainstorming and working with the JA staff on how to best print and package the materials. Joe then extended even more hours, helping print and organize the project, including weekends, to ensure the project completion timeline was on track. After the materials were printed and packaged, A&B Business Solutions associates also helped transport the majority of the materials to JA communities across South Dakota. A&B Business Solutions’ generosity helped JA provide materials for over 28,000 elementary students during the 2022-23 school year!”
We invite everyone to join us in making a positive difference in the world.