“I’ve always lived by the philosophy of ‘Find a Need and Fill It,’” says Linda Johnson, founder of Chocology Unlimited. “Honestly, every morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘How many problems am I going to solve today?’ I don’t say it as a negative, I just know problems are a part of life.”
When Johnson and her family founded Chocology Unlimited in April of 2014, their vision was to employ this philosophy while also taking the world of sweet treats to another level. Studying Belgian and other international approaches to chocolate, exploring such avenues as chocolate-coffee pairings and sharing their Fat Ass Fudge and other creations at numerous Dan’s Taste of Summer events over the years, Linda, husband David and daughter Madeleine have established a reputation as outstanding confection creators, without a doubt, but even more so as people with a genuine philanthropic dedication.
“At Chocology, our vision is RED—Relationships, Education and Distinctive quality,” Johnson says. “We feel that when we keep our focus on RED, everything flows, not only for Chocology but also for our clients and partners.”
There’s something about chocolate that provides a sense of well-being. It elicits instant smiles, has been shown to help reduce stress, and is a means by which people can share a little joy and thanks with others near and far. Chocology has always made giving back an integral aspect of its mission, one that it has even increased in recent weeks.
“Our #ChocologyCares campaign is one that we are particularly proud of and are excited to continue to support,” she says of the initiative by which customers placing a fudge order can select from among a number of charities listed on the Chocology website and a donation is made with the purchase. “We have raised thousands of dollars for charities, it doesn’t cost you more and makes all the difference in other people’s lives.”
Recently they also launched a Chocolate Prescription program, which for any orders going to Stony Brook University Hospital offers a discount to the purchaser along with free delivery to health-care workers at the hospital. “The response has been strong, with a lot of feedback and conversation,” Johnson notes. “And with the start of our Donation Station effort—see our social media pages—we hope to provide an outlet for the community to feel like they can support the most critical part of the current efforts, our health-care workers.”
Spending her days and nights fulfilling orders, creating delicious treats and building a website for a mobile farmers market, Johnson has also made sure to take a few moments to recognize the inspiring actions she has seen in the community around her. “It’s amazing how people come together to support one another in a time of crisis. Two things really stand out to me. One is the support of local businesses—especially restaurants, who have had to do a 180-degree swing into curbside pick-up as their only means of keeping the doors open.
“The second is the desire to support everyone in any way we can safely do it. People are being creative in finding ways to support their neighbors, friends, family and community to keep our spirits up and still do the smart things to stay connected despite the need to keep physically separate.”
For more information, visit chocologyunlimited.com.
This story first appeared on DansPapers.com
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