Community Involvement
Bigelow Community Challenge Road
Race
Bigelow Tea has organized the Bigelow Community Challenge
road race since 1988. This event is run 100% by company
employees. As part of the Bigelow Mission Statement per Cindi
Bigelow: "As good corporate citizens, we feel an obligation to
support the local communities where we reside so as to build a good
working relationship as well as to contribute to worthy local and
national causes."
All proceeds from the race are given to local charities in
Fairfield County, Connecticut that support families and people in
need including:
- Fairfield Senior Center
- Sandcastle Playground
- Fairfield YMCA
- Wakeman Boys and Girls Club
- Mercy Learning Center
- Shehan Center
- CT Food Bank
- Music & Art Center for the Humanity
- The Center for Women and Families
- Janus House
- Operation Hope
- Burroughs Community Center
- Grasmere Eldercare Center
- Bridgeport Rescue Mission
- Caroline House
In addition to the Bigelow Tea Community Challenge, the company
employees have been continually giving back to the community
for over 20 years.
Here are just a few of the programs in which we provide
support:
- Junior Achievement: conduct book drives, run a
variety of programs in the local schools, participate as part of a
business lecture program for inner city school districts
- Bridgeport School System Mentor Program; read to
students in classrooms, conduct lecture series and purchase and
donate local newspapers for high school student business
classes
- Red Cross; active in local fundraisers and hold
an annual recognition tea for major contributors
- Local Community College; run various
fundraisers and actively participate in major campaigns, conduct
lecture series in Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- Habitat for Humanity: Bigelow employees annually
help to build numerous habitat homes in the local area
Land Commitment
Bigelow Tea purchased The Charleston Tea
Plantation in May 2003 to save the 127 acres from future
real estate development. The plantation is America's only tea
garden. In 2008 alone, more than 40,000 visitors toured the
plantation. Also, hundreds of school children visit the
plantation to learn about tea, farming and the value of this land
every year. Bigelow uses no fungicides, insecticides or
herbicides on the farm.
Social Responsibility
Vendor Relationships
Bigelow Tea has developed long standing relationships with
vendors working with ethical tea gardens in Sri Lanka, India and
China, who understand and have been following sustainable farming
practices for over 30 years. Many of our suppliers have been with
us for several decades due to the fact that we recognize their
commitment to protect the crop as well as the quality of life they
offer the workers and their families such as providing higher than
average wages, free room and board and free medical treatment.
Organic Teas
Bigelow Tea offers a new line of organic teas
that promote environmental sustainability. Although the
use of pesticides is kept to a minimum on all teas, in the case of
Bigelow organic teas, they are 100% pesticide
free.
