rown Point Cabinetry is a home-grown New Hampshire company. Its first headquarters was in Norm Stowell’s garage. That was 1979, and Norm put his sons, Brian and Scott, to work for him, cutting, sanding, staining…
“At one point, mom and all seven of us kids were working for him,” Brian remembers now. Crown Point is now a nationally-celebrated custom cabinet maker, with 125 employees in its Claremont headquarters. Brian is now company president.
The company’s philosophy of philanthropy is as locally-crafted as its cabinets. Since 2002, Crown Point has partnered with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to create the Crown Point Cabinetry Fund. The company crafted a unique system, through which its employees not only have a share in giving, but a say in where the money goes.
The company has a payroll deduction system—employees can choose to participate if they wish. The company makes a one-for-one match for every dollar contributed. A Charity Committee—with representatives from every department in the company—meets once a month.
Charitable Foundation staff share summaries of grant proposals, and the committee decides how to allocate the funds. Company president Brian Stowell does not sit on that committee—he hands complete control to his employees.
Kevin Peterson, the Charitable Foundation’s senior program officer for the Upper Valley, said the donor advised fund is unique in that it is advised by a group of employees—rather than an individual or a family.
Matt McElreavy, who works in the finishing department at Crown Point spoke of his service on the Charity Committee.
“This is something we take a lot of pride in,” McElreavy said.
“You get an opportunity to see where the help is needed, and you get the chance to really decide…” where to give. “It’s good to know that you’re helping out those who really need the help. Everyone is into the idea of helping as much as possible, and Brian is very gracious about matching our [contributions.]”
The fact that employees and the company pool resources means their giving power is magnified. “I’ve got a generous group,” Stowell said. In 2007, employee contributions and the company match added up to some $30,000 which was distributed to area non-profits.
“If you say ‘okay, I’ll give a dollar a week,’…there are 52 weeks in a year and 125 employees…when you pool it all together it gives you some real money. It gives you an opportunity to really make a difference.”
