River Remedy Brewing Co., 2024 Awards of Honor Business Award

A group of locals (some born and raised here, while others are transplants who call Rome home) came together to start a brewery. They knew they had to do more than just make beer. They wanted to be able to give back to the community as part of their business model. From there, River Remedy established several ways they give back to our community. They donate a portion of their sales to a variety of charities in our area. These charity partners rotate each quarter and range from groups that support shelters for various causes, the homeless population, the local environment, the arts, and more.

In addition to quarterly charity partners, River Remedy also hosts smaller pop-up charity events throughout the year. One of those pop-ups, Food Truck Fridays, partners with local non-profits to highlight their organizations. They also frequently open their parking lot for use by various non-profit events. Most recently, they supported ESP and Java Joy so that the group could hand out hot chocolate for donations during the Christmas Parade and line up.
Since opening in late 2021, River Remedy has raised over $18,000 for local charities through these partnership activities. Some of the local charity organizations that have benefitted from these activities include:
• The Davies Shelter
• PAWS: Public Animal Wellness Services
• Coosa River Basin Initiative
• Exchange Club Family Resource Center
• Hospitality House for Women
• The Jamie Hughes Fund
• TRED: Trails for Recreation and Economic Development
• RIFF: Rome International Film Festival

 


 

Hardy Realty, 2022 HOC Business Award Recipient

Hardy Realty
BUSINESS AWARD

Hardy Realty recently developed a company initiative that focuses on volunteer work, community service and donations. CEO Jimmy Byars has spent years contributing his time to this community and has cultivated a strong volunteer ethic among his agents and staff.

They will often be seen volunteering or donating to the following:

DaviesHome Shelters                                                     Desoto Theatre
Free Clinic                                                                     Open Door Home
One Community United                                             Sexual Assault Center
Heart of the Community                                            Junior Service League
Java Joy of Rome                                                         TRED of Rome
United Way                                                                   Cancer Navigators
American Red Cross                                                    South Rome Redevelopment
Elevation House                                                          South Rome Early Learning Center
Boys and Girls ClubRome International Film Festival
Boy Scouts                                                                   Keep Rome Beautiful
Shakespeare Festival                                                  Habitat for Humanity
One Table Rome                                                          CRBI

Nominator: “Jimmy Byars, CEO, works to ensure this community is positioned for growth and the future while providing help to those living  in the shadows and on the fringes.”


2022 Award Recipients:

Elm Kid’s Enterprises, 2018 HOC Business Award Recipient

Elm Street Enterprises at Elm Street Elementary School, a STEM curriculum designed for learning through entrepreneurship, giving back, and developing a world vision, including enterprises such as:

  • Sugar Kids Beauty
  • Elm Kids Construction: “Tiny House – Big Dreams”
  • Elm SCENTsational Slime
  • Maker Market on Elm Street
  • PAWSitive Kids
  • Creative Technology Design
  • Caring & Giving

Elm Street Elementary School is a Georgia STEM certified school and one of five in Georgia selected as a “2017 Family Friendly School.” At Elm Street students are learning through a business and engineering design model as early as Kindergarten. Along with enterprises and entrepreneurships, the school works toward social awareness and giving back to the community. Using funds raised through it’s many businesses, the school has supported the Rome Community and beyond. Examples include:

  • Six Months supply of food for the Rome Community Kitchen
  • Corporate Sponsor for the Floyd NICU unit
  • Refurbishing of the Ronald McDonald House
  • Providing a student-built “Tiny House” for a homeless veteran; second house under construction
  • Fundraising for the Salvation Army through a Fun Run and donations
  • Family Crochet event to make mats for the homeless from 50,000 recycled Plastic bags
  • Donated over 80,000 bottles of water to Hurricane Harvey victims, partnering with The Museum of Flight
  • Animal shelter support and projects
  • CARE packages to overseas troops
  • Provided a family in need with transportation to Atlanta Hospital