One of the perks of owning your own design firm is that you can make a difference in the world that you might not be able to make as an individual. EightShapes has grown tremendously this year, and Nathan and I thought it only right to share the love.

To that end, we’ve donated $2000 to several local and national charities. This year we decided to focus on health and animals.

I chose the Washington Animal Rescue League and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

In 2001, Sarah and I adopted Zebby, a funny little dog who instantly became part of the family and our older dog’s best friend and biggest devotee. Zeb died suddenly earlier this year. While it will be a while before we can find another dog who lives up to the enormous influence he had on us, we’re happy to support the shelter where we got him. Washington Animal Rescue League is a no-kill adoption agency in northeast DC with an innovative approach to the design of their shelter.

Last year breast cancer claimed the life of Sarah’s grandmother, a larger-than-life woman who had a profound effect on the lives of everyone around her. We’re still reeling from the loss. Sarah’s grandmother’s legacy, besides three wonderful granddaughters, was an aesthetic, a sense of fashion, and a positive outlook on the world. I think she would like Komen–a grassroots organization with its own sense of style and a unique voice among support groups.

Owning a design firm is filled with rewards–exciting work, fantastic collaborators, opportunities to innovate–but suddenly the scope of the reward seems much, much bigger.