WILLIAMSBURG — Local business owner, Amanda Parrish, decided to give back to her community this holiday season.
Since founding The Green Cauldron Apothecary, which provides holistic remedies made from over 120 different herbs, Amanda has been finding ways to provide community organizations with support in the form of promotions and donations. This winter she decided to provide toys and items needed for local families during the holiday season.
Amanda chose to collect donations for Avalon, a community outreach program offering safe shelter and support programs to victims of domestic abuse.
“Every year I pick someplace to donate to and I try to do something that’s local and close to my heart,” said Amanda. “I grew up in a lot of family violence, and just didn’t have a lot growing up. So this year, I didn’t even know that there was a domestic violence shelter in town. Once it was brought to my attention I knew that’s what I needed to donate to. “
Amanda says that working with Avalon turned out to be an incredible experience. She made a post on her business page telling locals that if they brought in donations for the cause that they would get a percentage off. She matched everything donation that came in the door. Her business has helped raise over $1,200 worth of donations; a value of which took the form of toys, household needs, and other items.
“I got stopped in Walmart when we were filling up carts. I had four carts chained together and people were asking what we were doing,” she said. “When we started telling them, they didn’t even know that they had that here in Williamsburg or that we had that resource for women.”
Though the donation collection ended this week, Amanda says that she is always looking for opportunities to help out others in the community.
“I’m constantly trying to think of new ways to help the community. During pride month we did ten percent of sales to LOVE IS LOVE here in Williamsburg,” said Amanda. “Anything that’s local that I feel needs a little extra love or that needs people to notice that they’re here, and that they’re working, and that they’re doing great stuff too. I will 100 percent promote it, donate to it, anything.”