On a subzero day several years ago, Dustin McMillan and his then-8-year-old son decided to go sledding in the bitter Midwestern cold.

“So we pick up his little buddy, and he was wearing a hoodie, jeans and tennies,” said McMillan. “I’m like, ‘Dude, it’s really cold. You have to put on some winter clothes,’ and he’s like, ‘This is all I have.’  ”

It caused McMillan to pause. His entrepreneur-ial spirit was already contemplating his new business, and now he had an idea for the philanthropic angle he wanted to base it on.

“I thought, ‘This kid’s in Dublin, and he doesn’t have hats and gloves. How many kids in Columbus are in this position?’  ”

So, in 2012, when McMillan opened his Columbus-based business, Gluvco, which specializes in safety gloves, he used Toms shoes’ “One for One” philanthropy model as a guide for giving back. McMillan tracks how many pairs of gloves the company sells in a year and then gives that amount back to the community. Last Christmas, he worked with One Church and Columbus Children’s Charity to provide more than 500 pairs of gloves to Moler Elementary School.

“I operate as lean as I can to give back to the community and get my company off the ground,” said McMillan, who is regional manager at Vistda USA while running Gluvco out of the Idea Foundry in Franklinton during his free time. “I’m in a position where I can do both.”

McMillan talked with Columbus CEO about setting his sights on capturing the Columbus market within the next five years. – By Steph Greegor

Help us help Children One Gluv at a Time

Truth is, we wanted to do more than simply start a business. We wanted to give back to the children in our community. According to Ohio’s Kids Count, a 2010 report on child well-being, more than one-third of the counties in the state are experiencing child-poverty rates of 25 percent or higher. In Franklin County alone, the rate of children living in poverty rose to 26.2 percent.

At GLUVCO.com, we want to be part of the solution. For every pair of gloves purchased, we will donate a pair of winter gloves to a child in need. Regardless of the type of glove or the quantity, it’s still a one-for-one donation.

Because we believe that a better future begins with our children.
And the best part we are based right here in the USA!

We are happy to be involved with Social Enterprises in Central Ohio group, click below to learn more.

We will be able to fulfill orders quickly and keep happy customers. The $5,000 will be used for working capital.