Refill Goodness Fire Recovery Fund

Refill Goodness is a women-owned small business started by Jenn Szalkowski and Jenny Vedrani. The company has two locations Cleveland, Ohio (Jenn) and Stevensville, Maryland (Jenny).

For the past two years, I have watched two amazing women work hard to build a business with the goal of "sustainability made simple." A company that was born from the idea of helping people avoid single-use plastic and move away from a disposable lifestyle. They spent almost a year researching and finding local companies to partner with that shared their same vision and values. Partners who would deliver the best possible low-waste alternatives and bulk refills for their customer's household needs. After hard work, sacrifices, love and support from friends and family, the company was launched. It immediately made a positive impact by helping those who want to make a difference in the environment.

Jenn and Jenny are more than business owners. They spend a lot of time promoting environmental policy, educating the community on the risks of single-use plastic, and other ways to help others leave the planet in a better condition than the way they found it. They work with other small local businesses and makers (artists) to help promote their products and do what they can to help others be successful. Both always lead by example for what it means to be better for your community.

On August 12, 2022, a fire destroyed the Refill Goodness Ohio location (The Screw Factory). Thankfully the fire happened in the evening, and nobody was hurt; the fire was contained to a single floor, and the damage to other businesses was minimal. This unfortunate event could not have happened at a worse possible time. The summer is farmer market season, and August is the beginning of prepping for the holiday season. The Ohio location was also their primary warehouse location for both stores.

I am asking all friends, family, and community members to help Jenn and Jenny rebuild and help cover the costs the insurance company will not cover. Now is the time we can truly support our friends and women-owned small business owners. All proceeds will go to Refill Goodness and their hopes of being able to recover from this tragedy.

You can learn more about the fire and their efforts to rebuild by following @refillgoodness on Instagram and Facebook or visiting their website at www.refillgoodness.com. Thank you for being so supportive!