Verde, a new salad-focused, quick service restaurant on King St., decided to celebrate their Grand Opening and participate in the 2nd Annual “Small Business Saturday.” Verde has spearheaded the movement in Charleston and is encouraging holiday shoppers to shop and eat small this Saturday, November 26.

Several local Charleston businesses will join the national Small Business Saturday (SBS) movement, which has support from American Express, Federal Express, the Better Business Bureau and others. Strategically planned between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday encourages shoppers to favor the locally owned businesses that are often the soul of their communities. Now in its second year, organizers credit the effort for helping increase same day sales by 27% in 2010, over 2009.

“At Verde, we are committed to all things green, which includes sustainable shopping,” says owner Jennifer Ferrebee. “What better way to help the local economy than to encourage people to shop small and patronize their locally owned merchants?”

To encourage shoppers to eat local and celebrate its Grand Opening that day, Verde will offer several specially priced “Small Business Salads” for only $5 (regularly priced at $8.95). Guests can also sign up to win one of three Verde gift packs, which each include a $20 Verde certificate and Buy Local Card from Lowcountry Local First. Buy Local Cards will also be available for purchase.

Verde’s owners have recruited other local businesses to join the Small Business Saturday, including:

• Hampden Clothing (314 King St.): 20% off all regularly priced items
• The Vault (307 King St.): 10% discount for locals
• Worthwhile (268 King St.): 20% off clothing, shoes and accessories
• Charleston Mattress (main: 10 Storehouse Row, Mom & Pop-Up Shop: 359 King St.): Free vintage wash tee with purchase of mattress if you mention this deal. $20 value
• Finicky Filly (303 King St.): 30% off jewelry
• Haute Hanger (307 King St.): 10% off all items
• Cupcake (433 King St.): Buy a dozen cupcakes and get 4 tokens to use at a later date (token good for 1 cupcake, $11 value)
• Copper Penny and Copper Penny Shooz (311/313 King St. & Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre)- 10-70% off the entire store
• Thera M. (346 King St.): 20% off regularly priced shoes and sweaters

To find out the latest from businesses participating in the event, visit Small Business Saturday in Charleston Facebook event page.

In addition to driving sales to small businesses, this initiative has customer benefits, like special offers and a $25 one-time credit on shoppers’ American Express statements if a minimum of $25 is spent on the card at participating stores.

Verde, Charleston’s first salad-focused, quick service restaurant, is located at 347 King St. The menu features inventive “signature creations,” and guests can choose to “create their own” salad from over 40, fresh ingredients and 13 house-made dressings. Verde is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information, call 843-579-2884 or visit www.eatatverde.com. Connect with Verde on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EatAtVerde.

Verde was included in a SBS video on MSN’s Business on Main site, watch it below:

Live 5 News also covered the movement locally, watch that video here.

We have had the pleasure of working with Crisis Ministries over the last few months to promote the groundbreaking for their new shelter. Below you’ll find the official press release about the event and samples of coverage.

COMMUNITY LEADERS BREAK GROUND ON CHARLESTON’S NEW HOMELESS SHELTER;

FACILITY WILL HELP PROMOTE SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR THOUSANDS OF GUESTS

Community leaders, volunteers and supporters gathered today to break ground on Charleston’s new homeless shelter, a space that will be specifically designed to help homeless men and women achieve self-sufficiency.

Founded in 1984, Crisis Ministries has always operated out of donated, retrofitted space. Each year, 1,200 guests pour through the doors in search of shelter and 200,000 meals are served to guests and area residents.

The new facility is being built adjacent to the existing shelter complex, with completion expected in 18 to 24 months. It will provide 70 emergency shelter beds, 40 transitional Veterans’ beds, a health clinic, dedicated counseling/group meeting space and a new community soup kitchen.

The fundraising goal for the new shelter is $6 million, $4.7 million of which has been raised. Shelter CEO Stacey Denaux cited a number of area families whose generosity was key to such an effective early capital campaign. “Today is a celebration not only of the future, but of the long and wonderful relationships we enjoy with donors,” said Denaux. “Thanks to these families and foundations, Charleston’s reputation for gracious hospitality will extend to those among us who need it most.”

• The Zucker Family has underwritten the new community Soup Kitchen, which will be an efficient and effective workspace for more than 4,000 volunteers to prepare meals 365 days a year.
• A light-filled dining hall will replace the current space, which serves 175 meals a day and doubles as the men’s dormitory.
• The Bakker Family Food Rescue Center will support the shelter’s efforts to procure and store food donated from all over the community. In a typical year, the shelter recovers $600,000 worth of donated food, but often struggles with appropriate storage and preparation space.
• The Harold C. Schott Dormitory will be a dedicated space for men that brings dignity to the individuals sheltered there. Guests will be provided lockers, beds and clean linens.
• Veterans Programs will expand as the shelter grows from 14 to 40 beds dedicated to men who have served our country (female veterans are housed in 10 beds in the Family Center), which was made possible in part by $1.2 million Veterans Administration New Shelter Capital grant.
• The Homeless Health Clinic currently saves local ERs $60,000 worth of care that would otherwise go to homeless individuals. The new clinic will add private exam rooms, a dental room and a nurse’s station. The Roper Saint Francis Physicians Endowment has launched a matching grant program to help underwrite the $500,000 cost of the clinic. If the community raises $300,000 for the clinic, the Roper St. Francis Physician Endowment will grant Crisis Ministries $200,000. Nearly $190,000 out of $300,000 has already been committed in order to receive this grant.

Denaux also noted that the building has been designed with sustainability in mind. Architects with McMillan Pazdan Smith have included energy-conserving HVAC, water and window systems and reclaimed materials. The building is expected to qualify for LEED status as designated by the United States Green Buildings Council.

With today’s groundbreaking ceremony, Crisis Ministries enters the final phase of its effort to raise funds for the building. Community leaders appealed to individuals throughout the community to log onto the “Food Shelter Hope” page at www.foodshelterhope.org and browse among the items needed to equip the shelter. With a simple click, donors can see what their support will help provide.

“For years, Crisis Ministries has been supported through small, yet meaningful, donations,” said Denaux. “We wanted to be sure that members of the community could see the many tangible ways that their support will benefit our guests.”

Check out the video below from Count on 2, and you can also check out this video from ABC News 4. You can also read an account from the Charleston Regional Business Journal about the event.

Additionally, we garnered the following coverage before the groundbreaking:

• Post & Courier architecture story
• Charleston Mercury Letter to the Editor
• Charleston City Paper green building story

The South Carolina chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) hosted another successful event this month as over 30 individuals gathered to learn about emerging trends in social media and the programs that drive them. Touchpoint’s own Grace LeSueur organized the luncheon, selecting the topic, booking speakers, and serving as the moderator throughout the 90-minute panel discussion.

Ms. Ashley Thiesen Caldwell, Founder of The Modern Connection, LLC; Mr. Jeff Webster, Public Relations and Digital Media Manager for Orient-Express North America; Ms. Lyn Mettler, Founder and co-owner of Step Ahead, Inc.; and Mr. Adam Nicholas Burke, Social Media Manager at Rawle Murdy Associates, spoke on newer social media applications like Google Buzz, Foursquare, and Gowalla, as well as what we’ve come to call “The Classics”: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Did you know that Facebook is in the process of creating its own location-based service? Or that you don’t need a smart phone to participate in Foursquare? Or that there are a whole slew of analytical measurement tools that are absolutely free?

Keep an eye out for news on the SCPRSA’s next event. Luncheons like these are a great way to educate yourself, to network, and to grow your business or the business of your client! For more information on the Society, click here.

A special thanks to Tara Lynn for her awesome coverage of the event!

Want to see the Nicholas Sparks (author of The Notebook) film adaptation of Dear John before anyone else? Want to see Channing Tatum in person? Want to attend a Hollywood-inspired party in Charleston? You can do all of these at the Dear John Charleston premiere on Sunday, January 24. Proceeds from this exclusive event will benefit Carolina Autism, whose client, Braeden Reed, has a role in the movie.

Charleston premiere of Screen Gems’ Dear John, a film based on the Nicolas Sparks novel. Dear John was filmed around Charleston, and a local child actor has a significant role in the movie. The stars, film crew and other celebrities will be in attendance, and the Official After Party will feature music by DJ Moo Moo, specialty cocktail stations and innovative hors d’oeuvres and desserts by Cru Catering. Tickets are $250 (portion is tax deductible) and include both the screening and after party. Seating is limited to the first 400 guests, and more information and tickets can be purchased at www.dearjohncharlestonpremiere.com. Dress for the evening is cocktail attire.

The premiere is a fundraiser for Carolina Autism, which provides services to Dear John actor, Braeden Reed, 7. Autism now affects 1 in 91 children in the U.S., and Carolina Autism provides early intervention (Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy) to children with autism and manages group homes for adults with autism.

Dear John is a romantic drama about a soldier who falls in love with a conservative college student. The movie tells the story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John’s increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas—correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences. Dear John will open in theaters nationwide on February 5.

Join other Lowcountry businesses for a FREE, 20-minute “Quick Connect” webinar on Wednesday, September 23 at 8:30 a.m.

The topic is “Why Smart Businesses Win By Targeting Nonprofit Customers.”

Webinar description from the Pluff Mud Connect website:

Time is limited and your to-do list is long. We get it. But we also have some great ideas on how and why businesses should be targeting nonprofits as customers. In the time it takes to finish that morning cup of coffee, or idle in traffic, we’ll give you five ideas on how to profit from working with nonprofits. Participants are invited via web and phone. Click here to register and don’t forget to tell your business colleagues.

Is it time to update your old recliner or office chair? Starting Monday, September 7, Relax the Back, a specialty neck and back store in Mt. Pleasant, will offer up to $300 credit toward the purchase of a new office chair or recliner when you trade in your old chair during their “Cash for Clunker Chairs” program. “Cash for Clunker Chairs” will conclude Monday, September 21.

To receive the credit, customers must bring in their old office chair, and recliners will be picked up upon delivery.

Old chairs in good, working condition will be given a new life and will be donated to Carolina Autism to be used in that non-profit’s group homes and offices. There will also be a donation box in-store, and Relax the Back will match these cash donations.

Additionally, Relax the Back just launched a Facebook fan page (Relax the Back Mount Pleasant) and will upload photos of traded-in chairs. Fans will vote on the ugliest chair. The unburdened owner of the “ugliest chair” will win a new chair from Relax the Back.

Unlike the automotive program that inspired it, Relax the Back will find a good home for trade-ins in good condition. Carolina Autism provides in-home Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy to over 150 area children, and services 24 children and adults in eight, local group homes. For more information on Carolina Autism, visit www.carolinaautism.org/ or call 843-573-1905.

Relax the Back carries a variety of office chairs and Zero Gravity recliners for all user needs. Office chairs are ergonomically designed to fit the person to their workspace, and come in an array of colors, materials and features. Zero Gravity recliners are not only comfortable, but also improve circulation, relieve pressure on the back and expands lung capacity.

For more information on Relax the Back, visit www.relaxtheback.com or call 843-881-1866.

Are you a non-profit in the Lowcountry (Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Jasper or Hampton counties)? Could you use $1,000 for a one-time project?

If so, apply for the Thrive! Prize from Pluff Mud Connect, a new web-based matching service for nonprofits and local businesses. Pluff Mud Connect is offered five (5) $1,000 prizes for projects like strengthening a nonprofit’s staff, volunteer base, fund raising, marketing or other infrastructure needs.

To be eligible, applicants must be registered as a 501 (c) 3 and be physically located in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Jasper or Hampton counties. Applicants must also be registered with Pluff Mud Connect (www.pluffmudconnect.com), which is free to all area nonprofits.

To apply for the prize, nonprofits need only answer one very simple question: “If your organization received an extra $1,000 that could only be used for a one-time project…what would you do?” Applicants must submit their answers to the full question at www.pluffmudconnect.com between July 1 and July 31. Winners will be announced in August 2009.

Semi-finalists will be chosen by the Pluff Mud Connect team. Members of the web-based community will then be invited to vote for the five finalists. “Involving our local nonprofit and business members in selecting the winners is a natural choice for us,” said Laura Deaton, founder of the site. “Since the funding is designed to help nonprofits build capacity by using enrolled local service providers, consultants, and businesses, it gets everyone invested in creating a win-win from the start.”

The Thrive! Prize fund is fueled through a portion of the enrollment fees paid by the local consultants, service providers, and businesses that join the service. Launched on May 15^th of this year, Pluff Mud Connect already counts more than 100 members on the site. Collectively, the buying power of its registered nonprofits totaled more than $96 million as of mid-June and business members provide services across more than 75 sub-categories, including infrastructure and technology, web design and other marketing services, printing and direct mail, fundraising, human resources, legal services, accounting services, and more.

Tristan will preview Chef Deal’s second trip to the James Beard House in New York City with a special dinner and fundraiser in Charleston.

The preview dinner – which will showcase the entire menu that Deal will prepare the following week at the famed James Beard House – will take place on Tuesday, January 20, with hors d’oeuvre at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. The seven-course menu will be paired with wine, and will feature sustainable produce from The Chef’s Garden. Tickets are $100 plus tax and gratuity. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Veggie U, a non-profit organization that educates children on making wise food choices that enhance nutrition, combat obesity and emphasize the understanding of sustainable agriculture.

The menu will feature: Charleston She Crab Soup, Duck Confit, Butternut Squash Terrine, Heirloom Beet Salad, White Tuna, Veal Short Rib, Foie Gras Pot De Crème and Mignardises.

Prior to the dinner, Chef Deal and The Chef’s Garden co-owner and farmer, Lee Jones, will hold a demonstration and discussion from 9 -10:30 a.m. at the Culinary Institute of Charleston’s Palmer Campus Demonstration Kitchen. Farmer Jones will discuss the principles behind sustainable agriculture from earth to plate, and Chef Deal will demonstrate his contemporary approaches using The Chef’s Garden produce. This event is free, but a reservation is required because seating is limited. Call 820-5074 to reserve a seat.

Veggie U. was created by Jones and his colleagues at The Chef’s Garden, which supplies the world’s top chefs with over 600 varieties of vegetables, micro greens and herbs. The produce grown at The Chef’s Garden differs from traditional methods because the soil builds year after year, and produce is grown without the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Call 534-2155 to inquire or to make reservations. Seating is limited.