BRUCE KAPLAN displays his Social Mission Award in his Ben and Jerry’s in Northwest Portland.

Ice cream shop owner scoops up social action award

By Deborah Moon

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Ben and Jerry’s Portland franchise owner Bruce Kaplan earned the company’s Social Mission Award at its 2008 Global Gathering held Jan. 17-20 in Cancun, Mexico.

“Ben and Jerry’s honors one franchise from around the world for their social mission,” said Kaplan during a recent interview while sitting in his franchise at 39 NW 23rd Place, noting there are 450 Ben and Jerry’s nationwide.

Like Judaism, Ben and Jerry’s rests on three pillars—social commitment to the community, product quality and economic reward, said Kaplan.

“Both the founders (Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield) are Jewish,” he said. “The company is involved in global warming issues, social responsibility and politics. Just go to the Web site (www.benjerry.com).”

Kaplan’s involvement with Ben and Jerry’s began via a social action effort. After retiring from Nike, he got involved with New Avenues for Youth in January 2004. As the enterprise manager for the non-profit agency created to help at-risk and homeless youth, Kaplan developed a job training program, found a location and helped the New Avenues launch a Ben and Jerry’s at 524 SW Yamhill. That scoop shop supports the non-profit and provides job experience for at-risk youths.

Kaplan was so impressed by that experience with Ben and Jerry’s that about three years ago he bought the scoop shop on 23rd Place. Last July he opened another shop in the Pearl District at 310 NW 10th.

In recognition that Portland generally and the Pearl District in particular are dog-friendly places, Kaplan used the grand opening for that store as a fund-raiser for the Humane Society.

Kaplan said he tries to keep a narrow focus for his community service.

“Every small business is asked and tugged and pulled to support a lot of different needs,” he said. “I focus on reading and schools.”

“I worked with school principals and librarians to encourage students to read more,” he said. “I awarded those who met criteria with bookmarks redeemable for free ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s.”

In 2006, he donated ice cream, sundae fixings and people to scoop scoops for Cedar Sinai Park’s annual fundraiser benefiting Robison Home, which is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. The sundae station was part of CSP’s “Bet on Our Future II” event at the Portland Art Museum.

CSP Development Director Debbi Bodie said, “It was a huge hit and we were so grateful to him for his generosity and support of our organization that year. He donated the ice cream and his staff volunteered and scooped up sundaes for our crowd. It was a fun element.”

“I’ve been a supporter and donator to the Jewish Federation for a number of years,” Kaplan said. “I felt this was an appropriate fund-raiser where I felt I could have an impact.”

On June 1, he plans to donate all the ice cream for the JFGP’s Sundae Singalong at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

“I do feel I want to be part of the Jewish community in Portland in some small way,” he said, noting he has also been a provider (not donator) of ice cream at some events for Congregation Beth Israel.

“My parents set a good example,” Kaplan said of his desire to give back to the community. “When I left Nike, I felt like I wanted to get involved working with kids and coaching. So I got involved with New Avenues for Youth.”

At the Ben and Jerry’s annual conference, the group maintained its community focus by volunteering one day to refurbish a local children’s school in Puerto Morelos.