Hi Diana — thanks for your response and completely see where you’re coming from here. You’re definitely right, the income disparity in our country is a very real issue, so no disputing that. To my point about the hate mail, we actually have offered discounts and scholarships to those with financial need, and as I mentioned in the article, most times they never take us up on it. Additionally, many of our products actually create jobs, create entrepreneurs and businesses (not just our own, but out of our customers, too), and include pro bono opportunities and scholarships for those with financial need.

In fact, one of our former clients ended up using the skills and tools we provided her to create her very own organization that has helped over 30,000 kids living in poverty to close the literacy gap and address the issues of socioeconomic and income inequity. We have continued to support her in that effort and have helped her gain national exposure to further expand her mission, well beyond her time as a paying customer. She has offered to pay us for our part in this effort, and we have declined compensation. It’s not something we post about or include in our marketing; we didn’t do it for a tax write-off; we did it because we wanted to further promote her cause and aid in her mission to help thousands of others who happened to be born into disadvantaged situations. We didn’t have to do that; we chose to. Some people and companies may actually be making more of an impact than you realize; they just may not feel the need to post about those contributions (kind of takes the sincerity out of it, if it’s simply a PR move, don’t you think?).

Point being, we try to do our part, but of course, there’s always room for more and for more people and companies to step in, as well. :)