Last week, our CEO John Lowe drafted a letter to Columbus City Council in support of their resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. Last night, that letter, co-signed by more than 750 Columbus business and organization leaders, was delivered. Since then, another 500 put their names to it. The letter was written prior to the protests and unrest of the last 72 hours, so there is no mention of these events, but they only further underscore the need for meaningful collective action.

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I find inspiration in people who aren’t afraid to be open about their struggles and the sunshine they often find on the other side. I’ve had the privilege of meeting a lot of people and that’s why I know so many of us are touched by mental health challenges—no matter what it looks like on the outside.

Earlier this year, inspired by a great conversation I had with an incredible woman in Houston named Tayler and my discovery of Depressed Cake Shop, we decided to work on a new flavor for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. 

The flavor is called Sunshine. But it’s a trick: It looks the opposite of how it tastes—gray in color but tastes like a ray of sunshine on your tongue. It’s a play on the mind (because we eat with our eyes first) and a pleasant reminder that things aren’t always as they seem.

We had no inkling that this is what the world would look like when it came time to release this flavor. We thought about not putting it out but then realized that while the nature of the world has changed, the message is still the same. 

Sometimes when you are caught in a terrific storm, you feel like the only one who has ever been there before. What we often hear are people sharing their “I came out of this” story. But sometimes you’re IN it and it feels like you’ll never make it through. And that’s normal. And how many of us feel right now. 

Our hope is simply to remind us as a collective that when gray clouds descend on our lives, the sun always shines again. But, if this flavor also helps explain resilience to a child, or brighten a day for a grandmother or friend, then it will have been worth the effort. 

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Here’s your next at-home project: our no-bake, use-whatever-you’ve-got sundae brunch board. Featuring ice creams fresher than a farmers market that’ll help you lean full tilt into the season. The beauty of our boards is that they are 100% customizable, so feel free to make it your own. But if you want a great place to start, here’s what’s on our sundae brunch board:

Ice creams: Lemon & Blueberries Parfait, refreshing Frosé sorbet, and my seasonal favorite Strawberry Buttermilk (our Raspberry Rose Jelly Donut would work very well here, too)

Sauces: Extra-bitter hot fudge sauce (recipe below), strawberry sauce (from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home), wildflower honey 

Toppings: Fresh fruit, mini pancakes, crepes, waffles, or mini cast iron pancakes, nuts or granola, Jeni’s salty-sweet Donut Gravel (recipe below), fresh herbs like mint, and some loose whipped cream

Remember, these are just suggestions! The whole board can truly be assembled with whatever you’ve got in your pantry, fridge, or freezer. But if you’re looking for a few simple cooking projects that’ll work great for this board, here are a few of Jeni’s go-tos: 

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Last year, when we launched our zero waste shops initiative, our goal was to divert 75 tons of waste from the landfill through our recycling and composting program in our shops and kitchen. This Earth Day, we thought we’d share a little update. 

With the help of our amazing compost partners and you, our customers, we have successfully diverted over 100 tons of waste from the landfill. 

We owe a HUGE thank you to the compost companies who have partnered with us this year. Our composting partners include Rust Belt Riders in Chagrin Falls, The Compost Company in Nashville, WasteNot Compost in Chicago, CompostNow in Atlanta and Charleston, Compost Cab in Washington, D.C., St. Louis Compost in St. Louis, Crown Town Compost in Charlotte, Break it Down in Austin, and Republic Services at our Larchmont shop. And we’re pleased to announce our new Columbus partner, GoZERO. 

In case you’re unfamiliar with our zero waste initiative, currently, 95% of what you buy in a scoop shop can be reused, recycled, or composted. Instead of taking hundreds of years to break down, it only takes a matter of months to turn our spent bowls, spoons, napkins, and ice cream (all of which are compostable) into nutrient-rich compost. Compost that has been sold or given away to local farmers or residents. 

While we take a quick beat today to celebrate all the hard work and coordination and participation that has gone into our efforts—we know our work is far from done. For 2020, we’ll continue to expand these efforts in our new communities, outfit our newest shops with the latest water-saving technology, and continue to find ways to reduce packaging behind the line. As a proud certified B Corp, we’re continuing to push forward every day, aiming to be the best possible stewards of our environment and our community. Happy Earth Day. 

For more of a look back on our 2019 sustainability efforts, as well as our community involvement, check out our annual report. 

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Jeni just discovered our custom Zoom backgrounds and now she won’t stop using them … and scheduling meetings that could have been an email. But we’re not mad at it. Put the joy back in your video conferencing with our new backdrops below! Right-click to save.

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