How We Give Back

As humans, we have relied on bees for thousands of years. But in the past decade, honey bee populations in the U.S. have radically declined for a number of reasons. To do our part, we converted and maintain over 40 acres of previously conventionally farmed land on our Kent Island farm to native wildflower fields. We harvest our honey here, apply a light human touch, and provide you and the stores where you shop with Bee Inspired® goods.

The conversion of our farmland was no small task—soil needed to be regenerated, open land heavily replanted, and coastal areas abated in order to stabilize the landscape. We worked with other local beekeepers, area ecologists, and government agencies to ensure that this work was done properly. This has paid off—we have a healthy population of native birds, pollinators, birds of prey, and waterfowl.

Our environment is not our only concern—we believe that building a strong tie with our community is essential. Without the support of our community, we would not be able to do the work we love.

This is why founder Kara Brook Brown dedicates a portion of our annual profits to be funneled back into community organizations, specifically ones focused on elevating children and young adults in underserved areas.

Being a small business is not without its challenges. However, the connections that we've been able to build over time have allowed us to give back to those who've supported us, allowing us to grow and share our Bee Inspired® mission.

When Kara's father passed away, her family learned they'd lose his full death benefits if she wasn't enrolled in college. So, at 16, she dropped out of high school and enrolled in community college. That year, she took her portfolio to the Maryland College Institute of Art, was accepted, and transferred at age 17. She had no idea how expensive it would be. The College sheltered her from that somewhat, and she's grateful for the help they gave her—a MICA scholarship and information on other places to apply for more aid. She was awarded quite a few scholarships, and applied to any place that offered money for school.

Kara's has never taken a predictable path, so the idea that, at age 34, she established an endowed scholarship in her father’s name—something that seemed like a natural way for her to give a helping hand to current students at her alma mater. She was amazed that more successful businesspeople didn't make it a priority to give back to the institutions that helped get them where they are. She did it in part to honor her father’s memory, but really wanted to help other students like her. To date, the endowment is in excess of $150,000 and over 30 scholarships have been awarded in the last 20 years.