2016 Community Impact Awards: Business of the Year – Small

Gold Award:
Sleep Train
Location: Kent | Employees: 340 | Top Exec: Hernani Alves, divisional president | sleeptrain.com

Many people think were in the business of selling mattresses, says Sleep Train Divisional President Hernani Alves, but were really in the business of helping people sleep better so they can live happy, healthier lives. Sleep Train (formerly Sleep Country USA in Washington) is a leading bedding specialist in the West, known for its customer service and employing a knowledgeable sales team to make shopping for a mattress simple and enjoyable. Sleep Train, owned by the Houston-based MFRM Family of Brands, has a long history of giving back to the community through its Foster Kids Program and annual donation drives for essential items and cash. One of our founding principles was that people are what matter, and philanthropy is a pillar of our company, says Alves. Sleep Train strives to inspire others to take action to educate the community about the needs of foster children. We aim to demonstrate that foster kids are an integral part of our future, Alves notes, and that anyone can make a difference in a foster childs life.

Silver Award:
Glassybaby
Location: Seattle | Employees: 284 | Top Exec: Lee Rhodes, founder | glassybaby.com

Founded in 2001 by three-time cancer survivor Lee Rhodes, Glassybaby produces hand-blown votives made by glassblowers in Seattle and Berkeley, California. Rhodes started the company, which donates 10 percent of its sales to nonprofits, as a way to give hope and healing to the com-munity. Of the $1.33 million that Glassybaby gave to nonprofit organizations in 2015, $720,864 was donated to partner organizations in Washington state.