Just this month it was announced that Granny’s Attic awarded more than $100,000 to local nonprofits. Of that, $90,000 went to Vashon Community Care, an organization that routinely seeks community support to help it stay operational.

Bravo to Granny’s; it epitomizes everything a community should strive for. Not only is Granny’s reusing old clothing, furniture, toys and anything else that is no longer needed by its former owners, it is selling it for others to use and then turns around and puts that money right back into the community. The store is a win-win-win: Those with too much stuff sitting around can get rid of it, knowing it will not go to waste. Meanwhile, Granny’s sells the items to those who need them; the community reaps the benefits of the sales, and Granny’s becomes more successful because of its humanitarian, charitable donations.

I have seen nothing like this anywhere else, and it’s so refreshing to see a local business giving back to the community that supports it. In the past, they gave specifically to the Vashon Health Clinic, but cut ties when it was bought by CHI Franciscan Health. So began the ties with the many local nonprofits.

In science, students learn about symbiotic relationships, like when a small fish attaches to a large whale, and both parties benefit: The fish eats the annoying animals and plants that grow on the whale, and the fish gets a free ride. Granny’s and the Vashon community are an example of a textbook symbiotic relationship. This example is even more refreshing to see in a world that seems is becoming ever more dependent on squeezing every last dollar out of consumers and giving nothing in return.

Granny’s business plan is a simple lesson in business ethics and smart strategy. If you treat those you serve with respect and show them that you care about the community you provide for, they will reciprocate and come back time and again to make contributions. In Granny’s case, customers aren’t just shopping, but returning because they know their money will go toward something bigger and better that they could not have accomplished on their own.