Photo by Jim Graham
In November 2015, Kevin Nolan announced the creation of Nolan in the Neighborhood. Through this program, his successful painting company will invest $1 million in community-based nonprofit organizations over the next 10 years.
And while the name may be new, Nolan’s generosity is not. For quite some time, his annual charitable donations have totaled $100,000 per year and that generosity extends into every town along the Main Line.
But this is no fancy-pants foundation. It’s painter’s pants that Nolan wore to build his company—and his grassroots business philosophy informs his philanthropy. “There are some weekends where we have at least five events that our employees attend,” says Nolan. “It’s amazing how many people we meet. At the end of the day, people do business with people they know, like and respect.”
While it might seem like Nolan’s contributions are everywhere, he does focus his efforts on community-improvement projects, environmental conservation, the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, childhood arts education, and runs and walks that raise money for medical research. Among Nolan’s favorite events is the Reindeer Romp, the mid-December 5K run/walk that has raised more than $320,000 for the American Cancer Society.
“It’s also good business,” says Nolan. “There are benefits to giving of time, treasure and talent.”
