In Washington D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood, a small ice cream shop is serving up freshly made cones with a generous spirit. At Everyday Sundae, owner Charles Foreman believes no one should miss out on ice cream — regardless of their ability to pay. Committed to making a difference in his community, he quietly offers free cones to those in need, ensuring everyone has a chance to enjoy a scoop of kindness.
“You know when they come in, you can see it”.“It was natural in me to (notice) some of the kids have it and some of the kids don’t have it. So I’m gonna sponsor them.”
“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for 20 years,” he says, adding that he’s also been a chef for two decades. “I just wanted to be a part of that change and show the kids that look like me and look like my son that it’s still a neighborhood for everybody.”
He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked as a corporate chef for over two decades. But due to COVID, he lost his job and began pondering what to do next. Then, a friend asked him some intriguing questions that eventually inspired him to do something significant for his community.
‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’
Foreman started Everyday Sundae in July 2021
A Step forward to change
“You know, they say that an ice cream shop in your neighborhood is an indication that the neighborhood is turning around, and that things are getting better,” Foreman says.
“Anybody that knows this area knows Kennedy Street is not the most cordial area, it can get dicey out there, let’s put it that way. So that was it. I just wanted to be right dead center in my community and do something that was positive.”
Scoop Fund - Chain of Giving
“When I first opened, there was a group of mommies who came in every Friday with their kids. One Friday, one of the moms, Nicole Harkin, noticed me giving free ice cream to a group of kids I know from the neighborhood, whose families don’t have a lot of resources. The next week, Nicole came in and passed me an envelope with five $20 bills and told me to keep up the good work.”
This simple act sparked a ripple effect of generosity: customers began giving Foreman extra money to pay for ice cream for strangers they’d never met.
“You know, giving stuff away when you’re a small business owner isn’t great business practice,” Harkin tells TODAY.com with a laugh. “But I could see him trying to do a bigger thing to improve the neighborhood. It was just really nice to see him give those ice cream cones away and really make a tangible difference in his neighborhood.”
“Pay it Forward" chain
“A police officer came in and bought ice cream and said he wanted to buy two scoops for the next two kids that came in,” Foreman says. “So the next two kids came in with their mom and I said, ‘There was an officer and he bought the next two scoops,’ and she was like, ‘Well we want to buy two scoops for the next kids after us.’”
“The thing is, everybody loves ice cream and you can’t be mad and order ice cream, right? How can you be upset and be like, ‘Yeah, give me a scoop of chocolate,’ right? It’s impossible,” Foreman says.
“Everyone walks away with a smile,” he says. “If you can’t afford it, and I give you one for free, your smile’s even bigger, you know what I mean? That’s all it is.”
What Marketer can learn from Everyday Sundae
Freebies or Discounts for the less fortunate:
Charles Foreman wanted to create smiles for those who couldn’t afford ice cream, so he gave it for free and started a Scoop Fund to allow his customers to donate. If you are selling essential items, you can offer them at a discounted rate or for free to people who can’t afford them.
Example:
- Cursor – AI coding tool is now offering students a free one-year Pro subscription. The plan includes access to premium models, fast request limits, and unlimited slow requests.
- Canva offers a free version specifically for K-12 (primary and secondary) students and teachers through Canva for Education.
- Google offers a free version of Google Workspace for Education, specifically designed for K–12 students and teachers.
Note: If you’re offering any essential physical products, consider creating a fund similar to the Scoop Fund and ask for small donations. Also, be mindful when offering freebies and discounts.