The Bonita Family often defines itself as a “for-profit philanthropy”. The Bonita Family’s mission is to spread freedom and happiness throughout the world and as such each of the businesses and organizations of the Bonita Family fits into a broader philanthropic strategy. The Bonita Family considers that operating on a for-profit basis is essential to maximize efficiency and impact.
This position is rooted in a performance-driven assessment. On the one hand, very few people would give money to a stranger missing as little as one dollar to complete a purchase at the supermarket. Therefore, when someone makes the decision of allocating a part of his jealously guarded income to purchase a product or service, this decision is a strong testimony of the value-added of the service for the individual. For this decision demonstrates that the product or service (1) connects with the perceived needs of the community and (2) managed to rank higher in their list of priorities. And these two later aspects are particularly important when it comes to practicing philanthropy in a productive, efficient and impactful manner.
From a different perspective, operating on a for-profit basis provides sustainability, independence and focus. Operations are self-funded and therefore financially sustainable and can be entirely focused on mission. This removes the need to hunt for donors and have them interfere with the daily operations of the organization in exchange for their money. This also removes distractions such as excessive focus on political correctness to avoid alienating donors.
For all these reasons and others, while a number of the organizations of the family operate shelters, free-meal programs and similar local initiatives, the Bonita Family believes that the best philanthropy is a regular business having a philanthropic vision.
The Bonita Family is animated by a Christian vision to transform the world. However the Christian vision and the approach to philanthropy of the family is very different from everything people are typically used to. For example, where most Christians condemn lesbians and prostitutes, the Bonita Family works with them, and it does so not by patronizing them but by operating businesses serving these communities to help them live the life they have chosen in a safe and fulfilling way (under the condition that our activity facilitates a clear path to salvation for them - we are obviously not in the business of sponsoring sins).
The truth is that for many observers, a number of the businesses of the Bonita Family may seem very ungodly. For the Bonita Family operates businesses without regards to any taboo. The only limits observed are the ones set by law. Indeed, through its various businesses, the Bonita Family follows the example of Jesus-Christ who did eat and drink with believers and unbelievers alike (and was criticized for this by many observers, just like we are). The Bonita Family also follows the example of the apostle Paul who boasted that he made himself the servant of everyone in order to win many to the Lord, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 9:21: which says:
For though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation. And to the Jews, I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them, to those under the law [of Moses], I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law. To those without the law, I was as one without the law. To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble so that they might have salvation, and I do all things for the cause of the good news so that I may have a part in it, 1 Corinthians 9:21, Bible in Basic English
Service not intolerance is the key to Christianity. And nowadays there is no better way of serving people than by operating a business serving them. We therefore operate many of the businesses and organizations that a traditional Christian would expect us to operate, but we also operate many businesses and organizations that a traditional Christian would not expect us to operate.
For the Bonita Family wants to extend the love and the Freedom of God to all, using a triangular strategy consisting in (1) enlightening: proposing paradigms and lifestyles giving freedom and happiness to people, (2) inspiring: inspiring people by setting lifestyles and providing tools, products and services enabling others to live a quality life, (3) Caring: caring about the health, freedom and happiness of all to give a path to salvation to all through inspirational products, services and quality of service. And doing so by providing a clear path to Jesus-Christ and glorifying his name while keeping our businesses neutral from a religious point of view (we typically solve this equation by sticking to promoting the Bonita brand and lifestyle through our businesses - which is usually enough to allow us to meet our religious goals while staying away from religious activism in our businesses).
Through its various businesses and organizations, the Bonita Family has a freewill-centered vision of Christianity. For the Bonita Family believes that Christianity is not about setting rules and laws, but about inspiring and convincing others through practical teachings and real-world models. Therefore, while we define priorities, the Bonita Family values every win no matter how small it may seem. This means that if through our service, someone not caring about Christianity can be inspired to embrace as little as one aspect of the Christian message in his life, we consider it a major victory. For this reason, while our religious platform is particularly strict when it comes to biblical doctrine, the business platform of the Bonita Family focuses on including people in the love of God, not on excluding them.
For while the Bonita Family believes that Christianity has all the answers and all the solutions, we do not believe that we have all the answers and all the solutions to the practical realities of each of the unique lives of the billions of people living on earth. We therefore strive to build and operate businesses serving all communities and lifestyles. And our experience has taught us that it is only by demonstrating this level of humility and true Christian love that a Christian can grow spiritually. For intolerance and dogmatism never fail to limit spiritual insight.
The dualism of Christianity is that while a Christian needs to be sure of the reality and power of what he lives and believes, and while he must not compromise on the teachings of the Bible for his own personal life, he must at the same time keep in mind that Christianity is deeply personal. He needs to keep in mind that Christianity is a personal knowledge, a personal awareness and a personal experience that cannot be transferred.
For the only thing a Christian can do is to try to inspire others to get them to the point where they aspire to pursue and deepen spiritual knowledge on their own initiative and for their own benefit. And the key word here is inspiring. For one can only inspire by (1) caring for the other person and (2) understanding the other person, and this is best achieved by serving the other person.
For this reason the Bonita Family aspires to serve the largest number of people through its various businesses and organizations around the world and the Bonita House Foundation plays a key role in supporting the Bonita Family in this journey.