Danny Song’s journey to becoming the new CEO of Give Services began years ago. Before he served as the Founder and Executive Director of Believe Memphis Academy Charter School, and before he helped found four different charter schools in Memphis and Nashville, Danny and his wife Sarah joined the education reform movement as part of the first Memphis Teacher Residency class.
His vision for Give Services grows directly out of that experience working in Memphis schools. Danny said,
“What I learned during my time in the classroom is this: we're all far more connected and far more dependent on each other than we often realize. Each of us in every industry must decide - are we going to lean in or out? My role as CEO of Give Services provides me the opportunity to lean in – to create jobs in our community, to build pathways toward career growth, and to partner with other corporations and nonprofits in providing high-quality products in commercial cleaning and custom apparel.”
As the new CEO of Give Services, Danny aims to grow a community-based for-profit business with a built-in giving model. In short, Give Services meets their clients’ needs while also giving back. Through Give Threads, the company provides schools and businesses with custom branded uniforms. Give Clean provides the Mid-South with a full-service commercial cleaning company for offices, schools, medical facilities, and more.
Give Services donates 10% of its profits to support its foundation. Lionheart is a nonprofit organization committed to providing emotional literacy curriculum and educational programming to prisons, social service agencies, schools, and community programs across the country, empowering vulnerable populations to access life-saving resources. Since 2018, Give Services has given away more than $700,000 in philanthropy both locally and internationally.
In his first 90 days on the job, Danny has established and formalized a leadership team, implemented new policies and systems, and is in the process of establishing a growth strategy.
“Give Services is a company that derives its name from the reason it was founded: we're in business, so we can give. We ambitiously work to grow our business, so we can grow the impact of our giving here in Memphis and across the globe to countries like Uganda, Pakistan, and Cambodia.”
In addition to his work with Give Services, Danny serves as an advisor to the Board of Directors at Believe Memphis Academy. He consults with select education and nonprofit leaders in Memphis and is an active member of Second Presbyterian Church, where he serves on the Diversity Committee. He is a 2015 and 2017 recipient of the national Sontag Prize in Urban Education and a recipient of the 2023 New Memphis Educator of Excellence Award. Danny holds a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Urban Education from Union University.
Memphis is a better place with changemakers like Danny Song working to make a positive impact on our community!
This blog was written by the Campfire Collective
Campfire Collective is a Memphis-based marketing and communications agency focused on igniting creativity for community focused organizations. Learn more at at buildacampfire.com.
