That 1 Painter: Painting a Better Future

Sometimes, uplifting a community takes just a fresh coat of paint. For a week in June, That 1 Painter gave away an estimated $1 million worth of paint and labor to businesses and residents across the nation who were in need of one. By Kelsi Trinidad

Sometimes, uplifting a community takes just a fresh coat of paint. For a week in June, That 1 Painter gave away an estimated $1 million worth of paint and labor to businesses and residents across the nation who were in need of one.

It’s a way for That 1 Painter and its franchisees to give back to the communities they serve. No one understands that better than Steven Montgomery, CEO of ResiBrands, the parent company of That 1 Painter. He started in the business as a painter, beginning his career in the home improvement industry with only a paintbrush.

“I think the core of That 1 Painter has always been kindness and giving back to our communities,” said Vice President of Marketing Benjamin Garrett. “We try to keep that philosophy central to the brand.”

The company recognizes that the act of painting is much more than an aesthetic touch or a maintenance task. It transforms someone’s space and can play a central role in how people feel about their surroundings and their lives. A fresh coat of paint can represent a new lease on life for businesses and residents of a community, and that’s the philosophy behind Paint It Forward, That 1 Painter’s annual charitable initiative.

For one week every year, That 1 Painter’s franchise owners team up to give complimentary painting transformations to families, small businesses and nonprofits in their local communities. Residents are able to nominate neighbors in need of a free paint transformation. This results in more than 100 simultaneous painting projects during the seven-day event across the nation. That 1 Painter’s website describes the event as: “Our way of giving back – one home, one story, one fresh coat at a time.”

“It’s really well received by our franchisees,” said Garrett. “For quite a few of them, this was probably one of the top three reasons they went with That 1 Painter over other competitors in the painting space. It’s a really good way to have our owners participating hyper-locally and giving back to their communities.”