Several years ago, Mission Linen Supply, based in Santa Barbara, CA, found an unusual way to celebrate the holiday season. It loaded up one of its trucks with older jackets and uniforms, drove to an area frequented by homeless people, then handed out the clothing so they could keep warm.
 
The nearly 80-year-old company, which mainly services the industrial, hospitality and healthcare markets, has a long history of philanthropy, says Kim Garden, marketing director at Mission. She points to its 50 facilities throughout the West, which have been donating to local causes for years. Mission has done ...