User:Saporitt/sandbox

Island Strong was created to celebrate all the great aspects of living on Long Island. The incredible entrepreneurial spirit possessed by the small business owners. The unrelenting drive and focus of the athletes, artists, local heroes and the spectacular landscapes we take for granted every day from Manhattan to Montauk. They love where they live and they owe everything they have to the Long Islanders before them. Your Island Strong community will ensure future generations enjoy an even greater experience. Their mission continues to be one of social entrepreneurship. Where a portion of every venture taken gives back to the community in the form of donations and exposure. Anytime you as a supporter of Long Island Strong purchase any of their products or collaborative efforts with other businesses are in turn giving back to your community. Support Local and Stay Strong

Early history
The brand began at the end of 2014 with the original Island Strong Logo. Terrance Saporito and Brian Jones owned a college humor t-shirt business called SINSattire and Terrance created the Island Strong Logo as an homage to the island which they were raised. The response was so great they closed SINS and expanded to multiple designs like the "Long Island Mermaid", "Peace Love Long Island", the "Parkway" logo and many others. During this time, local athlete Chris Wade had just made his first UFC appearance and was approached by Saporito and Jones to become part owner of the company. For two years the three partners worked to build Long Island Strong's reputation through festivals, events, and community outreach. In 2016 Terrance's longtime mentor Al Carrabis joined the group and became the fourth partner of Island Strong.

Collaborations
Long Island Strong believes strongly in assisting with the expansion and prosperity of small local businesses. The four have partnered with local Long Island businesses like Gage Sunglasses, Jamesport Farm Brewery, Lithology Brewing Co., and Happy Camper Candle to name a few. They run a collaborative effort with Gage Sunglasses to raise awareness for local businesses through an LI adventure huntLong Island Adventure hunt, an island-wide scavenger hunt aimed at promoting small business and expanding their reach through social media.