Student Transferred Christmas Business to Local Nonprofit
Cooper Dunning donated his holiday business to BackPack Beginnings to pursue college studies.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Philanthropy
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College freshman Cooper Dunning has transferred ownership of his holiday business, Cooper's Christmas Balls, to the Greensboro nonprofit BackPack Beginnings. The transition allows Dunning to focus on his studies while ensuring the Sunset Hills tradition continues to serve the community.
Why it matters
The transfer secures the future of a beloved neighborhood tradition while providing a funding mechanism for a new social initiative. Proceeds from the business will now support programs aimed at providing flexible employment for local families.
The holiday ornaments remain priced at $25 each for the upcoming season. Proceeds from these sales will now directly fund the newly established FlexWorks program at BackPack Beginnings.
The players
Cooper Dunning
The founder of Cooper's Christmas Balls who started the business as a fifth-grader and is currently a college freshman.
BackPack Beginnings
A Greensboro-based nonprofit organization that serves local families and will now operate the holiday business to fund new programs.
The details
The business, which Dunning founded in fifth grade, sells decorated globes of lights that have become a hallmark of the Sunset Hills area. BackPack Beginnings will utilize the revenue to launch its FlexWorks program, which focuses on creating flexible paid work opportunities for local families in need.
Timeline
October 15: Sales of the Christmas balls begin.
Market Landscape
This transition aligns with the growth of local nonprofits adopting social enterprise models to secure diversified funding streams. By integrating a seasonal business into its operations, BackPack Beginnings positions itself to better address local economic instability.
Residents in the Sunset Hills area can continue purchasing their holiday ornaments as usual starting in mid-October. This change ensures that individual holiday spending directly contributes to funding new paid work opportunities for local families.
The takeaway
Donating a successful business to a nonprofit serves as an effective model for ensuring the longevity of local traditions while funding social services. Residents can support both the community and the new initiative by maintaining their patronage of the annual ornament sales.
Further reading
For more on community-focused charitable efforts, visit Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WXII.
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