It ALL Started When...

Mitchell Marketing Group, dba The Mr. Canary® Company, incorporated in January 1995. Sisters, Jan Long and Christina Mowery started the company selling The Original Mr. Canary® Finch Feeder that was developed by their Dad, Ray Mitchell. In 2012, Chris retired and now Jan maintains the 100%, Woman-Owned business. Chris, always the big sister, remains just a speed-dial away for emergency help, general moral support, or just one of those laughs that are so big it makes your face look weird.

From 1995 until early 2016, a subcontracted workforce at Carey Services, a community service agency in the Mitchell sisters’ hometown of Marion, Indiana, handled all production. Under the watchful eyes of Richard and Pam, Carey provided all sourcing, assembly, packaging, and shipping of Mr. Canary products as part of its many support options for people with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Today, the spirit of that legacy lives on in Mr. Canary Company’s partnership with The Arc of Greater Boone County in Lebanon, Indiana. Directing, Pam spearheads this exciting, mutually-beneficial, and joyful enterprise focusing on shared growth that helps each organization attain individual and mutual goals. Christie, Donna, and John make miracles happen on the weekly out in the plant. They wrangle our team into production superstars who love to take on a challenge.

Since 2018 we’ve partnered with Bosma Enterprises for some of our warehousing and shipping needs. Bosma is a community not-for-profit organization that works with adults who are blind or visually impaired. The teahelp their people learn life skills to stay independent and job skills to be self-sufficient. It’s another remarkable team that helps us grow and evolve. Brian, Jim, and Paul run our direct-to-consumer operation like a well-oiled machine. Adding icing to the cake of a great collaboration, Jan’s Mom, Georgia, was legally blind for a good part of her adult life making this affiliation another that resonates, personally, with our business model.

The Mr. Canary® Company operates with a clear aim; to run a business that makes quality products and a little difference in the community. Our business model dares stereotypes and combines enterprise with social responsibility. Our community partnerships demonstrate the potential of work to ignite achievement and help each other ‘rise’ to our potential. Our mission statement asserts that “our business choices will honor our community, our country, and our planet.” To that end, we make an earnest effort to source recyclable materials from American suppliers when available; and, search for suppliers that utilize sustainable manufacturing methods.

Oh, and one other thing

Mr. Canary is a 100% Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), certified by the State of Indiana. Even though Chris and Jan were certain they’d get certified, it took a mountain of paperwork that included every kind of supporting evidence (except pap smears and breast exams) to convince the skeptics at the Capital. As Jan says, “Finally, in 2003, Indiana recognized us as women… who own a business. So, we’ve got that going for us!”

Currently, our company is in the process of acquiring national certification by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Jan now says, “I had to supply WBENC every document sent to our state and MORE!” Though Indiana conceded, Jan is on pins and needles to find out if, at a national level, she can be considered a woman, who owns a business. Though after twenty-three years it’s hard to imagine who else they could pin ownership on, when it comes to certification, the women of WBENC are Due Diligence Ninjas. Story developing…

MEET JAN AND THE REST OF OUR TEAM.

The Amazing

Peeps Who Build Our Bird Feeders

Mr. Canary® Company believes in the goodness of work. Since 1995, we have offered dignified work opportunities to people with physical and intellectual disabilities. In return, they have given us quality finished products. Mr. Canary® products are sourced, assembled, packaged, and shipped through a mutually-beneficial partnership with The Arc of Greater Boone County in Lebanon, Indiana. The Arc is a community organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities maximize their potential.

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