Flying in the face of conventional wisdom, designers have long made a point of sweating the small stuff. More than anyone, they understand the enormous impact of subtle design choices, whether it’s a storefront’s paint color, the layout of a public park or a logo.

Armed with this knowledge, designers with a desire to make a positive difference at the local level have been bringing their skills to those who may need it most. A movement that captures this ethos—called Design for Good by AIGA—has taken root in the industry, but some design firms have been using this idea as a guiding principle, if not their raison d’être, for years. Here are three organizations that are using their detail-oriented superpowers for good. READ THE REST HERE