Gifts that Give Back to Charity

The holiday shopping season has begun. Corporate parties, family gatherings and visiting friends are just around the corner. These holiday gatherings usually require exchanging or bringing a small gift or hostess gift, so why not give something unique, yet eco-friendly and useful to everyone: a recycled picture frame. 

This Christmas you can give back by giving this recycled picture frame handmade by five ACCESSORIES StreetWise vendors. Formerly homeless individuals are being employed by this fair trade company to produce their Off the Street product line, all of which are made of recycled material found in the streets of Chicago. From ticket stubs to pop top tabs these vendors are finding purpose, encouragement, as well as an income.

five ACCESSORIES and StreetWise vendors have already collected and recycled 12,000 ticket stubs. The picture frame reduces waste while helping people. The frames come in several styles: ticket stub, comics, and sports page and may even be customized with a company logo and given as corporate gifts.

Picture frames also make great baby shower gifts, birthday, anniversary and graduation gifts as well.

Founder, Christine Hutchison, says, “The purpose of our program is to instill pride and purpose through the making of products. We have built a lasting community atmosphere by bringing together college volunteers and interns to work closely with the vendors. One such example is Leticia Quinonez, a StreeWise Vendor who makes pop top bracelets. Her personalized hangtag quotes, ‘Don’t criticize the less fortunate, or you’ll walk the same path yourself.’”

On the back of Gearldine Williams' (who is pictured below with intern Rachel) hangtag she states,"Never Quit...Never."

Give back this holiday season by giving a this recycled picture frame, thus supporting StreetWise vendors and a fair trade company whose mission is to create income generating programs for people, donate a large portion of sales to charitable causes and to foster the use of sustainable material in fashion.  

Guest Post submitted by Samantha MacLeod

Unique Holiday Gift Sale Benefits Homeless

Columbia College student, Chandler Rollins, spent some time speaking with our founder, Christine Hutchison this week about the third annual fundraiser this Sunday, December 12th for StreetWise. Read his article:

Unique holiday gift sale on Sunday will benefit homeless

on ChicagoTalks.org

We'd like to thank Chandler and Columbia College for their mention and support. It means a lot to us to be able to spread the word about this event that will benefit the StreetWise vendors behind our Off the Street product line.

 

Eco- Friendly Handbags Support Cambodia Charity

As you know, Giving Back is part of our mission statement. A portion of sales goes to support five different countries. Today we featuring Cambodia and sharing the story of how we have chosen to give back to this country and why.

A portion of our sales from our Cambodia collection goes to support a Cambodian charity that supports women and children who are victims of human trafficking and sex slavery. Most of you are probably aware that human trafficking is a global problem that is embedded in a web of poverty, political transition, inadequate female education and economic opportunity and the low value placed on women and children. The International Organization for Migration estimates as many as 4 million people are trafficked each year, a quarter of which are children. Trafficking is a $10 billion dollar a year business. In Asia, women and children are trafficked into prostitution and forced labor within their own countries as well as overseas.

Our eco fashion bags and accessories are handmade by Smateria in Phnom Phem, Cambodia. All of Smateria's products are handmade by Cambodian craftsman and women employed in line with fair trade principles. The company currently employs 50 permanent staff and 15 outsourced families.

Buy locally and support globally by purchasing one of our sustainable bags and fair trade totes using recycled mosquito netting from Cambodia partners Smateria.

Mindful Metropolis Feature

We are grateful to have the opportunity to be featured in the May issue of Mindful Metropolis (page 32-33) for our Off the Street Collection - Using Materials Recycled Off the Street, Helping People Off the Street - featuring our Off the Street picture frame. You can open the June issue and go to the archives for the May and other back issues.

World Give Day is Today

Have you ever heard of World Give Day? Well, it is today. It is not just a day to give back to your favorite cause or charity, but also a day to remind ourselves and each other to practice giving in our every day lives. Imagine the world a better place because we are thinking of each other first and giving of ourselves and resources.

Please visit www.WorldGiveDay.com for more information.

Crossroads Fund 2010 Annual Benefit

Crossroads Fund is hosting its Annual Seeds of Change Benefit on April 16, 2010 at the Chicago Cultural Center. Again, five ACCESSORIES was privileged to be asked to donate an item for the Seeds of Change silent auction. Item to be determined.



About Crossroads

"Crossroads Fund supports community organizations working on issues of social and economic justice in the Chicago area. A public foundation, Crossroads Fund pools the resources of individuals, foundations and businesses, building a broad base of support for grassroots organizations for social change.

Crossroads Fund belongs to a network of regionally-based social change foundations called the Funding Exchange (FEX). The Funding Exchange includes 16 funds serving 26 states and most of the country’s large metropolitan areas. For more information, see www.fex.org."

For more information visit www.CrossRoadsFund.org

Helping others with five

Help others.... it just takes five

Wouldn't it be great if you could help generate income for someone in need just by purchasing a unique and trendy handbag?

At five ACCESSORIES, we are making that easy for you. Through the purchase of a handbag from our Honduras Collection, you are helping to support women and their families who participate in a Honduran fair trade cooperative.

Dilma is 28 years old and has 5 daughters. Her income from making recycled potato chip bags has been used to purchase medicine and provide health care - including hospitalization - to her children, who have often been sick. Dilma has also purchased a mattress and patched her leaking roof, all of which she hopes will improve her family's health. She now aspires to save enough money to send her children to school.