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

Sue Duncan Children's Center Charity Event

This past month we were able to be a part of the Sue Duncan Children's Center Charity Event - their Fall Fete.. We donated two of our recycled picture frames to their cause. We also donate to the Chicago yacht club foundation.

About the Sue Duncan Children's Center:

Started in 1961 when after-school programs were only beginning, Sue Duncan opened her first children's center to provide free education and recreation for inner-city children. She desired to offer a haven for children where they would be supported, enriched, cherished and nurtured: a place where they could learn.

Now, in 2010, the Sue Duncan Children's Center (SDCC) is as vibrant as ever. SDCC continues to be a safe haven for children, where staff and volunteer tutors work closely to strengthen core academic skills, while also developing self-esteem, respect for others and a renewed sense of hope. SDCC has provided top-level academic tutoring and social adjustment to literally thousands of children over the past 49 years.

Source: Sue Duncan Children's Center

Thank You Sue from Sue Duncan Children's Center on Vimeo.

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.

Recycling Fact about our Off the Street Picture Frames

Did you know...We have recycled over 10,000 CTA transit cards for our recycled Off the Street picture frames? Pretty amazing, isn't it?

According to Earth911.com recycling is:

Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The internationally recognized symbol for recycling includes three arrows moving in a triangle. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process, from collection to re-manufacture to resale.

But what does all this have to do with you? Well, recycling is a simple way that you, as a consumer, can help out the environment, create a profitable market for recycled goods and help preserve natural resources from being depleted. So...let's get involved!