StreetWise Vendor: Roark Moody

Watch and learn more about StreetWise on their YouTube Channel.

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

Glitter: Holiday Shopping Events at Chicago Airports

This week Glitter we were proud to be a part of two first time events at Chicago Airports. The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs joined together to bring 15 Chicago fashion designers to sell  their fashion and jewelry accessories to the many travelers who pass through the Airports during the holiday season.

As you can see from the photos (first photo is of our founder at Midway and second one is of her at O'Hare), the five team was kept busy throughout the events.

We also attended the Glitter event last week, which was held at the Chicago Cultural Center.

At each event we have the opportunity to not only feature our eco friendly handbags and accessories, but also spread the word about how our designer fashion handbags give back: to our StreetWise vendors and other charities that we support around the world.

For more information about Glitter: A Holiday Shopping Event, please visit www.chicagofashionresource.com

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.

 

Holiday Charitable Giving

On Friday and Saturday of the November 12th-13th weekend, we attended the Holiday Shopping Bazaar at the Chicago Yacht Club located on Belmont Avenue and the water. Each day we were there from 11 to 6 and 10 to 4. We had fun working, shopping, talking with friends and Yacht Club members. As a result of that successful event, we were able to give back 10% of our sales, donating them to the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation.

We appreciate everyone who turned out to support the Yacht Club Foundation, thus allowing us to participate in holiday charitable giving.

We had fun and we made a difference!

Daring Doer Feature - Christine Hutchison

Success isn’t a matter of luck or chance. Success comes from many deliberate steps and a whole lot of hard work. That means success is completely within your control to make happen. ~ Today's
Hustle Tip on, Spark & Hustle.
 
Our founder, Christine Hutchison, is an ecopreneur whose focus is on building five ACCESSORIES into a nationally recognized eco friendly brand and social enterprise. We are not only proud of Christine for all she does here at five, but for her passion and desire to help others as well.

Christine is being  featured in today's Daring Doer on Tory Johnson's Spark & Hustle website.  She answers questions about being an entrepreneur, her vision for five and what she has learned. Her parting thought should be lived out by all of us whether we are entrepreneurs or not:

'Dessert" is the word ‘stressed’ with the letters scrambled. Take everything in stride, make sure to breath easy and take the time to have the dessert.

Be sure to read the article in full at Spark & Hustle.

five ACCESSORIES Stretch Donation

We want Jim back!

Jim’s (aka "Stretch) health struggles began in June when he was diagnosed with a sudden and severe case of myocarditis that has left him in need of a heart transplant. Jim became the first person in the United States to undergo an experimental procedure where two small pumps were implanted in his heart. This has allowed him to go home and be with his family while he gets strong enough for his transplant. Leave it to Jim to make history! Read all about it at http://www.nmh.org/nm/bivad+release.

Jim’s willingness to undergo this procedure and document his experience will likely help countless future heart transplant patients improve their quality of life while awaiting transplant. This is no surprise for those of us who know Jim. From coaching kid’s soccer to working with disabled sailors, Jim is always helping others.

The immediate and long-term costs of a heart transplant are staggering. The first year costs average approximately $800,000.00. Thereafter, the cost of anti-rejection medicines and continuing medical care will cost tens of thousands of dollars annually.

On November 5, 2010, a fundraising event will be held for Jim and his family at the Belmont Station of the Chicago Yacht Club.

Please set the date aside and seriously consider this opportunity to help Jim, his wife and three young daughters. You can help give this family security and peace of mind during these trying times. Thank you for helping!

five ACCESSORIES is privileged to help with this charity event in a small way by donating the following:

1 Large Messenger Bag in Black $75
1 Shoulder Bag in Blue $45
2 Recycled Picture Frames $15 each= $30

We send well wishes to Jim and his family.

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.

Fair Trade Product of the Month

This past spring we introduced a new eco-friendly collection of handbags and accessories from Cambodia. Each of these products is fashioned from recycled mosquito netting, making each piece a uniquely green fashion item.

The product that has been the best seller, hands down, is this Shoulder Bag. Little did we realize when we introduced it how popular or how useful it would be for Apple's hot new item - the iPad.



Our new shoulder bag comes in six new trendy colors. It not only has a large inside storage pouch, but also a zippered pocket as well as two open, but divided pockets located on the inside front section of the bag. This provides a way to keep extra items organized and easier to find. In addition to these divided pockets, it has two roomy inside pockets that can carry your iPhone, iPod and pocket size earphones. The perfect solution for the techno-savy guy or gal and our fair trade product of the month.

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.