Native initiative Give A Shirt raises $600K for Chicago’s homeless over 10 years
Scott Marvel’s GiveAShi*t initiative, which started with offering t-shirts to assist a homeless man earn cash, has grown right into a decade-long effort that raised $600,000 for Streetwise, a Chicago non-profit supporting at-risk people.
CHICAGO – On this morning’s Good Information Assure, a neighborhood t-shirt maker’s huge thought to dress the homeless results in greater than $100,000 in gross sales benefitting Chicago’s most weak inhabitants.
“A man close to our workplace, he was shaking a cup and he requested me for a little bit further change as a result of he had a job interview the subsequent week and he wished to purchase some further garments and I mentioned ‘I’ve obtained a t-shirt firm. I can provide you contemporary t-shirts,'” mentioned Scott Marvel, the founding father of the GiveAShi*t initiative.
“So I designed a t-shirt for him and he offered 20 of them the primary day for $10 every so he made $200,” Marvel mentioned.
The concept grew. Native artists, media personalities and musicians have designed t-shirts for the initiative. All the cash raised from the sale of the t-shirts goes to the Chicago nonprofit, Streetwise.
“Streetwise began in 1992 as a approach to give homeless individuals or individuals prone to homelessness a approach to earn an earnings with dignity,” mentioned Julie Youngquist, the chief director of Streetwise.
You’ve got in all probability seen one of many 125 Streetwise distributors promoting their namesake journal on Chicago avenue corners. They contribute to the paper with their very own tales. For gross sales, they earn a wage and procure extra assist.
“It actually does turn out to be a neighborhood and a household,” Youngquist mentioned.
In 10 years, GiveAShi*t has raised $600,000 {dollars} for Streetwise.
“When individuals GiveAShi*t and purchase a shirt, they’re actually giving a hand as much as a few of Chicago’s most weak populations,” Youngquist mentioned.
In a struggling economic system, it is a lifesaver for the group and a life mission for Marvel
“To do one thing good for one thing, we solely have a sure period of time on this Earth, why not do one thing good. And if you should use your abilities for one thing good, it is a no-brainer,” Marvel mentioned.
You possibly can order your Good Day Chicago shirt that is a brand new design this 12 months, or one of many 40 different designs by going to GiveAShirt.internet. All proceeds go to Streetwise.
