GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK…TWICE AS NICE
Local Shops:Blessing Basket Project – (now called 10 by 3) – Beautiful sturdy Handwoven Baskets, bowls and more made by desperately poor women in Uganda and Bangladesh. Above average wages empower these women to send their kids to school, live in better homes, build schools. St. Louis based. Warehouse (annual fall sale) on Oakland. Weaving better lives worldwide: https://www.tenbythree.org/ Can also buy baskets at Whole Foods. |
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Bridge Bread – Bridge Bread Bakery is a non-profit social enterprise that provides supportive employment to people without safe and stable housing. Through meaningful work they become valued, contributing members of our community. Located at 2639 Cherokee Street. Website: https://bridgebread.org/our-work/
Forai – Forai, Inc., is a faith-based 501(c)3 organization partnering with local refugee and immigrant women to enable the realization of economic, educational, and social goals through training and peer support, and by expanding market opportunities for artisans. They make and sell clothing, jewelry, accessories, and items for babies and children. 15 local St Louis & St Charles retail partner locations. https://www.forai.org/pages/retail-partners
Old Bags Event (now called Hope in a Handbag) an annual large silent auction of new and gently used designer bags, proceeds to help Foster Kids at local non-profit, The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition. For more info. see https://www.foster-adopt.org/
Sammy Soap – Sammy Soap is a job creation machine for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) disguised as the world’s best soap company. We manage to the strengths of our employees to make the best soap around and exist in support of human health, a clean planet, and wage equality. Location: Maplewood. https://sammysoap.com/
International:
Bombas Apparel company – For every clothing or socks item purchased, a clothing item is donated to a homeless shelter or homelessness-related charity. https://bombas.com/ 
Heifer International – buy a whole or part of a cow, goats, a bee hive or more. Heifer provides animals, tools and training throughout the year to help families around the world transform lives. www.heifer.org
Ocean Sole – Flip flops picked up on the beaches of Kenya and cut/formed into sculpture by women earning income for their families. (skull pictured above from Ocean Sole) https://oceansoleonline.com/
Toms Shoes – They commit 1/3 of their profits to support people working to build equity at the grassroots level. See https://www.toms.com/us/impact.html