Retailer holds month-long collection drive ending Friday, August 29.
15% of sales on final night to be donated to Cradles to Crayons to benefit local children
August 8 – Ten Thousand Villages’ retail outlets in southeastern Pennsylvania and nearby communities are holding a month-long drive in August to collect needed clothes, footwear and school supplies for area low-income and homeless children, in support of local nonprofit Cradles to Crayons’ efforts to provide the basics the underserved children need to start the new school year “ready to go, from head to toe.”
Shoppers who donate money or bring new and nearly newclothing items or brand-new school supplies for the children during August will receive 25 percent-off coupons for use at participating Ten Thousand Villages store.*
In addition, each Ten Thousand Villages store will earmark 15 percent of its sales on the collection drive’s last night – Friday, August 29, from 3-7 p.m. – for the children served by Cradles to Crayons, the local nonprofit thataddresses the poverty faced by more than one in five children, birth to age 12, in the Greater Philadelphia region.
“Ten Thousand Villages is proud to host this important drive that will benefit disadvantaged children in our community,” said Lisa McSain, manager of the Media store. “Along with participating*Ten Thousand Villages’ retail outlets throughout this area, “she said, “we are pleased to join forces with Cradles to Crayons in this event, which represents a ‘win-win-win’ – for the children served by Cradles to Crayons, for our shoppers, and certainly for the artisans worldwide who are responsible for the unique collection of handmade itemssold in our stores.”
The artisans behind Ten Thousand Villages’ unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture, textiles, serveware and personal accessories earn vital income, assured through the retailer’s fair trade practices, which provide upto 50 percent in cash advances when an order is placed, and payment in full when an order is shipped.
“Our 2014 ‘Back to School’ campaign,” noted Cradles to Crayons’ Executive Director Michal Smith, “is designed to help the more than 300,000 children in this region who live in poverty start the new school year off right, and with the confidence they need to succeed…now and in their future. Cradlesto Crayons sincerely appreciates the efforts ofTen Thousand Villages, which is making it possible – and convenient – for shoppers to bring clothes, footwear and other every day children’s essentials that no longer fit, have fallen out of favor, or simply were never used to a nearby Ten Thousand Villages store.”
Ten Thousand Villages represent the diverse cultures of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. One of the world’s largest fair trade organizations, the company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. Ten Thousand Villages accomplishes this by establishing a sustainable market for handmade products in North America, and building long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisan partners lack opportunities for stable income.
*The 25 percent-off coupon will be good at participating Ten Thousand Villages locations in Ardmore, Chestnut Hill, Exton, Lehigh Valley, Media, Center City Philadelphia and Souderton in Pennsylvania, and in Wilmington, Delaware from August 30 to October 12, 2014, on a single item, excluding all other discounts, offers and promotions.