Everyday business can provide supplements for malnourished Haitian children. 1 out of 10 children in Haiti are malnourished, 1 out of 5 are underweight, and 1/14 will die before the age of 5. The reality of these facts is hard to stomach, and our team members who recently went on an Insight Trip to Haiti, could attest to this issue facing the Haitian population as widespread. According to Meds & Food For Kids, there’s a solution within reach that can provide lasting sustainable change. They created a nutritional supplement called Medika Mamba- “Peanut Butter Medicine” in Creole- made from locally grown peanuts and raw materials. Each supplement contains 500 calories, a good blend of fat, carbohydrates, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals for growth. Print 4 Change supports initiatives like MFK and Medika Mamba because of the sustainable solutions they provide. The impact of the supplement is even greater than nourishing the population of Haiti. Sustainable solutions will be made for the local economy as well, by employing and training Haitians to farm and manufacture the product at a factory in Haiti, currently undergoing construction.
Our dear friend, nutrition advocate, and mission leader, Kristina Demuth discovered this organization and supplement when Healing Haiti reached out to her on behalf of the children of Grace Village in Titanyen, Haiti. She traveled down to Haiti to give nutrition assessments on the children who were, up until recently, orphans. After entering data into the World Health Organization’s Growth Chart, she assessed which children needed the supplement. In February, 19 kids between the ages of 6 and 17 years old started the supplement and since then, 5 have discontinued it’s use due to the success of the product. Malnourished children are more likely to contract viruses and diseases, and their cognitive development can be impaired. By taking a supplement like Medika Mamba at an early age, the longevity and quality of their life increases. The average weight gain for the 19 kids has been 6 pounds, and Kristina says this number is increasing quickly and all kids will soon be considered a healthy weight. She is thankful for the experience that allowed her to put her passion for nutrition to work with organizations she cares deeply for. “I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of this all and have the support of Print 4 Change with my nutrition work. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for what they have done to support these children and me”, Kristina says. Of course we wouldn’t be able to nourish others without our loyal clients, the power of print, and supporters of Healing Haiti.
P4C + Juut + 3Seams
Print 4 Change actively supports initiatives that provide sustainable solutions, while empowering people in extreme poverty. These ideals are displayed on multiple levels through this print project recently completed in December 2011. Print4Change partnered with Minneapolis’ own Juut Salon and Spa to create this unique Holiday gift box.
The “Replenishment Package” is the result of a collaboration between Print 4 Change, Juut designers, Caitlin Scott and Ashley Borntrager, and 3Seams. 3Seams is an initiative started by Inga Swope, that creates opportunities for Haitian women seamstresses to use their skills so they can be better equipped to support their families. This team of perseverant and talented women sewed each burlap envelope containing the gift card, which sits snug inside each box. Unlike other gift cards that contain a carcinogen known as PVC, this card we had printed on sustainably managed North American Birch. 80 lb Classic Crest Cover paper was used to create each 3 3/8” by 5.75 “ box.
Choosing Juut this past Holiday season, allowed both gifters and receivers the chance to give back in a big way…while also getting the opportunity to be pampered.
Print 4 Change was featured in the May 2012 issue of Twin Cities Business, as part of their annual focus on giving and philanthropy. Jeremy Carroll, Co-Founder of Print 4 Change, was interviewed, allowing him to share updates on the ways Print 4 Change is empowering the developing world through a model combining both business and philanthropy. The article highlights the initial nudge that Co-Founders Jeremy and Krista Carroll felt, which led them to start the company after a life changing trip to Haiti in 2009. Both present and future goals were also featured, such as Print 4 Change’s philanthropic efforts with charity: water, Healing Haiti and Opportunity International, to name a few. According to Jeremy Carroll, “We see ourselves as a conduit to deliver great products and celebrate the success of each project by empowering others. As we build our client base, that engine to empower people gets bigger and bigger and bigger.” We’re so thankful to Print 4 Change’s 16 employees and many loyal clients who help to produce great work while empowering those in extreme poverty every day.
x+P 4 C = ______ We work to solve this equation daily, and with the help of our clients, and valued non-profit partnerships, we equip people living in poverty to be empowered and self sufficient. A goal of our partnership with Opportunity International was recently reached in the construction of a self-sustainable private high school in Nicaragua for students living in rural poverty. The Emprendedor school is built upon an entrepreneurial curriculum used to motivate children to rise out of poverty through education and training. Graduates will leave with a high school diploma and technical certificate in either Agriculture or Tourism, two of the most popular and successful professions in the region. As of right now, the school has two co-ed classrooms, an office and a library. A grade will be added each year, and new classrooms and other necessary spaces will gradually be built. This is an on-going project, that is off to a great start.
The school is one of the many projects Opportunity International is involved with as part of a Community development initiative. The intitiatives are set in place to help implement local input and ownership projects within the community as a way of empowering the groups and its leaders to achieve better results.
It takes an idea, a space, some support, and willing contributors to bring a goal like this fruition. We realize the impact a new approach to thinking can make in the life of a student and others in the community and we are thrilled to have been a part of this project!
click on the photo to find out more about Opportunity International.
Print 4 Change Debuts Again at NYC Spring Fashion Week
New York, New York, February 2012 - Guests piled in to the Dream Hotel to celebrate and fundraise for The Leadership Foundation and Elevate New York this spring fashion week here in NYC. The evening hosted a fashion show, leadership and mentoring non-profit organizations, celebrity performances, and couture cocktails!
Cortney Renee has joined Elevate New York as their marketing specialist and announced the launch of the Elevate + Print 4 Change partnership through their student run social enterprise. The notebooks were displayed and sold during the evening to a rather fashionable and posh NYC crowd!
We look forward to what will come next out of this partnership with Kevin Singleton’s mentoring program, Elevate New York!
~Largest Playground in Haiti~
We wanted to give you an inside view of the construction of Haiti’s largest playground, installed by Print 4 Change, at Healing Haiti’s Grace Village property. One of our Print 4 Change teams traveled to Haiti last fall with our partner Healing Haiti to install the playground and it opened with great success. Enjoy!
Student Social Enterprise: P4C + Elevate NY
The spirit of collaboration is all about “working together” and that is the goal of Print 4 Change’s latest partnership with Elevate New York.
It all started with a visit to the classroom. Jeremy Carroll, Vice President of Print 4 Change, was invited by Kevin Singleton, founder of Elevate New York, to share with the students the secrets of social enterprise.
The students were so inspired by the idea that business could do good that they wanted a hand in it. So Print 4 Change challenged the students with a business opportunity - the chance to sell custom Elevate notebooks to raise funds for their very own mentor program.
The rules of the game: 50% of each notebook goes to Elevate, and the sales are to be managed by the students.
We are excited to share, so enjoy! To see more shots from the campaign shoot visit our Facebook page! To see more about the notebook project visit Elevate New York!
Our very own, Rick Spaude, was interviewed by CHOICES - a blog built to inspire discussions around sustainability. Enjoy!
That’s A Wrap!
So we hit the streets of Manhattan (in between our Christmas shopping and the New Year) to catch a glimpse of the holiday window displays produced by Print 4 Change. Seeing the final product made us smile and we wanted to share our excitement with you. Thanks to Champs, Foot Locker and Lady Foot Locker for an amazing year! That’s a wrap! 2012 here we come!
