by Emily Stimmel
As Pennsylvania’s arts and crafts scene has developed, some common themes have emerged. Artists and consumers of handmade goods often mention social consciousness, environmental responsibility, and the relationships between makers and buyers as key elements of the handmade movement. It seems fitting, then, that artisans and small business owners would collaborate with non-profit organizations as a way to express these values.
The POWER Collection is an innovative cause marketing partnership with artisans and retailers. Through the sale of specially designed items or products selected with POWER in mind, our partners raise awareness of addiction, educate the community about POWER, and share a portion of proceeds with the agency.
Our newest POWER Collection partner is PLATES WITH PURPOSE™, a division of RIVERSIDE DESIGN GROUP. PLATES WITH PURPOSE™, founded in 2004, designs specialty tabletop accessories from recycled glass in Pittsburgh’s uber-hip Lawrenceville neighborhood. Each design in the PLATES WITH PURPOSE™ line was created to represent the cause or organization it benefits. POWER’s plate, designed by Cassandra Ott, features a sunflower motif. Why the sunflower? Legend tells us that as pioneers journeyed westward, the women scattered sunflower seeds which grew against all odds into beautiful flowers, guiding other brave women and men traveling west in search of a better life for their families. Pioneers of a different sort, the women POWER serves are on a journey to a better life for themselves and those they lovethe women POWER serves are on a journey to a better life for themselves and those they love.
The plate design will officially launch on Wednesday, September 16 at Sunflower POWER at Perlora Leather in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. The free event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and includes light fare, DJ entertainment, and raffle prizes. Sixty-five percent of the evening’s plate sales will be donated to POWER. More details, including RSVP information, are available here. Unable to make it to the ‘Burgh for the event? Plates are also available at on the PLATES WITH PURPOSE website.
Full disclosure: outside of running my micro business disCARDS, I work full time at POWER, a non-profit organization based in Pittsburgh, PA that provides gender-specific treatment and support services to women in recovery from the disease of addiction. POWER is among the growing number of non-profit organizations nationwide that is finding creative ways to connect to the community and diversify sources of funding. One way we are doing that is through The POWER Collection.
Emily Stimmel is a full-time communications and fundraising professional and part-time crafter. Emily makes upcycled paper goods and home accessories under the name disCARDS Cut(e) n’ Paste. She recently completed her master’s degree in Leadership & Organizational Transformation at Chatham University, which culminated in her thesis about identity formation in DIY communities, with a focus on the indie craft movement. She is currently a member of the planning committee for Handmade Arcade, Pittsburgh’s first and largest indie craft fair. Emily lives with her husband Nate, and their cats, Bettie and Stu, in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
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