Giving While Getting...A Good Start to the Holiday Season

A woman by the name of Ramona Russell has come up with an ingenious idea to honor her sister, Liz, who was recently lost to cancer. She has created a website, www.uptownliz.com, that promotes products and companies that contribute a portion of their sales to charitable organizations. She calls it "retail philanthropy". As if shopping weren't great already, now you browse her site by cause or product and link to a charitable company to make your purchase, all the while knowing that your dollar is going to make a difference in the world. Her mission is to "build a bridge between compassionate consumers and concerned companies in order to improve the world around us". What an awesome idea...and now we're honored to be a part of Ramona's site, since one of our major company missions is to give back by supporting Kiva (read more about our mission here: http://www.avascloset.net/aboutuspage.html). Check out Ava's Closet tees on Uptown Liz at www.uptownliz.com.

How Kiva Works

I've chosen to post two separate blogs because this is a lot of info. I'd like to give an update on our Kiva loan. As you know, we pledged to donate a portion of our profits to Kiva.org, an online organization that allows you to loan money to business owners in developing countries (impoverished countries don't have the financial means to provide loans to individuals to begin or grow a business, this creates a vicious cycle of poverty that is almost impossible to break out of without outside help, which is why we believe Kiva is such an amazing concept). We're talking loans as low as a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, any amount of which someone can donate (you can even lend as low as 10 dollars). Kiva chooses these outstanding entrepreneurs based on the recommendations of existing microfinance institions in severely impoverished areas, who are familiar with the individual's background, both personal and business. Kiva.org then provides all this info on their website, kiva.org, for viewing. In short, the process goes like this:
1. Lenders pick a business on kiva.org and make a loan using their credit card.
2. Kiva transfers the funds to local partners who disburse the funds to the business owner.
3. Over time, repayments are made by business owner who also provides business updates
4. Funds are returend to lender, who then may re-lend the amount or withdraw (we pledge to always re-lend).

So that's how it works...stay tuned to find out more about our sponsored business owner.

Giving Back

So, here's more about our sponsored business owner: After researching the pages and pages of business owners looking for a loan (most of which were smart, single parents with the responsibility of caring for multiple children and elderly relatives), we chose Mr. Herminio Cantero from Paraguay. Herminio is 47 years old, and he and his wife of 23 years, Isabel, have 4 children together. When he was 27 he started working cultivating his land. At that time he and his wife decided to take their small savings of US $160 and invest it to create a small garden where they cultivated various types of vegetables.

Thanks to their effort and enthusiasm, after 20 years they continue to dedicate themselves to the same business which they have now expanded into a large production where they grow an enormous variety of agricultural products. All of the children help them on the farm in addition to 19 employees who help with different activities such as irrigation, cultivation and plowing the land.

Currently he distributes his products to various supermarkets. His dream is to construct an artesian well for the irrigation of his cultivations. Herminio asked for a $600.00 loan to build a greenhouse to increase his output. The loan is a 12 month loan to be paid back monthly. His loan was disbursed on September 20. As of today, 8% of this loan has been paid back.

In beginning this process, we also researched the credentials of the local microloan institutions that oversee the selection of potential borrowers and the disbursement of funds. We chose Herminio partly because he was chosen by Fundacion Paraguaya, an organization with a zero percent default and delinquency rate, with 596 loans currently disbursed on Kiva.

We'll keep updating the info we receive on Herminio. It feels good to use our own blessings to support a hard working fellow human being. You should check it out too, www.kiva.org.

New Designs Are Here!

Ava's Closet now has several new designs that have just arrived. They'll be up on our website, ready to order in about a week. So keep an eye out, we'll send a newsletter via email to let everyone know...they're going to go fast so be the first to have one!

Ava's Closet teams up with local parenting website

Ava's Closet has been collaborating with a new local parenting website, called Peatot (www.peatot.com). We now have a banner on their site and will soon offer a coupon as well. PeaTot is the creation of John and Tracie McClain, STL parents that wanted to provide an online spot for everything parenting here in STL. My favorite feature on their site is the calendar, which I've found to be the most inclusive calendar for all things baby/toddler/kid here in STL. I've lived here for twenty years and never knew of some of these happenings! So check it out here: www.peatot.com. And be sure to watch for our coupon coming soon to get discounts on our stuff!

Kansas City, Here We Come!!

This past weekend, we met with the owner of a sweet little boutique called Becoming Nana located in Brookside, a hip little 'burb of Kansas City. Owner, Patty, is going to be the first to debut our tees in KC! Brookside is packed with quaint shops, restaurants and coffeehouses...so if you're in the area, be sure to shop at Patty's place...Becoming Nana...www.becomingnana.com...and you'll find us there!!

More New News

So many places to be...and so many places we ARE! Ava's Closet is now at Big River Running Company! Big River (www.bigriverrunning.com) is located off Manchester Road in Manchester...just west of I-270. The store is a totally fresh take on running stores in STL...they'll be carrying our "mommy's/daddy's running partner" tees. So check them out and while you're there, peruse their fresh selection of Ava's Closet tees! Happy running!

Old Webster Sidewalk Sale and New News (?)

It's official! We will be participating in the Old Webster Sidewalk Sale. We'll be out with other vendors from the Webster area, up and down the tree lined streets of the Old Webster Business District and Old Orchard on June 9, from 9am to 2pm. I've been in past years and there are always lots of great finds. And it's such a quaint area, perfect for strolling and...maybe...buying some cute, funky, totally-perfect-for-that-new-little-one tshirts!! Hope to see you there!

And for our new news...or just news?...we're now at the awesome, funky, totally mod store called City Sprouts in the U. City Loop. We sent our first shipment over yesterday and I couldn't be more excited than if I won the lottery...just kidding. I'd be more excited about the lottery...well, but only if it was a lot of money, like over 100 dollars. I digress...we're at City Sprouts. www.citysprouts.com.

Jim Schoemehl 5K

Join us this Saturday, May 12, 2007 at the Jim Schoemehl 5K at Webster Groves High School. Another run for a great cause! Find info here: http://www.jimsrun.com/

Girls On The Run

This Saturday, May 5 is a run for a great organization called Girls On The Run...www.girlsontherunstlouis.org. It's a program for preteen girls that uses running as a way to teach young girls about self worth...which, as most of us grown gals know, is quite a challenge with all the social pressures out there. The run is in Tower Grove, 9 am...a great run in a great location for a great cause (sponsored by the great StL Track Club), sounds like a great Saturday morning to me!! Join us!

http://www.stlouistrackclub.com/entry_forms/2007_05_05_GOTR_entry.pdf

We're Up and Running

Literally running...like a chicken with its head cut off! Trying to juggle children, businesses, household, all while trying to eat right, feed children right, exercise, keep up with Workout on Bravo (anyone else addicted to this?) is absolutely nuts but, you know what? It's totally exciting! Have I strayed? Oh, yeah, up and running...Ava's Closet is finally ready to rock and roll. Our last step, which was the webpage, has been completed. A store here in STL called Kangaroo Kids (www.kangarookidsonline.com) is carrying us and we're soon to be picked up by Polkadot Patch Boutique(www.polkadotpatch.com). We're very excited to be growing so quickly and getting such a great response to our products. I'm especially excited that I get to use this little project to do some good...we're putting a portion of our profits toward local events and charities as well as Kiva (www.kiva.org), an amazing organization helping to put an end to poverty in third world countries. So, keep an eye on us...we're going to be everywhere because you can't find stuff like ours anywhere!