FEED PROJECTS // Feed the World

Brand: Feed Projects

Co-Founders: Lauren Bush + Ellen Gustafson

Mission: Create good products that help feed the world.

Signature Design: Each bag is stenciled with a number signifying how many meals each bag provides.

Lauren Bush designed the first FEED bag in 2006 while she was the Honorary Student Spokesperson
for the United Nations World Food Programme's (WFP) School Feeding program.
While traveling she was motivated to do something about the
epidemic hunger problem we face in the world.

 Today, one in every eight people go to bed hungry.

The bag was reversible burlap and organic cotton reminiscent of the bags used by WFP
to distribute food. It was stamped with "FEED the children of the world" and the number ‘1'
to signify that each bag feeds one child in school for one year.

Her goal was to raise awareness and funds to benefit the feeding programs,
which feeds and educates hungry children.

The following year, FEED Projects LLC was founded by Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson
to produce and sell these bags and donate a portion of the sale to the World Food Programme.

Since then, they've partnered with national retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Barnes & Noble,
Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, Gap, HSN, American Eagle and Forever 21.

Brands like Bobbi Brown and Clarins, and designers like Rachel Roy have also joined forces

with FEED to raise money for countries in need like Guatemala and India,

and those devastated by natural disasters such as Haiti and Japan.

 

Their latest partnership is with Target, the second largest discount retail chain, where they created

limited edition FEED items -- from bags to bicycles -- each with its signature number imprinted
reminding shoppers how many meals they can provide with their purchase.

FEED USA + Target hopes to help the more than 50 million Americans who struggle with hunger everyday.

 

To date, FEED has donated over $6 million and 60 million meals!

 What an extraordinary accomplishment!

There's a great article on ecouterre.com posted by Lauren Bush called

"Can Conscious Consumerism Really Save the World?"

Check it out when you can...then let us know what you think. Can it?

I do know that it feels good purchasing something that you know makes a difference;
definitely money well spent.

Here's my own FEED USA + Target 24 bag! Get yours now!

If there's an inspiring brand that you think we should feature, please leave a comment
below or email me directly at karla@kimarketingintl.com.

 

www.kimarketingintl.com


photo credits: feedprojects // ecouterre // closettfix // kaydroy

NOTHING BUT NETS // Cover Africa

Brand/Organization: Nothing But Nets

Founders: Rick Reilly + The United Nations Foundation

Motto: Send a net. Save a life.

Campaign: Cover Africa

In 2006, Rick Reilly, a columnist at ESPN.com wrote a column in Sports Illustrated where
he challenged his readers to contribute at least $10 for anti-malaria bed nets. 

This simple inspired action helped launch a campaign with the United Nation Foundation's 

called Nothing But Nets which has sent more than 7 million bed nets to families 

at risk across sub-Saharan Africa.  

 

 Cover Africa notes that, "Every 60 seconds a child dies from Malaria. It takes just $10 

to send an insecticide-treated bed net and save a life. Nets protect families and kill 

disease-carrying mosquitoes, slowing the spread of Malaria. If we hang enough nets in 

enough homes, we can stop Malaria in entire communities—and eventually the entire continent." 

 

Cover Africa is Nothing But Nets' campaign to stop malaria across Africa 

by sending life-saving beds. The campaign's goal is to send 25,000 beds. 

As of today, 22,190 nets have been donated! 

 

Many brands have done their part, including Chevron and  Dr. Bonner's Magic Soaps,

along with many partners and hundreds of thousands of individuals, including athletes and 

celebrities like Mandy Moore.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors pledged to send 3 nets for every 3-pointers 

he makes during the 2013 season. 

He broke the previous record held in a single season by shooting 272 3-pointers! 

That's over 800 bed nets!

 

Although my blog was intended to feature consumer brands that have a social mission, 

it would be remise of me not to include outstanding organizations that provide products that 

make a difference. So every once in awhile, I plan to feature organizations like this one.

Let's join the fight to Cover Africa!

If there's an inspiring brand that you think we should feature, please leave a comment

below or email me directly at karla@kimarketingintl.com.

 

www.kimarketingintl.com


photo credits: nothingbutnets // coverafrica // freewebs // communicopia // mlssoccer // umc

TOMS SHOES // One for One

  

Brand: TOMS Shoes
Founder: Blake Mycoskie
Concept: For every pair of shoes sold, a pair of shoes will be donated to an impoverished child.
Design: The shoe's design was inspired by the Argentine alpargatas.

If you haven't heard of TOMS Shoes you're in for a treat! Blake Mycoskie, founder and CEO,
also known as the Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS was vacationing in Argentina in 2006 when a burst of inspiration
led him to create one of the fastest growing shoe brands in the market today.

Mycoskie noticed that there were too many children walking around with no shoes and getting cuts
and infections on their feet. Motivated to create a business model that valued giving,
TOMS idea was simple: for every pair of shoes sold, he would give a pair to a child in need.

This idea (and his tagline) One for One is now considered a global movement and has been
used by many brands around the world.

In a 2010 interview with Fast Company Mycoskie said that he always knew he wanted to 

incorporate giving in his business. "My big idea with TOMS was creating a sustainable
way of giving, blending business and philanthropy."

 

As of today, TOMS has given away over 10 million pairs of shoes to 59 countries!

TOMS now also sells sunglasses and practices the same One for One principle.
According to Fast Company it has matched more than 150,000 pairs in the past two
years--and in turn has helped deliver eye care to more than 150,000 people. 

Blake Mycoskie also published a #1 New York Times Bestseller book called,  

Start Something That Matters where he inspires and invites entrepreneurs to do just that.

Not bad from a burst of inspiration, right?

If there's an inspiring brand that you think we should feature, please leave a comment
below or email me directly at karla@kimarketingintl.com.

 

www.kimarketingintl.com


photo credits: toms // photo by justin fantl (shoes) - fastcompany // treehugger