Resale Clothing Chain Turns Donated Clothes into Cash for Building Schools
Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) August 03, 2015 -- Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate resale stores pay cash for like-new, gently-worn clothing, but this April, stores went a step further by collecting clothing and shoes to hold a nation-wide charity event. The Fill-A-Bag Sale raised $51,613 in a single day, and those funds immediately went to building a new school in Bromba, Mali. The community of Bromba officially began construction on July 2 and anticipate the school’s completion by early fall.
“We had this question of what to do with all the items we aren’t able to buy,” explained Shauna Sloan, President of Kid to Kid. “We pay cash to our customers for their best items, but if something has a small issue, we have a really hard time selling it. So we asked our customers if they would be willing to donate the items we couldn’t buy, and many of them jumped on board. We were able to offer a huge selection of product that customers could stuff into a bag for just a $15 donation, making it a win for everyone. Our stores donated their labor, space, and product to host the sale, and more than 3,000 of our customers came out and supported this idea of helping improve education in one of the poorest countries in the world.”
Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate are partnering with buildOn, a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. They carefully selected Bromba to receive the first of three planned schools. Bromba is a remote village in the Sikasso district of Mali about 28 kilometers off the main road. According to the United Nation's Human Development Index, Mali is the 12th poorest country in the world. With a population of more than 14 million, Mali also has one of the lowest literacy rates at 38 percent—with females at only 17 percent.
There are 113 students enrolled in the current, government-supported school in Bromba, 50 of whom are girls. In three temporary classrooms, three teachers teach four grade levels and only up to the fourth grade. With the new school, it is anticipated that higher grade levels will be offered.
The land, local materials, and some construction labor for the schools are provided by the local villages and the Ministry of Education in each country. Schools are built to accommodate up to 150 kids and feature two classrooms, a roof, toilets, and classroom supplies. buildOn contributes the engineering, special materials, skilled labor and project supervision. The village is also required to send girls to school in equal numbers with boys for gender balance and equality.
"This new school will increase access to education in Bromba for all kids, especially the young girls," said Sloan. "As a mother of five daughters, I am especially committed to providing educational opportunities for the future mothers in these extremely needy communities. Thank you to all our customers who donated and purchased product to make this school and others possible!"
Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate plan to raise an additional $50,000 during the next Charity Fill-A-Bag sale scheduled on November 7th. Those funds will place schools in Senegal and Burkina Faso.
For more information about buildOn and to find participating Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate stores, visit https://act.buildon.org/fundraise/team?ftid=44304.
About buildOn
At home or abroad, buildOn’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. Across the U.S., buildOn empowers urban youth to transform their neighborhoods through intensive community service and to change the world by building schools in some of the economically poorest countries in the world. Since 1991, buildOn has constructed 780 schools worldwide, with more than 100,000 children, parents and grandparents attending these schools every day. For more information, visit http://www.buildon.org.
About Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate
For over 20 years, BaseCamp Franchising has been a leader in the resale franchise industry. Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate, both registered trademarks of BaseCamp Franchising, buy and sell gently-used yet fashionable clothes, shoes, gear and accessories. With 45 Uptown Cheapskate stores and 110 Kid to Kid franchise stores throughout the U.S., Portugal, and Canada, Basecamp Franchising provides convenient locations where customers are financially and emotionally rewarded as they recycle their best items. BaseCamp Franchising is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information about BaseCamp Franchising, call 801-359-0071. You may also visit http://www.basecampfranchising.com.
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Jenny Burgess, BaseCamp Franchising, http://kidtokid.com, +1 801-359-0071 Ext: 120, [email protected]
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