Filed under: EVENTS!, HEALTH!, Non-Profit of the Month
During the month of November, Eye Spy Optical will be collecting non-perishable, unexpired food items! Drop off your donation and receive a $25 discount on a pair of glasses!!!
One of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries, Lakeview Pantry’s mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty in our community by providing food to fill the basic need of hungry people; increasing the independence of our clients through self-help initiatives and other innovative programs; and raising awareness of hunger and poverty and working towards solutions to eliminate them.
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1 in 9 people on the North Side suffers from food insecurity.
With 3 food distribution programs that deliver more than 1.6 million pounds of food to our neighbors each year and social services that help clients achieve independence, Lakeview Pantry aims to end hunger for good. Join us to be part of the solution.
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How Can You Help:
There is a greater need for the following items:
- Canned Tuna, Chicken, and Beef
- Cereal and Oatmeal
- Ramen and Rice
- Microwavable Mac & Cheese and Soup
- Toiletries- Full and Sample Sizes
All non-perishable, unexpired food items are appreciated!
Consider donating modest sizes. For example; several 24oz cans are preferable to one 64oz can, easier to carry home.
For more information, please visit them online and follow them on Facebook.
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Filed under: EVENTS!, KIDS!, Non-Profit of the Month
October Donation Drive Benefiting: Share Our Spare!
During the month of October, Eye Spy Optical will be collecting new/gently used items for babies and children age 0-5. Drop off your donation and receive a $25 discount on a pair of glasses!!!
In 2011, ten Chicago mothers realized that they had more than enough “stuff” for their own children to grow and thrive and that there were plenty of other women in their community who could use the strollers, baby clothes and extra toys that their children had outgrown. They banded together to create a non-profit organization that would help mothers in Chicago who couldn’t afford to gather all the essentials for their babies and young children and Share Our Spare was born.
How Can You Help:
There is a greater need for the following NEW items:
- Diapers size 2, 3 and 6
- New packages of boys and girls underwear size 2T-5T
- Pacifiers
Have additional items to share? Share Our Spare will also be collecting:
| NEW OR GENTLY USED: |
NEW / UNUSED ITEMS: |
- All Clothing and Outerwear (ages 0-5T)
- Baby Carriers
- Baby Swings
- Pack and Plays
- Blankets (Stroller or Swaddle Size)
- Bundle Me
- Exersaucers
- High Chairs
- Play Mats/Activity Gyms
- Strollers
- Books
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- Diapers (all sizes)
- Baby Soap and Lotion
- Bottles
- Burp Cloths/Bibs
- Diaper Cream
- Pacifiers
- Wipes
- Small Educational Toys
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For more information, please visit www.shareourspare.org or contact info@shareourspare.org.
“Nearly ½ of all children living in greater Chicago live below the federal poverty level. Sadly, parents are faced with heartbreaking decisions such as reusing diapers and going without food. Chicago offers an unparalleled network of social service agencies to support these families in education and training, job placement, housing and food. However, no organization provides reliable cost-free essentials for the early years like diapers, clothing and gear.”
Share Our Spare also collects donations at their River West warehouse located here. They work with over 20 community partners to distribute newborn kits and other collected items to families in need and put all that “spare” kid gear to good use.
Visit Share Our Spare’s website and follow on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated and inspired!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, HEALTH!, Non-Profit of the Month, Theo
Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization that we admire. This month we are working with Peterson Garden Project and will be donating 3% of our sales from the Theo Trunk Show on June 4th!
In 2010, LaManda Joy started her first organic community garden in a vacant lot on Peterson Ave – a lot that in the 1940’s had been one of the many Victory Gardens that flourished throughout Chicago at the time. Since then, Peterson Garden Project has flourished and there are now community gardens all over Chicago, but what is even more important to LaManda is that her organization has taught hundreds of new gardeners how to grow nutritious food in their own neighborhoods.
Peterson Garden Project’s mission is to recruit, educate and inspire a new generation of gardeners who want to gain control of their food supply, grow their own produce organically, and make urban gardening the norm-not the exception.
“Learning together in the garden, and kitchen, does much more than put fresh, nutritious food on the table. It helps build stronger communities, connect us to cultural heritage, improve public health and create a more sustainable, resilient city.”
Peterson Garden Project isn’t just about gardening:
- Their community cooking school that offers classes and workshops about variety of ethnic cuisines and food cultures which draws upon the diverse backgrounds of the project’s membership. Check out their calendar for upcoming classes like Demystifying Masala: The Secret to Indian Spice Blends on June 2.
- Grow2Give is their volunteer-run program that provides local food pantries and other organizations with donated produce grown in the gardens.
- Senior/Senior, Kids in the Kitchen and Fresh Fridays are free programs geared at educating kids and seniors alike about nutrition and the joys of cooking.
Get Involved!
Go to a tea party! Peterson Garden Project is hosting a Mad Tea Party/fundraiser on June 12 at their Vedgewater Garden. Put on your finest or zaniest tea party attire and help keep the project going!
Get your hands dirty! There are still plots available at some of their community gardens, so sign up, attend an orientation meeting and grow some delicious organic veggies of your own.
Try on some new specs! Come to our Theo Trunk Show on June 4th and pick up a beautiful new pair of glasses – 3% our sales will be donated to Peterson Garden Project!
Peterson Garden Project continues to grow and there are plenty of ways to get involved – take a look at their Website, Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all of the latest gardening news!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, Non-Profit of the Month, Theo
How can we describe how much we love Theo??
With a few photos and by the simple fact that it is Theo that made us fall in love with eyewear. Pure fun, great design and decidedly different.
Along with the current collection of Theo in every color of the rainbow, we are honoring Theo’s Flemish heritage. Theo is designed and made in Belgium….so we are supplying fine beer and chocolates.
The beer comes by way of our neighbor, Bitter Pops, and the chocolate by way of Katherine Anne Confections in Logan Square.
As is our tradition to donate to a non-profit every month, we are supporting the Peterson Garden Project this month, with a percentage of our sales from the Theo Trunk Show:-)
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Non-Profit of the Month
Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization that we admire. May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month and we are thrilled to be working with the American Brain Tumor Association.
The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) was founded in 1973 in Chicago and has funded almost $30 million in brain tumor research. They are committed to helping people of all age ranges and with all types of brain tumors through funding research, publishing educational materials and providing training to health care professionals. The ABTA is committed to “the goals of improving, extending and, ultimately, saving the lives of those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis.”
About Brain Tumors
• There are nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. living with a primary brain and central nervous system tumor.
• Nearly 78,000 new cases of primary brain tumors will be diagnosed this year.
• Approximately 4,600 children ages 0 – 19 will be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor this year.
• Malignant brain tumors are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 and the most common cancer occurring among 15-19 year olds.
How can you help?
Come to our week long Anne et Valentin Pop-up Shop starting on May 14th from 12-5pm at Eye Spy Optical and find a gorgeous new pair of eyeglasses (or two!) – we will be donating a percentage of our sales from the pop-up shop! You can also take a look at their website and and like their facebook page to keep up with their latest news, for resources for you and your loved ones who have brain tumors, and to find out how you can volunteer your time.
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Filed under: HEALTH!, Non-Profit of the Month
Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization. This month we are excited to be working with Mane in Heaven.
Mane In Heaven is a wonderful organization of volunteer workers that was founded in February 2012 by Mane in Heaven President Jodie Diegel with the mission to provide “therapeutic benefits to disabled and able-bodied children and adults through animal-assisted activity and therapy visits with miniature horses leading to improved outcomes of physical, mental and emotional well-being.”
Mane in Heaven ponies travel to Chicago-land area nursing homes, hospitals, retirement homes, schools and anywhere else therapy ponies might bring some joy and relief. It is no secret that therapy animals have been helping those in need for many years now, and we can’t think of another animal we’d like to meet quite as much as these adorable little beasts.
Pet Partners, the pioneer of animal-assisted therapy believes that therapy pet visit benefits include: Empathy, Outward Focus, Acceptance, Entertainment, Socialization, Mental Stimulation, Physical Contact, Physiological Benefits and more.
Want to support the ponies?
Come to our March Madness Makeover Party on March 19th from 12-4pm at Eye Spy Optical and complete your makeover with a new pair of fabulous specs – we will be donating a percentage of our sales from the day! You can also take a look at their website and and like their facebook page to keep up with their latest news, for opportunities to meet the ponies, and to find out how you can volunteer your time.
It is undeniable…these volunteers and ponies bring smiles to many faces – I bet you are smiling right now!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Mykita, Non-Profit of the Month, SpexWax, Theo
You may not know this but the Queen of Specs, Alissa, is a woman and a small business owner!!! Gasp! And all of the lovely folks workin’ at Eye Spy Optical these day are also women! So you might not be surprised to find out that Alissa is totally into supporting women’s businesses and issues. Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization. This month we are excited to be working with Women Employed.
Women Employed is a fantastic organization and was founded in 1973 with the mission to “improve the economic status of women and remove barriers to economic equity.” They are focused on addressing issues that impact women in low paying jobs like paid sick-leave, fairness in the workplace, stable schedules, living wages etc.
This is a group of hard-working people who are dedicated to helping women succeed in life and removing major barriers that can get in the way of that.
Some of the awesome accomplishments that Women Employed have achieved in the last 5 years:
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As the leading advocate for state-funded tuition assistance in Illinois, WE prevents deep cuts to those investments in the face of the state’s fiscal crisis.
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WE leads a growing campaign to raise the minimum wage in Illinois and collaborates with national groups to win an increase at the federal level.
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WE wins commitments from state leaders to implement “bridge programs” that help low-skilled adults advance to college-level courses in their chosen career fields.
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WE works with community colleges across Illinois to improve support services that help students stay in school and graduate.
Help us support Women Employed’s mission to assure that “All women are treated fairly in the workplace, are able to attain the skills they need for the jobs they want, and are respected for the work they do.”
We will be donating a portion of our sales at our trunk shows this month, so stop in and check out our fabulous glasses and help suport a great Chicago oranization!
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