Giving back is a given among Chicago’s creative community. This is the first in a series about who and how these gifts are being made this season.
A couple of summers ago, a homeless man looking to scrape up enough money get something to eat, approached Scott Marvel, president of the Daily Planet, outside of Marvel’s his favorite Starbucks near his River North office.
“I thought that was a smart place for him to stand, catching people coming out of Starbucks with change from the ten dollar bill they just used for coffee inside,” Marvel said.
But rather than give money to the older man, with a neatly groomed beard, Marvel asked if he could use a couple of T-shirts. Brand new, free.
The homeless man, whose name was Anthony Bailey, looked like a new man as he straightened up and grinned. “How many can you give me?” he asked Marvel. “I can sell them on the street.”
At Marvel’s office, Anthony, very business-like, gave Marvel a list of designs, colors and exact men’s sizes he felt he could sell for $10. His sales would enable him to have food and shelter for a couple of weeks, at least. Maybe even help get him to working again.
Luckily for Anthony, Daily Planet’s Teetsy.com online T-shirt boutique in Norwood Park has been making custom-designed TV-shirts since 2005 and selling them online for $15.
Early in December, the Daily Planet staff will get together and hand-screen 300 shirts in five or six designs from Daily Planet designers and art directors they’ve worked with.
“The shirts will be given to homeless people, who we’re currently locating, for them to sell and keep 100% of the sales,” says Marvel.
“Every single person here at Daily Planet wants to give back, wants to do good. We are all very fortunate, so if we can get together and use our talents to help someone else, it feels right and it gives us a unified sense of purpose.”
Send a note about your sharing to awassel6@hotmail.com, or phone, 630/247-8626. Stories will run through Dec. 31.
Andrea Wassel is a former agency producer who has also been a successful fundraiser for Chicago charities.
