What a year it was!
In 2023, CCRx
Redistributed TONS of surplus We took 99,700 lbs of surplus from 239 Donors (appointments, car and truck pickups) -- almost 47 tons! And we’re only open 3 days a week. Teachers need all sorts of things, so we take in everything from feathers to books. We welcomed 911 Shoppers - mostly teachers, who purchased 941 Boxes of surplus and 1154 Special Finds… and 282 volunteers, including groups like Honeycomb Project, Volunteering Untapped, Envision Unlimited, St. Barnabas School and several others.
The Creativity Bus, our collaboration with T.H.U.G.Hippie, visited 11 sites this summer and the Imagination Station brought creative reuse activities to 64 events at parks, schools, block clubs, scouts and seniors on the SW side during the summer months. We made over 340 Peace Bracelets as one favorite activity (make one for yourself and another to share...)
We also made our first “Intro to CCRx” video -- Thanks Calvin Ringenbach!
We held Creative Reuse Workshops and Drop-in Maker Days at our warehouse, including our first Holiday Make N Take Market featured artists Ilene Siemer, Michelle Drew, Bonnie Tawse, Sylvia Moreno, Cynthium Johnson-Woodfolk, Jackie Riffice and others.
Our 3rd annual Teachers’ Back2School Giveaway provided 134 teachers with all types of materials to aid in classroom teaching.
CCRx Recyclo-Products + Kits are for sale at the Buddy Shop in the Chicago Cultural Center, on our website and at pop-up markets. We provided materials and activities to our neighbors at Envision Unlimited Frick Center, whose members make fabulous carpets, pillows and help with various tasks.
Last but definitely not least, we paraded a giant Caterpillar and a kaleidoscope of butterflies down State Street for the Arts in the Dark Parade, with partners Opera-Matic and Envision Unlimited. And we created a Recyclo-Sculpture for the ribbon cutting of LRS’ new recycling facility.
Our Mantra continues to be "Trash is just a failure of imagination!"
