Grassroots! Help Us Help Them!

Hello friends!

We, at Miss Manos (GG2G + HiPn'Verde), are so excited to announce the launch of our Indiegogo campaign! By clicking the link you can learn everything you'd like to learn about Miss Manos. We are more than just an eco and animal friendly fair wage handbag company...We are a social enterprise!

Starting today you can help us to help them. You can give a little or give a lot, no amount is too small and there are some really fun rewards too! Want to learn more? Just click here!

We are so close to making this social enterprise women's empowerment initiative a reality and helping to change the lives of rural women living in Costa Rica. Two years in the making!

We want to just take a little minute and thank all of our lovely friends who have, over the years, been right there for us! Whether it was a kind word, volunteering to help, acting as a sounding board, or lending a hand in some other way we thank you from the depths of our hearts.
xoxoxo
Day and Natascha

Join us on Indiegogo, a true grassroots movement! Please feel free to pass this along! We need all of the support we can get!

Freshly Sewn Samples!

An Incredibly Productive Journey to Costa Rica... 

So excited about the quality and care that went into the sample bags.  We spent the week in the workshop at Florencia de San Carlos working diligently on converting my patterns in English to patterns in Spanish and teaching the sewing methods and tricks involved with making each bag. 

"Tia Ruth", the foreman of the workshop at HiPn'Verde has an incredible understanding of the process and an eagle eye for the details. She worked her tail off for us and I could not be more pleased!

A little night sewing!

Tia Ruth at the helm

So, next we deal with import / export issues, finding adequate housing for the up-cycled fabrics in Costa Rica and taking some orders.

Who wants to be the first? Ok, second...we already have one wholesale buyer! Thank you (you know who you are!) Refreshed website and new price and line sheets are in the works. Contact us if you would like to pre-order or if you have any questions. We are also taking wholesale orders HiPn'Verde so click the link and let us know!

On a personal note I want to extend my sincerest thanks to Tia Ruth and her entire family for opening their home and hearts to me. Georgina and Abuelita, thank you for your support and warmth and also for the Travalenguas and so much more. I loved every moment of my time with you all.  Natascha Moscoa, my Costa Rican Fellow and soul sister, there you are at the heart of it all, thank you so much for your unending generosity and willingness to share your workshop and family with me. 

A typical "cafecito" break! Love it!

It has been a while

Some exciting things are percolating here. We have not given up on this kooky-mad idea of helping to empower women through the formation of a social enterprise. While the original idea of opening a sewing shop in Bridgeport, CT has been put on the back burner (for now) we are continuing to push forward with our dream, albeit in another format

And it goes a little something like this...
Just when things began to look a little bleak an opportunity fell into my hands. I was asked to participate in a Women's Empowerment Fellowship Program through the U.S. State Department, UConn and the University for Peace in Costa Rica. Costa Rica! No way! Only one of my favorite spots on the globe! The fellowship process, my counterpart in Costa Rica and the program itself were fantastic and provided me with much food for thought. My "Fellow" in Costa Rica, Natascha Moscoa (HipN'verde)  turned out to be my soul sister and kindred spirit with a shared vision of how we could, working together, change the lives of women in under served-populations. Fast forward - Here we are 6 months later preparing to launch our initiatives and plow ahead. Many things are uncertain, names cannot be named (just yet) but exciting things are in the works and we will be posting and letting out more info as things begin to shape.

Ruth, Day, Natascha & Maria Jesus in San Carlos, Costa Rica

Vote!

Just a little update on the status of our new social enterprise, Sew True Sewing Center - a triple bottom line sewing company - People, Planet, Profit
We have been busy visiting with workforce placement boards and many of our local economic development offices. Good news is that the state of CT has some wonderful funds in place to help us with employment (yeah!) but we still need funding from the private sector. 
HOW CAN  YOU HELP?
For one, we could really use your vote for MISSION: Small Business, you can do that by clicking HERE and casting your vote for GG2g, CT, it only takes a moment! You must click the button "log in & support" to enter.
If you are interested in becoming a supporter or private partner of the sewing center please contact us directly by clicking HERE.
By scrolling down on this blog you can read more about what this center will be doing, how and why we are a social enterprise.
The photo that you see below will (hopefully!) be our future home in Bridgeport, CT. This building is currently under renovations by the owner and will be available for our occupancy by June. We will occupy the 2nd floor, with plans to expand to the 3rd by year 3. Stay tuned for AFTER photos!

BEFORE

Sew True Sewing Company

The journey continues...We have been to see nearly everyone and their brothers. While we were recently emboldened by receiving the Reset Social Enterprise Trust Award for our innovative business model we are humbled by the work ahead and quite honestly all the red tape. Fear not we shall persevere! This is after all "a new business model" not everyone is quite ready for it, but strides are being made on many fronts. California has announced the recognition of a new business entity and here in Connecticut, ReSet Social Enterprise Trust is trying to push through the same type of legislation. If you would like to learn more about what a social enterprise is just contact our friends at ReSet.

Why This Blog

After 6 frustrating years of searching for a contract sewing shop to help us to create our USA made products we have decided to solve our own problem. We did not want just a sewing shop. We wanted a dynamic social enterprise and thus we have created a business model which will provide low-income, minority and non-English speaking individuals with jobs, training, education in areas such as ESL, computers, financial management, etc. and career opportunities in the green fashion industry. Founded by two women and operated as an eco and animal friendly company since its inception in 2005, GG2G is expanding its business to meet the market demand and fill a socio-economic objective of developing skilled, local craftsmen to manufacture its product.