Upcycled Grocery bag opportunity

[emjacobs]

So my family does an event every year with my parents church called Stop Hunger Now (www.stophungernow.org/) Basically for two hours you work in teams at a station filling bags with Vitamin / Flavoring Packets, Rice, Dried Veggies, and Soy Protein. The packs are 100% vegetarian (and vegan I think). These packets are given out in grief stricken areas (Haiti, Japan, etc) and are also given out in poverty stricken areas at schools to provide a warm nutritious meal to kids that otherwise wouldn't eat.

The rice comes in 50# bags. Last year me and mom took all of the rice bags, cut them down and made grocery bags to sell to fund this years event. This year we were able to a slightly larger event and packaged 25,000 meals in two hours. We talked with the SHN rep that was there and he wants us to present the rice bag bags to the board of directors.

His boss contacted mom yesterday and she is in love with the bags and wants to start sending all of the rice bags from the capital area events to us so that we can make bags. She said that the initial order of bags for her staff alone will be "substantial". We asked them what they currently do with all of the rice bags, and currently they are going into the landfill.

So not only is there a small profit to be made, and possibly a business venture (mom already has a business making reuseable grocery bags) but we are also keeping tons of bags out of the landfill.

I'll try and PiP a bag later but I'm excited, sorry for the rambling

[craftymrs]

yay! That's wonderful news. How cool?

[TBM]

What great projects to be involved in...both the Stop Hunger Now event and the upcycling.

I actually have an empty rice sack sitting in my family room right now. It is leftover from making rice packs for my chiropractor to sell in his office, and I was trying to figure out what I could make from it. I would love to see a photo of your bags.

[emjacobs]

Pics This is one of the first ones, this years bags are white and purple and look much more fun.

[emjacobs]

.

[emjacobs]

That is a can of soup (I assume)

[TBM]

Your rice bag is much more fun than mine. I think I will make something small (or several somethings) so that it won't look boring, and I will look for a more fun bag next time.

[adhdfashion]

Sounds like a cool project! Kinda like the flour sack dress Nanna used to make.

[emjacobs]

This years bags are more fun, they have a big purple design on them.

And yes! It makes me think of flour sac dresses too!

[daniebob]

That's awesome and creative too!

[chuicafina]

That is so cool!! I want one! If only I could go through 50 lbs of rice in a reasonable amount of time.

[angiepangie]

That is awesome!

[oneslybookworm]

I absolutely LOVE this idea, and the bags look great! If you sell them, please let me know, because I'd totally be interested!

[emjacobs]

We will definitely be selling them again this year just need to see what the board of directors wants to do with them.

[franklintngirl]

That is neat

[emoflamingo]

Awesome bags AND good for you for being so helpful. I want to get more into stuff like that, I need to look into it.

[emjacobs]

Stop Hunger Now is super fun and most events are only 2-3 hours long so you make an impact without committing your whole day.

[bluelikejazz]

That is awesome! The bags look great! Do you think they will be available online in the future?

[emjacobs]

Jul 13, 2012 12:27:23 GMT -5 bluelikejazz said:

That is awesome! The bags look great! Do you think they will be available online in the future?

I'm sure I could put a few listings on etsy for anyone that would like them, let me talk with Mom and see what she thinks.

From our talks with SHN the initial order with them will be for their staff in the capital area and then possibly moving it into a corporate wide thing that might be featured on their website.

[stefb28]

These are so cool!!

[emjacobs]

You guys are awesome!! I showed mom your comments and she said "You mean REAL people like my stuff? I thought only I liked my stuff" She was flattered.

[smiley]

Jul 18, 2012 14:02:22 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

I'm really late to this post but I think it's fantastic that you're making something useful and keeping things out of landfills. Those bags are kind of awesome.

I agree with this 100%. If you do put them on etsy I would love to have a link to your site.