Happy New Year! In the spirit of the season, we are celebrating and giving thanks to Papyrus – Recycled Greetings, Inc., a Whole Foods Market supplier who made the single largest donation in one year that we have received since our inception – $100,000!
In just one year, Papyrus – Recycled Greetings, Inc. has become an active part of the Whole Planet Foundation community. Tony Huston, their SVP Sales-West, even joined us on a trip to the field this past October!
Whole Foods Market suppliers meet microcredit clients in Colombia
Tony visited microcredit clients of our partner Grameen Aval in Colombia, witnessing what the company’s support means for people around the world.
“It was truly moving to meet some of the people who are directly benefiting from our partnership with Whole Planet Foundation,” Tony said. “The Papyrus-Recycled Greetings mission is to inspire personal connections like no other company can and this trip really brought that home. I only wish that everyone could have the same experience.”
One microcredit client Tony met is Susana, who has built a business making a local favorite dessert called merengón – a crispy meringue with a whipped cream and assorted fruit center.
With the help of her microloan, Susana was able to purchase a mixing machine that allows her to whip 36 eggs at a time versus 11 by hand, significantly increasing her productivity. In the words of Whole Planet Foundation’s Genie Bolduc, “To describe this dessert as delicious is a horrific understatement! It was out of this world!
Susana’s bakery is truly a family venture. She proudly employs her family in the merengón business. Her kids are very supportive of her, understanding that each of them has a role to play in building the business. Her sons sell the merengóns to restaurants in their community, and her daughter helps her with the cooking. Susana and her family are working together to progress out of poverty, thanks to donations from supplier partners like Papyrus-Recycled Greetings.
Tony and Susana
We’re so thrilled that Tony was able to see first-hand how Papyrus-Recycled Greetings’ support is changing lives. As the founding member of Whole Planet Foundation’s new $100,000 Fund®, their generosity created 537 new microloans that helped nearly 2,700 people in 2014. And, they have renewed their commitment for 2015 to impact a total of nearly 5,400 people in 61 countries around the globe.
About Papyrus-Recycled Greetings, Inc.
Papyrus-Recycled Greetings, Inc. is a social expressions company based in Chicago, IL. The company combines the artistic and innovative craftsmanship of Papyrus with the unexpected, original designs of the Recycled Paper Greetings independent artist family, creating the perfect greeting cards and gift-giving products for all of life’s ordinary and extraordinary moments. Consumers can find Papyrus-Recycled Greetings products in retailers across the country. To learn more, visit www.prgreetings.com.