Whether you live in a large urban area or a small town, homelessness is likely an issue that effects your community.
Though there are a ton of amazing ways people are able to get involved, like this hero landlord who gave a homeless single mother free rent, sometimes it's hard to feel like you've done enough or truly impacted the life of a stranger.
That's why when I heard what two store owners were doing for the homeless in their community, I was absolutely floored.
Instead of a clothing store that encourages customers to buy outfits for themselves, Crack + Cider, a small pop-up shop in London, is doing just the opposite.
The whole point of this store is that it allows shoppers to buy clothing and necessities for someone else: the homeless.
Scroll through to see how these two young women are helping clothe those in need in their hometown.
Would you shop at a store like this? Let us know in the comments.
Charlotte Cramer and Scarlett Montanaro are co-owners of Crack + Cider, a temporary shop in London that enables customers to buy clothing and other necessities for homeless people. With combined backgrounds in marketing and business, the two young women wanted to create an initiative to help the underprivileged that would have a real and lasting impact.
The name itself is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the reason why many citizens refuse to give money to the less-fortunate. One homeless person shared his very real disappointment, 'People don’t give me money because they just think I’ll spend it on crack and cider.'
Charlotte and Scarlett hope to address those concerns and encourage people to give this holiday season. '[It gives] people a truly useful way of directly helping homeless people without giving cash,' the owners wrote on their site. 'By selecting the products themselves, the consumer also feels much more of a personal connection to the cause.'
So what kinds of clothing and accessories are available at Crack + Cider? They carry essential items that will ensure that London’s homeless remain safe and warm throughout the winter months: umbrellas, hats, scarves, gloves, backpacks, waterproof jackets and fleeces.
Charlotte and Scarlett still had to buy packaging, signage and other basics to help get the word out, so each item is marked up by 50 to 100 percent of the wholesale price to help offset the store's expenses.
In return for their contributions, however, each customer will receive a cup of coffee to say 'thank you.' Additionally, no one involved in Crack + Cider is turning a profit, as any leftover funds will be used to buy more stock for the store.
Better still, the shop will continue to sell its merchandise online even after the holiday season is over.
Homelessness is on the rise in London, as 7,581 people slept on the streets just last year. Here in America, we’re seeing this population grow as well. In Houston alone, statistics show that more than 6,300 people go without a home on any given night.
And Crack + Cider? They’re truly doing their part to help battle this global problem. 'This initiative gives people an opportunity to take some direct action to help [the homeless],' shares Stephen Robertson, CEO of the Big Issue Foundation, as part of the company’s press release.
Hopefully this company can serve as inspiration for others to take up the very important work of caring for those in need.
Would you shop at a store like this? Let us know in the comments.
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