NAWBO Chicago Honors Two Up and Coming Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 29, 2009 -- For Immediate Release:

Chicago, July 8, 2009: NAWBO Chicago Honors Two Up and Coming Businesses

The NAWBO New Venture Award is given in the memory and honor of Cynthia Bland O’Toole, who served as NAWBO Chicago President from July 1986-June 1987. Her vision for NAWBO was that it should not just be a meeting place for women in business, but a leadership organization that welcomed all business owners and shared expertise. Cynthia believed in education and, as past president, chaired a committee that helped provide educational resources and scholarships for NAWBO members who wanted to go to the next level in business.

five ACCESSORIES
A socially conscious company, five ACCESSORIES features handbags and accessories sourced through fair trade practices in FIVE countries. Their mission is to help generate income for individuals in developing areas, donate a substantial portion of the revenues to worthy causes in those areas, and to foster the use of sustainable materials in fashion.

In addition to their work with artisans in Bali, India, Honduras, Guatemala and Cambodia, five ACCESSORIES is also partnering with several local organizations. In April 2009, they launched an accessory line titled 'Off The Street', which is sourced and produced by vendors of StreetWise, a Chicago based social enterprise designed to help elevate severely impoverished men and women out of poverty. By employing individuals that have formerly been homeless and using littered material "off the streets" of Chicago, they offer a unique eco-friendly accessory line consisting of bracelets, buttons, belts, pins and picture frames constructed and adorned with items such as transit cards, bottle caps, ticket stubs from sporting events and other urban refuse. 15% of gross income from this line will be donated back to StreetWise.


five ACCESSORIES creates a vehicle for people to make donations to worthy causes while at the same time offering a trendy fashionable product that they want to buy anyway. Therefore, it is not a 'stretch' or 'act of sheer kindness' that creates the donation base. It is taking advantage of people's desire for a good looking fashion accessory, coupled with the growing interest to acquire eco-friendly products.

five ACCESSORIES     NAWBO Award     socially conscious business