Nonprofit Celebrates South Side Warehouse Opening With Creative Supply Giveaway
Nonprofit Celebrates South Side Warehouse Opening With Creative Supply Giveaway
BY KATHERINE NEWMAN
The Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange recently celebrated the opening of its new warehouse in West Englewood by giving away books, school supplies, classroom equipment, and other donated surplus items to Chicago teachers and nonprofit organizations that work with youth. The new warehouse is located on 2124 W. 82nd Pl. in the Envision Unlimited Frick Center.
Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange (CCRx) is a nonprofit organization that works with local and national businesses to source the supplies and equipment that are most needed by teachers and other nonprofit organizations in Chicago. Their goal is to help other organizations and teachers obtain the materials they need to support creative thinking for youth and to reduce waste, according to information provided by CCRx.
“CCRX is a nonprofit that I started in order to provide teachers and nonprofits with the surplus supplies that are floating around the city and to make the connection between people who have things that are too good to toss and the people who need things, but don’t necessarily have the time or the money to get them,” said Barbara Koenen, executive director of CCRx. “We’re trying to create an ethos of reusing as opposed to always buying something new and for people to be creative with the things that are around them. So, you might use something for exactly the purpose it was made for but maybe you can be creative and use something in a different way.”
The new warehouse in West Englewood is open for teachers and nonprofit workers, with identification showing that they work in Chicago, to come and receive supplies on Wednesdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is another location at the Chicago Teachers Union Center, 1901 W. Carroll Ave. that is open by appointment only.
“The open house was to say, ‘here’s our space and here are our shelves which are all full of things’ and we wanted people to know that we are here now and open three days a week for them to come and give things and for people to come and get things. Hopefully, as this relationship evolves and as people become aware of this, we can begin to operate out of other locations in Chicago and work with other kinds of partners but for now, this is a nice big space to start with,” said Koenen.
During the recent event, teachers and nonprofit workers were able to receive full classroom sets of new Scholastic books, office supplies, school supplies for students, and more high-cost items like microscopes, calculators and cameras.
Aside from being a place for people to come and receive supplies and equipment, CCRx is always looking for volunteers to help sort through donations and for individuals and businesses to donate their surplus items rather than disposing of them.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities and to see a list of the donations that are most in need, visit www.creativechirx.com.
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