2016
The Community Cloth
Annual Report
1
A Letter from the Executive Director
Dear The Community Cloth Friends &
Supporters,
I am truly in awe of yet another brilliantly
successful year for The Community Cloth. Our
2016 impact enabled our artisans to achieve
their goals, make a community for
themselves and earn supplemental income
for them and their families. This tremendous
impact of our local refugee community is due
to you and your commitment of your time,
talent and resources. Your generosity directly
links to our artisans achieving their goals.
In 2016, we engaged in the community in 58 events through panel discussions, markets,
benefits, galas, community events, and trunk shows. We created a new retail partnership
and developed processes and tools to continue our retail expansion. We invested our time
by working with a designer to develop new products and standardize our current
products. We connected with our artisans through trainings, one-on-one meetings, and
field trips.
As we look to continue to grow, we took time in 2016 to develop and implement enhances
to our program that will allow us to expand program awareness and sales, which would
result in increased earnings and opportunities for our artisans. We did this while
maintaining our sales and engagement with our artisans and community. 2017 will be an
exciting year and I look forward to sharing the successes with you!
Sincerely,
Roxanne Paiva
Executive Director
2
Table of Contents
2016 The Community Cloth Annual Report Table of Contents
Components of Program
4
Artisan Impact
5, 6
Sales, Social & Community Impact
7 - 10
2016 Financials Year in Review
11
Thank You
12, 13
3
Components of Our Program
The success of our program is the result of our four
components that we offer to our artisans
Seed Grants
Trainings
Enable artisans to purchase
materials, supplies and equipment
necessary to develop their crafts
Develop artisans’ skills related to
employment, entrepreneurship,
and product development.
Peer Support
Market Opportunities
Engage artisans in peer support
groups to encourage selfconfidence and build resiliency
Enable sales opportunities by
taking artisans’ handmade
products to market events,
boutiques, trunk shows, and
maintain an online store
4
Artisan Impact
Artisan Impact in Numbers
4
26
$41,201.80
$32,325.75
$1,215.66
12
Countries
Active
Artisans
Gross
Sales
Total
Artisan
Payments
Average
Artisan
Payment
Artisan
Trainings
Number of Artisans by craft
Artisan Training Topics
• Product standardization and
quality expectations
• Budgeting
• Market demand and new
product development
• Community engagement
14
9
2
Knitter
Weaver
1
Jewelry Maker Seamstress
Our artisans attended sales events, field trips and trainings
5
Artisan Impact
Artisan Empowerment
In 2016, The Community Cloth enabled our artisan
refugees to achieve their goals
Khatera has achieved her 3 goals in 2016 which were
to improve her English, obtain a driver’s license, and
study in college. These accomplishments allow her to
re-invest in herself and family, while giving back to her
community. Such re-investments will positively impact
the trajectory of of her family and community.
Sancha has gained a community and the ability to
help manage her family… “It (The Community Cloth)
changed my life and makes me happy by comparing
my life before”. Sancha can provide more for her
family with her earnings from The Community Cloth
as well as make new friends.
Muna, our knitter artisan from Bhutan, received
her citizenship on August 24, 2016. As a leader
within the Bhutanese and Nepali communities, this
achievement inspires others to follow her lead of
becoming a US citizen.
In 2017, we will continue our mission of having our artisans
achieving their desired futures
New Artisan Products
Through working with a designer, our artisans developed 4 new
products for our program
Men’s
Knit Hats
Women’s
Knit Hats
Throw
Blankets
Tea
Towels
6
Sales, Social & Community Impact
Sales, Social & Community Impact in Numbers
58
908
555
650
22
Community
& Sales
Events
Followers
on
Facebook
Followers
on
Instagram
Followers
on
Twitter
Active
Volunteers
The Community Cloth has grossed over $256,000 since its inception!
Our sales have steadily increased over time - We made more than $40,000
again in FY16! Second year in a row and in a down year in Houston!
2016 Sales by Quarter
$30,000.00
Quarter
$25,000.00
$20,000.00
$15,000.00
$10,000.00
$5,000.00
$0.00
1st qtr
2nd qtr
3rd qtr
Sales Amount
1st
$6,824.60
2nd
$5,133.50
3rd
$3,983.80
4th
$25,259.90
Grand Total
$41,201.80
4th qtr
The Community Cloth follows many other retailers in terms of sales trends
– our biggest quarter was the 4th Quarter
“When more women work, economies grow. An increase in female labor force
participation—or a reduction in the gap between women’s and men’s labor force
participation—results in faster economic growth”
United Nations*
* http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures#sthash.02VyZSj2.dpuf
7
Sales, Social & Community Impact
2016 Product Sales by Category
6%
Knitted
17%
Woven
Sewn Products
44%
Jewelry
33%
Our knitted products which include children’s clothes, hats, scarves, cowls
and infinity scarves were our biggest sellers
2016 Sales by Channel
Sales/Market Event
50%
36%
Trunk Show
Miscellaneous
5%
Retail
5%
Online
4%
$0.00
$5,000.00
Note that
“Miscellaneous”
refers to one-off
sales, studio
sales, and
custom orders
$10,000.00 $15,000.00 $20,000.00 $25,000.00
Sales and Market Events continue to be our biggest sales channel, however,
trunk shows played an instrumental role for this year grossing 36% of our
total sales, which includes our biggest event in terms of sales
8
Sales, Social & Community Impact
Engaged with 13 Key Community Partnerships
Provided financial investments, spread our
mission awareness, enabled sales
opportunities and provided office resources
Donated an industrial sewing machine so that our
artisan seamstress can make better quality
products, quicker
Neighborhood Centers Inc.
Selected us to be a Venture in 2016, which
enabled local connections and expertise
Click here to view profile*
Provides studio space for us to work and store
our product and connect with the community
Highlighted us in their “Connecting our Local
& Global Neighbors” event series
Collaborated with us to develop a video of
the Karenni tribe and developed a follow-up
exhibit at City Hall
Invited us to sell and spread awareness at
their weekly farmers’ market
Invited us to participate in their annual
events such as the Asia Market event
Featured us in her “Out of Darkness” exhibit,
highlighting Khatera’s experience of being a
refugee from Afghanistan. Click here to view
exhibit**
Hosted a trunk show at their store and
donated a percentage of their boutique
sales from the event to us
Participated on a panel discussion on
refugees to the Houston community
Featured us as their charity for their winter
edition event, contributing in donations of a
percentage of retail sales
Rothko Chapel
Participated on a panel discussion series titled “Confronting Inequality: Alternative Economies,
Resilient Communities” ***
*Link to Good Works Houston http://goodworkshouston.org/entrepreneurs/our-ventures/
**Link to “Out of Darkness exhibit http://www.marticornphotography.com/new-gallery-4/ebzqld788dvjwi24kl2g0ojabpc2fu
***Link to “Confronting Inequality: Alternative Economies, Resilient Communities
https://www.facebook.com/events/1681685042086575/
9
Sales, Social & Community Impact
The Community Cloth has participated in a range of local community
events to raise awareness of our mission and of refugees in Houston
Roxanne speaking on a panel discussion at the
Ismaili Center
Roxanne speaking at The
Mommie Series Event
Liz with “Live Life in Style”
Blogger Shalanda Turner
attending a benefit honoring
The Community Cloth
Katelin and Roxanne with Tee Moh and Ahmad, from
Amaanah Refugee Services, promoting The Community
Cloth on The Great Day Houston Show
Liz and Erin attending a photo op with
Mayor Sylvester Turner in front of the
Karenni Exhibit at City Hall
Liz showcasing The Community
Cloth at the YMCA Global Center of
Excellence Conference
Liz presenting to the Houston’s
Veterans’ Affairs Residency
students
Khatera telling her story at a
Vox Culture Event
10
2016 Financials Year in Review
Income
$5,733
$13,695
$34,521
$21,717
$41,435
$40,515
Earned
Income
Organization
Giving
Merchandise
Sales
Individual
Giving
Expenses
$13,695
Management &
General
$20,950
$32,255
$90,718
Artisan Payments
Program
Expenses
In-Kind
11
Thank You
Institutional Donors
Community Partners
Amaanah Refugee Services
Clear Lake United Methodist
Entrust Energy Inc.
Houston Arts Alliance
McCauley Architectural Reviews Inc.
Shell Oil Company
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
Webb Architecture Corp
Amaanah Refugee Services
BakerRipley
Alliance fro Multicultural Community Services
Asia Society
Bammel Church of Christ
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
Cuchara
Dao Chloe Dao
Houston Chronicle Houston
The Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Houston
Live Life in Style
Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
Pair
Phoenicia Specialty Foods
Rothko Chapel
St. John’s Church
St. Thomas Church
The Houston Club
The Mommie Series
The Parlour Salon
Trinity Church
Urban Harvest
UT Medical School
Vox Culture
Westbury UMC
World Refugee Day Interfaith
Individual Donors
Omar & Imrana Sharief
Janet McCauley
Courtenay Siegfried
Michael Barras
Heather & Michael Simpson
Michael & Sharon Tanner
Michael Collins
Amanda Cloud
Quynh-Anh T. McMahan
DJ Kroeger
Tim & Cindy Duffy
Julia Ferguson
Paula Mischer
Reda Hicks
Dale Cloteaux
Terry Leibowitz
Chloe Dao
Blue Leaf
William & Ann McCulloch
Laura Garcia
Sarah Barnes
Anna Espe
Joshua Reynolds
Patricia Ricks
Linda Shead
Linwood Olson
12
Thank You
Special Thank You to Our Board
of Directors & General Counsel
Joshua Reynolds
Courtenay Siegfried
Amanda Cloud
Joe Webb
Heather Simpson
Reda Hicks
Quynh-Anh McMahan
Brooke Chadeayne
Trunk Show Hostesses
Kathy Huebner
Nancy Perrier
Pam Lewis
Erin Kimzey
Ashley Kress
Sapna Mehta
Erum Sheikh
Page Randar
Sheaffer Family
Lori Stephens
Lindsay Munoz
Chloe Dao
Mary Benton
Veronica Chapa Gorczynski
Jenn Char
Ashlea Graves
Kristi Grizzle
Reda Hicks
Bridgett Johnson
Tracey Kearny
Lindsay Lanagan
Mary Murray
Shavonnah Schreiber
Courtenay Siegfried
Aimee Woodall
Volunteers
Intern Designer
Katelin Cherry
Ivy Forero
Areebah Ajani
Mary Welch
Heather Reardon
Elizabeth Unger
Krista Scranton
Wendy Colonna
Peyton Silva
Jennifer Walker
Marti Corn
Danielle Amoah
Stephanie King
Vanessa Maerefat
Peggy Meeks
Jamelia Hymon
Inkar Imanbaeva
Ayesha Savant
Heather Ayer
Michelle Busch
Ty Johnson
Paulette Escobar
Daniella Castenda
Gwen Weddington
Kathrine Zeren
13