2nd Annual Shop Local, Shop Evanston Event to Begin in August

In a unique cause marketing campaign designed to help the Evanston economy and help fund support services for residents, Connections for the Homeless, the YWCA Evanston/North Shore, and Youth Job Center of Evanston are partnering with local businesses for the second annual Evanston Works Together: 4 Tuesdays in August 2013. Each Tuesday in this coming August participating businesses agree to donate 5% of their sales to the three non-profits. The funds generated will support free financial literacy, job-readiness, and job training programs at all three organizations. In return for participation, the three non-profits run full-page advertising in local media to drive customers to participating businesses on the Tuesdays in August, and provide a range of other public relations efforts around the campaign to generate customer engagement.

“This is an unprecedented collaboration between for-profit and non-profit stakeholders and the City of Evanston to address issues that affect us all,” says Paul Selden, Executive Director of Connections for the Homeless. “Last year’s campaign brought together over 30 Evanston businesses and the full support of Mayor Tisdahl to generate support for our community, and we are excited to grow participation in this year’s campaign.”

“The Youth Job Center is pleased to participate in this collaborative effort! It should be a win-win for all involved! The campaign will drive traffic to Evanston businesses and that means increased sales. And greater sales means more money going back to our three organizations and ultimately to the clients we serve,” says Sacella Smith, Executive Director, Youth Job Center.

Karen Singer, President and CEO of YWCA Evanston/North Shore adds, “we’re proud to participate in this effort for the second year. We want to empower women throughout our community with financial literacy training and job soft skills development so they can be more self-sufficient. It’s great that so many businesses are willing to support this effort through their connection to the community as well.”

Representatives from the three Evanston non-profits will be hitting the streets from May through July signing up retailers and restaurants to participate in this year’s campaign. Stores can also sign up now through the end of July online by going to Connections for the Homeless’ website at http://www.cfthinc.org/wordpress/?page_id=266.

People in need from throughout Evanston are referred to Connections for the Homeless and the YWCA Evanston/North Shore for assistance with homelessness, domestic violence and unemployment. Free programs at both organizations help end the cycle of generational homelessness and empower women and men to become stable and self-sufficient providers for their households.

Learn more about the programs and services provided by Connections for the Homeless at www.cfthinc.com and by the YWCA Evanston/North Shore at www.ywca.org/evanston. For information about Evanston Works Together: 4 Tuesdays in August 2013, please contact Joe Moag, Connections for the Homeless, at 847/475-7070 x133 or at jm@cfthinc.org.