WovenWell: Give Gifts That Give Back

WovenWell Founder Kim Widener at the TSQ Gifted Holiday Market

The new holiday market kiosks in Time Square are a breath of fresh air in an extremely congested part of the city. TSQ Market is a local food and retail market that’s open all year, brought to us by Urbanspace NYC. Right now, it’s also hosting the Gifted Holiday Market ,Three clear structures (North Market Plaza, Mid Market Plaza, and South Market Plaza)that are are warm inside and filled with wonderful gifts, handmade by local artisans or fair trade.

WovenWell is a company with a wonderful booth space in the Mid Market on Broadway and 43rd Street. It is brimming with a million pretty, handmade things: lovable toys, brightly colored baskets, beautiful candles, patterned pillows, funky bags and accessories, sweet holiday ornaments, charming table runners – all irresistible as gifts for everyone on your list–and even more so as gifts for yourself!

But the greater beauty within this particular booth is their mission. Founder Kim Widener donates 20% of profits “to eradicate the stigma of mental health issues by raising awareness and funding programs instilling hope, self-worth, and skills for life…one community at a time.”

This year, WovenWell is providing funds to support programming in these worthy organizations:

Housing Works: WovenWell’s Work-It program, supporting Job Readiness in the New York’s five boroughs;
Jed Foundation: WovenWell’s specially made key fob proceeds supports training of individuals touched by mental and emotional health issues to share their experiences;
Daniel’s Place: WovenWell’s Le POP Up in Los Angeles provides bags of hygiene items, clothing, and other essentials for the increasing at-risk child/teenage homeless population in LA;
The Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital: WovenWell’s Farming & Looming Program funds a vegetable garden for this hospital in Ghana, producing income and nutrition for the hospital as well as farming skills for its patients.

Mental illness is difficult enough to deal with, and the stigma associated with it around the world makes it so much worse for people suffering with it, their loved ones, and their communities. WovenWell struck a chord with me because they help people their illnesses and also with all aspects of their lives. Make sure you ask Kim about WovenWell’s programs. I teared up three times as she told me some stories about the people they support.

One shopper visiting the market from the Midwest was so taken with the idea behind all the beautiful products she was seeing that she bought all of her holiday gifts right then and there. “Gifts that give back – you can’t get better than that!” she said.

So, brave the crowds and pop into all of these Gifted Holiday Market spaces, and take home fun, beautiful, and meaningful gifts from WovenWell.

~Karen Seiger, Markets of New York City