We are excited to announce that starting today we are bringing back our Follow Friday blogs!

Just like last year, we will feature a wide range of social enterprises on our blog. However, we have decided to expand our reach by featuring exciting and innovative social enterprises from around the world! If you have an organization you feel should be featured, please let us know in the comments section.

In 2012, our blog will also highlight the Trico Charitable Foundation’s enterprising non-profits Alberta (enp-ab) 2011 grantees. These posts will provide us with insider knowledge of the planned and established social enterprises currently in Alberta. Lastly, the Trico Charitable Foundation Team will be blogging on a variety of subjects related to social enterprise. Keep posted, each week will feature new and exciting information!

For our first 2012 Follow Friday post, I am thrilled to feature an arts based social enterprise, the Craftworks Society. If you are located in Vancouver you are probably familiar with their unique, fun and educational craft products. Established in 1966, the Craftworks Society facilitates the creation and retail of handmade crafts created by adults with disabilities.

The Craftworks Society has volunteers and adults with disabilities working together to produce quality handmade crafts. The craft’s produced in this program are very diverse and include: hand puppets, felt story boards, toys, Christmas decorations, halloween ghouls, easter bunnies and much more. They will even do custom orders when requested! (Just make sure to give some lead time for large orders).

The crafts they create are sold at the Craftworks Society location, craft markets and on their website via email. The monies raised are shared with the participants and re-invested into the Craftworks Society. This program encourages participants to be creative, raises their self esteem, provides valuable work skills and you end up with a unique, handmade gift. To find out more about the Craftworks Society visit their website http://www.3hcraftworks.com/ or follow them on twitter @craftworkson4th

As a step towards our goal of broadening our reach into the community, the Trico Charitable Foundation, enp-ab and enp-bc are partnering to make it easier to attend “Building Your Social Enterprise” workshops in your area. Alberta based non-profits are able to register and attend enp-bc workshops in Kimberley, Valemount and Dawson Creek. The workshop provides participants with an overview of social enterprise and once completed, Alberta organizations are then eligible to apply for enp-ab grant funding.

Register Here

The Trico Charitable Foundation was established in December of 2008 as an evolution of Wayne and Eleanor Chiu’s philanthropic endeavours.  Our focus is promoting the development of effective and successful models, concepts and principles related to the national advancement of social enterprise.

One of the programs within the Foundation is the Social EnterPrize.  This program provides awards funding and education through a national conference and Social “EnterPrize”.  The Social EnterPrize recognizes Canadian leaders and non-profit organizations that are effectively using social enterprise to deepen their community impact. Up to four awards can be granted to organizations and individuals.

Announced recently at our Enterprising Spirit: Creating Value and Social Good Conference, the 2011 winners of the Social EnterPrize are:

Organizational winners:

The mission of Potluck Café & Catering is community employment and community nutrition and a commitment to sustainable environmental practices in its café and catering business.  The social enterprise was founded in 2001 and it is a neighbourhood café and professional catering services to corporate, government and clients in Vancouver.  Their impact includes 30,000 meals prepared and served annually to 100 most vulnerable downtown east side residents (DTES), job training for 10 – 24  DTES community residents, four to six internships – all to people with barriers to employment, and an additional 500 to 1000 DTES free meals for residents of the DTES.  They are a unique model of social enterprise because they generate 85 – 90% revenue from their catering business, they receive no government funding, they have strong grass roots connection to their community and it is a replicable food training model for other non-profit organizations to consider as a revenue generating model.

Mission Possible is a Christian humanitarian agency that transforms lives by helping people experiencing homelessness and poverty achieve a renewed sense of dignity and purpose through meaningful work.  Their social enterprise is MP Maintenance, founded in 2009 and it is a property maintenance business that includes services such as graffiti removal, exterior property cleaning services and site cleanup.  Since their creation of the social enterprise in 2009 they have helped 36 people and employed 23 people, with 8 people currently servicing 60 customers in the Vancouver area.  They are a unique model of social enterprise as they have strong business acumen complemented by charismatic leadership, with a strong group of dedicated volunteers resulting in significant impact in a short time.  They are also poised for substantial growth with a recent contract from BC Hydro to install smart meters.

Individual winner:

Caroline Arcand, Groupe Convex Prescott-Russell

Caroline Arcand is the instigator of 10 social enterprises, a prominent speaker, coach and leader.  Witnessing the increase in self-esteem of disabled people at work inspires her.  The mission of her non-profit, Groupe Convex Prescott-Russell, located in Hawksbury, Ontario, is to generate meaningful jobs through business projects for residents who face employment challenges.  One of their successful social enterprises is Recycle Action, a sorting facility, industry collector, and receiver of recyclable products from BlueBox, commercial and industrial sectors.  The impact in their community is significant with the development of multiple community partnerships, serving over 30,000 households, 41 schools, 159 businesses and 5 municipalities.  They are unique as their work successfully blends social, economic, environmental issues while creating jobs and generating revenue.  They have a proven track record, and address a need in their rural community.  Caroline Arcand is a strong leader and social entrepreneur driving the organization.

Where would you go tonight if you had the urge to hear live music at a café that gives back to the community? If you live in Victoria, that’s an easy craving to satisfy. All you need to do is head down to The Cornerstone Café! Not only does this café host an open mic night every Friday, but it’s also a social enterprise that reinvests its profits locally.

The Cornerstone Café, which is located in Victoria’s revitalized Cornerstone Building, is proudly owned and operated by the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resources Group Society (NRG). All revenues earned by the café are reinvested in the community through Fernwood NRG’s programs and services. In addition to serving a variety of delicious snacks and beverages, The Cornerstone Café features coffee that is locally roasted by Discovery Coffee. Those who choose to take some ground or whole bean coffee home will be happy to know that $5 from each pound sold is reinvested in programs and services in Fernwood.  And if you’re worried about environmental impact, rest assured that The Cornerstone Café produces nearly zero waste thanks to their composting and recycling efforts. They also have free wireless Internet, bulletin boards filled with community postings, live bluegrass on Wednesday nights, and art exhibits featuring the work of emerging local artists.

To find out more about The Cornerstone Cafe, check out their website and follow their updates on Twitter via @Cornerstoneyyj.

Ps. If you have a favourite Canadian social enterprise to share with us, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section!

Have you ever been to a conference that handed out tote bags made out of repurposed Olympic banners? What about book bags created from recycled vinyl building wrap? If you can’t answer yes to these questions, it’s likely because you haven’t yet attended an event that sourced their swag from Common Thread.

Common Thread is a cooperative of Canadian non-profit organizations that have sewing programs or are sewing enterprises. The cooperative’s organizational members are committed to providing their employees with fair wages and meaningful, supportive work experiences. Common Thread is able to offer their members a more reliable stream of work by providing brokering and production coordination. All of Common Thread’s items are made in Canada from repurposed street banners and other recycled materials. Their products come in a variety designs that are all colourful, durable, washable, and sustainable. From aprons and tote bags, to book covers and drawstring backpacks, there’s sure to be a Common Thread product that meets the needs of your next event.

To find out more about Common Thread, check out their website and follow their parent organization’s updates on Twitter via @CommonThreadVan.

Ps. If you have a favourite Canadian social enterprise to share with us, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section!