SGIA's Dynamic Printing Community Offers Support to Hurricane Victims
(Click on T-Shirt to enlarge)
SGIA (Booth 2245) is reintroducing its Expo T-shirt, for sale only at the 2017 SGIA Expo and will donate all proceeds from its sale to lowernine.org, an organization dedicated to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
As the SGIA community comes together to help residents of Texas and Florida rebound from Hurricane Harvey and Irma, it’s important to note that the cleanup can take months, or even years,” says Ford Bowers, President and CEO, SGIA. “In 2005, New Orleans suffered the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina - 100 percent of the homes in the Lower Ninth Ward were rendered uninhabitable - and the efforts are still underway to help the region rebuild.”
The 2017 Expo shirt idea was conceived by an internal committee at SGIA and designed and printed by Graphic Elephants LLC. All materials also were donated by suppliers and manufacturers: shirts by Fruit of the Loom (Booth 3372), screen printing equipment by The M&R Companies (Booths 531 and 621), Newman Roller Frames by Stretch Devices (Booth 531), Wilflex ink by Poly- One, Shur Loc Panels, Murakami Mesh, Kiwo/Ulano Stencils, Easiway Systems Chemistry (Booth 327), PMI Tape (Booth 949) and Amagic Foils.
“We wanted to capture the spirit of New Orleans’ French Quarter with artwork that would display the detail of its timeless architecture and its colorful environment,” says Lon Winters, President, GraphicElephants.com/Print This Inc.
Once finalized, the committee voted on the local New Orleans organization to donate the proceeds to, and lowernine.org was overwhelmingly chosen. To date, lowernine.org has completed 85 full rebuild projects, bringing home more than 170 people. They also have completed more than 250 smaller projects, enabling people to remain in their homes safely, or to fix problems left by shoddy contractors.
“Total success for lowernine.org will be when all pre-Katrina residents of the neighborhood who wish to return are back in their homes and are living in safe and secure housing in a neighborhood free of blight,” says Emily Stieber of lowernine.org.
2017 SGIA Expo attendees will have the opportunity to help hurricane victims and be part of the solution to rebuilding communities devastated by hurricanes by taking home the 2017 SGIA Expo shirt for just $5.
