Hey financial donors, because of your support, Upcycle Parts Shop has strengthened this year. That was the plan, that’s how it has gone and you have played a big role in making it happen. We’re not done yet, but it feels so good to get support like yours.

Here’s a tiny recap of what we've done in 2023:

Built new funding sources and secured new philanthropic support for our work and our mission, including two-year support from the Ohio Arts Council —our first time ever getting funding from them!
Deepened and expanded our entrepreneurship education programming, built new relationships with more schools throughout Northeast Ohio, reached hundreds more students and more than doubled the number of ‘innovation kits’ (packaged up materials) we’re sending out to schools in multiple states!
Received an award for this work –the Community Impact Award from Dominion Community Foundation! We were one of 11 non-profit organizations in Northern Ohio to be chosen for this award (and $10,000 check!)
Received funding from 100+ Women Who Care —Linda, our material donor turned champion, started her presentation to the group with “I’ve been a part of 100+ Women who Care since it started in 2011 and I haven’t brought a non-profit forward because I haven’t found one I feel passionate about until Upcycle Parts Shop” —------------------ s w o o n ! —----------------------- They chose us! We’ve been so impressed by this collective model of individuals sending in checks totaling $10,000. This support has helped us build our capacity to offer workshops at the shop!
Hired new staff! Team building is a constant work in progress with so many factors and variables. We are really excited by the new capacity of Frankie, program coordinator, Zakiya, shop specialist, Candace, shop specialist, and Shelly, Marketing & Hype support. And we continue to count on more than a handful of event staff who help us education and creatively encourage folks of all ages all year long throughout the region. (We call them our Upcycle All Stars, and they really are).
- At this point, everyone at Upcycle is part-time, but we get a lot done in many ways, and the shop’s open consistently 12-5 Wed-Sunday, slinging goods and processing donations from the 30+ generous material donors who bring in their goods each month. Plus our program team is ready to pack up the upcycling and roll up their sleeves with your group (we mean it!)
Worked toward this dream: EXPANSION! For months we’ve been talking quietly about this dream taking shape. It’s still coming and it’s still quiet for another week or so but we want to bring you in on the exciting news. Expansion won’t mean moving from where we are, and it WILL mean more than doubling the space we have to deliver on our mission and its growing impact! That means some new programming, too.
- We’ll be going out to some places where senior citizens already live and gather, and we’ll be inviting them to the shop! This group has always been a primary audience for us, and we’re delivering what they’ve been requesting for years: hands-on programs on ground level and the chance to create and build relationships with one another.
- Swooning, we tell ya, swooning.

Last year, when we launched our Circles of Support recurring donation program we had a hunch that many people support the work we do, and want to support it in new ways. And our generous donors confirmed that hunch. Your financial support has bolstered this organization and is taking it to new places! We are so grateful and we also are so good at expanding the Circle of Support! If you’re not already supporting this small but mighty organization, jump in right here. We are ready for you to be part of it! And thanks so much for reading until the end. We knew we liked you! And we can’t wait for you to join us.

love,

your friends at Upcycle Parts Shop

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Just a little recap from a big year (2023)!