BE-T-shirt Entrepreneurship Benefits Youth Services

A 100% cotton T-shirt promoting Brattleboro as the "place to BE" is the latest money-making venture of Youth Services director Allyson Villars and her husband John Nirenberg.

The made and dyed in Vermont $20 casual "T" is meant to promote self-empowerment and smiles with messages such as "BE your own genius" and "BE heard speaking your mind" and "BE in Brattleboro, Vermont", while at the same time filling the coffers of Youth Services, their favorite local charity. Fifty percent of the profit for the sale of these T-shirts, which comes in four hip colors, will be donated to the 35-year-old private nonprofit human service agency serving 2200 Windham County's children and families each year.

Villars became interested in the concept after working in Thailand where non-governmental organizations are subsidized regularly by for-profit businesses. She has created a group of volunteers at Youth Services to discuss and move forward an agenda to identify entrepreneurs who want to do good while also making a profit, and, of course, she wants the "doing good" portion of the profits to benefit youth and families by providing a funding stream for human service agencies in the county.

"We're hoping that other creative people, who might not bother with a small business venture like this purely from a profit motive, will follow our lead in launching their own social entrepreneurial venture that will benefit a local nonprofit," Villars explained.

To purchase a "Be" T, get ideas for your own venture or to join the committee, contact Allyson Villars at 254-8604 or email allysonvillars@YouthServicesInc.org. "BE" T-shirts will also be sold during Gallery Walk on Main St. in Brattleboro, in front of Vermont Artisans.

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