Progress' SMART! Holds First Donation Day -Oct. 2.

Progress Inc. will soon open an innovative social enterprise called SMART! - Scrape Made Art. On Oct. 2, you can help this new green business by coming by Progress and donating useful, recyclable items.

WHAT IS SMART!?

SMART! will be an art reuse center where artists, school teachers, craftsmen, seamstress and anyone in between can purchase unique, recycled items for any arts and crafts project. Customers will be able to purchase these recyclable items - from Popsicle sticks to plastic water bottle tops - in bulk for their projects at affordable prices. Along with providing a cool new art store for Nashville, SMART! will benefit Progress Inc.'s mission of giving adults with intellectual disabilities meaningful employment opportunities. The clients we support will eventually work at SMART! with the assistance of management staff.

Here are some neat examples of art created from recyclable items found across the web: 

Mini Magnet Craft Courtesy of letsgochipper.wordpress.com

Balls of string created with newspapers Courtesy of news.softpedia.com

How can you help get SMART! going?

SMART! Project Manager Kelli Monday has devised a list of items that will be needed for SMART!'s inventory. 

We welcome anyone and everyone to bring the items (listed below) in bags or boxes to Progress' office, 319 Ezell Pike on Tuesday, Oct. 2. It will be the first of many donation days, where Kelli collects a variety of items that will be used for future works of art. If you have questions or want to know more about SMART!, please contact Kelli Monday k.monday@progress-inc.org. 

SLIDESHOW: HCA CARING COMMUNITY DAY AT PROGRESS

We cannot thank David Cannady and his crew of HCA employees enough for all their help during the HCA Caring Community Day 2012.  The annual event has helped Progress in so many ways. This year, the employees moved furniture, filed documents, helped assemble emergency kits that will be used at the homes of our clients, gardened and spent time decorating pumpkins with our day program clients. Please view our slideshow dedicated to the day of volunteering.

Progress Inc. 4-miler Coming to East Nashville Nov. 3

Progress Inc. is gearing up for the inaugural E.N.D. East Nash Dash - a 4-miler and bash that will benefit the programs that support seniors and adults with disabilities. There will be free food, drinks and music from East Nashville's favorites.

Please learn more and register for the 4-miler at www.eastnashdash.org and take a peek at the video from our PSA shot in the heart of Five Points last week.