Flex MSE is committed to leaving the path behind us better than the one in front of us. Our Social Impact goals are mission critical to our Team. Here are examples of our outreach and areas where we are working to make a difference.
If you’d like to join Flex MSE in some of our Social Impact and Volunteer works, or mirror what we’re up to in your community, contact us here!
In addition to providing financial support, the Flex MSE Team are committed to volunteering and supporting KidSports. We know that the fundamentals of Teamwork and Fitness contribute to childhood development in a major positive way. There’s nothing more rewarding that watching kids achieve goals and gain skills.
We are also happy to support, and so proud of, the Thunder 07 U15 Girls Softball Team. They are having a great season and developing as super athletes & powerful, confident, young ladies. Go Thunder!
We’re big fans of Kiva and their approach to Micro-Loans, supporting communities and entrepreneurs around the world.
Here are our latest contributions.
Janet’s story
Janet’s “Ah-ha” moment was living in the desert at a Reevis Self Reliance School in the Superstition Mountains. From Janet: “I remembered every moment I was there. The desert flooded. Before the flood, we harvested plants to make tinctures and salves to sell. We stockpiled dried plants. We harvested honey from hives. My teachers had a direct relationship with plants to heal the body and their spirit. They were aware of the healing of the body correlated to the healing of the mind and of our perceptions and projections. They did their work with the intention to help all beings. From that moment forward, I felt a heightened way of moving in the world for education, for giving and receiving, for witnessing for others, for communicating happiness.”
Mad Maiden Shrub starts with organic apples from WI. Janet offers flavored vinegar for drinks, which is a beverage option for the natural food customer or drink mixer customer. Organic apple cider vinegar is infused with Midwest flavors. Ginger for a spicy, warming drink combined with local honey. Cranberry, spiced like cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, for a cranberry-orange profile. Strong flavors stir memories of comfort and home. Shrubs remind us of old-time drinks and a connection to plants, farms, and the earth.
In 2019, Janet stockpiled Honey Ginger Shrub. Now, she would like to stockpile Cranberry Shrub. Her goal is to grow her business. Stockpiling will allow her to keep prices down and time selling.
Diana’s story
Fundación Mitz generates employment for low-income women in Mexico through the production of recycled paper accessories from international companies. Diana and her team produce bags, keychains, wallets, and jewelry from recycled materials. Each product is hand-woven and hand-sewn. The mission of Fundación Mitz is to empower women, allowing them to become economically active in their communities and their families. In 2018, Diana and her team plan to begin working with a new group of women in Chimalhuacán, Mexico.
Diana plans to use her small loan to invest in new tools and raw materials to enable Fundación Mitz to expand to new communities and employ additional women in Mexico. This loan will allow Fundación Mitz to grow by more than 30%, create 90 jobs for local women, and increase sales. The organization also plans to hire new staff to support both domestic and international sales. The artisans pictured include Mariana, Aibesue, Michelle, Jesús, Marcela, and Judy.
Elizabeth’s story
Because they need money, she and her husband work as day workers clearing other fields. A small loan will help provide maintenance to her land and to put cacao leaves in place in order to have better production.
Freddy’s story
Currently, he wants to help his parents financially and improve the conditions in which they live.
A small loan helped Freddy purchase three heifers which will allow him to increase his production and be able to sell more of his products. With this, he hopes that his production will be more stable and to be able to tend to his customers more efficiently and to help his parents.
Mauricio Antonio’s story
Mauricio will use the loan to purchase extensions, welding electrodes, and a polisher to continue working in his metalwork shop. He dreams of having another shop since his business is increasing.
Jedidah’s story
Jedidah is a single woman with 1 child. She describes herself to be committed.
She operates a retail business where she sells scrap metal and plastics. Her business is located in a good area and her primary customers are locals.
She describes her biggest business challenge to be inadequate working capital. She will use a small loan to buy more stock of scrap metal. This is her second loan, the previous loan was repaid successfully.
Cinthya’s story
Seeing the way her parents constantly pushed themselves and made moves to get ahead definitely influenced her desire to be an entrepreneur. Their lives taught her that she could create anything she could imagine as long as she was willing to put in the work and that if the situation required, she could get creative. They also taught her the importance of human relationship and what community offered to your overall happiness.
Today, a small loan is helping Cinthya start a fair trade eCommerce platform that partners with indigenous weavers in Guatemala. She going to buy products from a women’s weaving cooperative in Guatemala. This loan will offer the women jobs and ensure that they are paid immediately upon finishing the products. This will allow them to offer financial support to their families.
Cinthya’s site is up and running, check it out! utzthreads.com
Meirif’s story
In Indonesia, you cannot drink city water and most people don’t even have access to piped water. For this reason, most inhabitants of Indonesia boil the water before they drink it. Or, if they have the money, they buy bottled water.
Meirif heard of a new option for disinfecting water when the promotion crew from Nazava water filters held a safe water training in her vicinity. Nazava Water Filters filter well, rain, and city water so it becomes safe to drink without boiling, and without using fuel or electricity. Meirif, who is also a health worker, took the opportunity and became the reseller of Nazava water filters in her community.
A small loan helped to buy 27 water purifiers to sell to her community members, providing them with safe drinking water.
YouCaring is part of the GoFundMe family and a great place to find opportunities to support a variety of social causes. Here are some of our latest contributions.
So it was a dream come true for him when he received an acceptance letter to The Juilliard School, since he would be one of only three trumpeters that were accepted to Juilliard that year.
The biggest challenge for William, right now, is being able to cover tuition and housing expenses. His parents are doing their best, but right were in a bit of a funding shortfall. The total cost for Juilliard is $71,000 in US dollars per year for four years, which comes out to roughly $91,000 every year in Canadian dollars. Unfortunately scholarships and grants are harder to come by as an international student. So William and his family decided to turn to YouCaring to raise money to at least cover the first year.
We’re proud to support William in a small way to help him realize his dreams and fully become the musician he has always dreamed to be!
Learn about our Company and our Mission here.
Learn about our Environmental Impact here.
