A teenager in Ottawa, ON is spreading hope in his community, in more ways than one. Nathan Monpremier started his clothing brand, Hope is Famous, with the goal of spreading hope in 2020 during the pandemic. Now, he’s making a community donation drive in support of The Salvation Army Thrift Store an annual Christmas tradition – collecting an incredible 50 bags of gently used clothing to donate to the Orleans Thrift Store this past Christmas.
“I was honoured to collect clothing from my community and give back to The Salvation Army,” Nathan says. “I was glad to be part of that. The Salvation Army has always been a presence in my hometown. I see them out in public with the Kettle campaign, at Christmas parades. It’s close to home.”
Nathan and a group of other local brands have teamed up to host donation drives the past two years, engaging with their community, building relationships, and supporting local Salvation Army programs and services through their clothing donations.
“We went door to door to let people know that we were down the street at the park and to come by and donate clothes for The Salvation Army,” Nathan says. “We made signs, decorated, and promoted on social media. People were really participating, it was a really positive experience. I got to meet a lot of new people.”
Not your average teenager, Nathan’s vision to create a clothing line to spread a positive message to others began when he was in high school.
“At 16 is when I really started,” says Nathan. “I was really into business and I’m a creative person.”
With a do-it-yourself attitude and the desire to bring hope and joy to others during a difficult time, Nathan got to work. He set up a heat press machine and a cricket machine, and designs his clothing artwork himself before pressing each item in his basement. He looks forward to continuing to build his brand and support his community long after the pandemic is over. Learn more at www.hopeisfamous.com.
Interested in hosting your own donation drive to help support neighbours in need in your community? Learn more and get started here.
