Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities
Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities


Ladies Night Out. Photo Credit: Berkley DDA


Earlier this month, the Berkley Downtown Development Authority (DDA) proudly debuted its Downtown Berkley Shopping Bag for a Cause through a partnership between Better Life Bags, a custom handbag company located in Hamtramck, and Citizens Bank.

“The development of Downtown Berkley Shopping Bag for a Cause is a meaningful partnership between the Berkley DDA and Citizens Bank that makes an impact in our community,” said Rebecca Smith, founder/CEO of Better Life Bags. “This project has allowed us to expand employment – an additional 300 hours of work to the women we employ – for the life of this project. In the world of the under-employed, that is significant.”

Each Downtown Berkley Shopping Bag is hand cut and sewn at Better Life Bags, a small company that employs women who have significant barriers to employment. The bags, which are screen printed by Berkley’s own Armadillo Printwear on Twelve Mile Road, feature the graphically bold birds taken from a mural on the exterior of Elwin & Co. Bakery on Coolidge Highway. Malt, aka Brown Bag Detroit, created the mural during the DDA’s 2017 mural program. One of Detroit’s favorites street artists, Malt is a self-taught muralist who works and lives in metro Detroit. He donated the use of his artwork specifically for this initiative.

Downtown_Berkley_Bag.jpg

“A year ago, the Berkley DDA started looking at how it was spending its money on promotional products for its events,” said Vivian Carmody, executive director of the Berkley DDA. “The Board decided it needed to ‘walk the talk’ of supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs and thus began our journey to locally sourcing a bag. We knew we needed a corporate partner, and Citizens Bank seemed the perfect match because of its emphasis on workforce development.”

President of Citizens Bank Michigan Richard Hampson noted, “When Vivian brought this idea to me, I found it really compelling. Supporting those seeking to overcome barriers to enter the workforce, the unique local aspect of this project, and the quick results that it would garner, were hard to ignore. We couldn’t pass it up.

Ladies Night Out; Berkley DDA


The DDA’s initial purchase of 1,000 bags will allow the organization to customize bags for the DDA’s signature events, such as Ladies Night Out and MerriMonth.

Sponsored in part by Citizens Bank, the shopping bags will be available for $10 each or $5 with a purchase beginning Friday, July 13, at Downtown Berkley’s Art & About event.

The Downtown Berkley Shopping Bag initially will be available at Berkley Eyewear and Local Sunglass Co., Have You Any Wool?, The Neighbor’s Shoppe, Peninsulas and Vitrine Gallery & Gifts.

About Downtown Berkley:

The Berkley Downtown Development Authority is a community-driven organization striving to enhance the shopping experience, economic vitality and physical appearance of Coolidge Highway and Twelve Mile Road — Berkley’s traditional commercial Districts. The organization strives to achieve its mission by being creative, focused, transparent, forward-thinking and engaged with its Downtown stakeholders and community. For more information visit https://downtownberkley.com/.