By Brianne Dela Cruz; Illume Co.
Barebones has a history steeped in philanthropic work and continues to help lift people out of poverty by providing essential skills, education, and tools. The first product ever created by the Barebones team was their state-of-the-art emergency shelter, and this continues to be one of the primary assets they provide to communities in poverty and disaster recovery.
Emergency Shelter
Through their trusted partnerships with Tifie and the world-renowned non-profit organization Direct Relief, Barebones has an ongoing list of impoverished communities where they actively send shelters. Recently they provided nine to people in Puerto Rico to be used as homes and medical clinics. One such shelter has even been converted into a roaming dental care facility. They’ve sent 40 shelters to the Bahamas and an additional 15 to Haitian refugees living on the Bahamian islands. Barebones is also in the process of sending 50 tents to Syria for refugees. The company has also recently partnered with Brigham Young University to provide 50 shelters to their new youth outdoor camp, as well as collaborated with the Boy Scouts of America organization to provide over 900 to the world Jamboree.
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A former cop's documentation of relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas / by Peak Design
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With these shelters, people in countries across the globe are receiving the protection they desperately need. One project has an especially heart-warming story: In partnership with One Heart Worldwide, Barebones sent 97 tents to Nepal to be used as maternal health clinics for women in rural areas. The Nepalese government offered to pay midwives a stipend if they had a shelter with solar power to deliver babies ready to be born. Barebones provided the shelters for birthing and Goal Zero provided the solar power that made fetal monitoring possible. Each of these organizations were able to come together for the health and dignity of Nepalese women and their babies during a vulnerable time in their life. Since then, over 424 babies have been born into clean and safe environments in these shelters, and many Nepalese midwives have been paid for their work.
Nepal, Birthing Centers
Roots Charter High School
In addition to donating livable shelters, for the last 5 years Barebones has been dedicated to helping at-risk youth learn how to cultivate their own food, and uniquely prosper in their educational endeavors. Roots Charter School in Salt Lake City helps at-risk youth attain high school graduation through teaching subjects within the context of gardening and farming. When the Barebones team discovered that many of the high school students didn’t have consistent food at home, and were often missing breakfasts and dinners, they decided to create the Roots Food Pantry. This pantry provides students with non-perishable food items that they can take home if they are hungry. Because many of the student’s low-income families work on holidays or don’t have funds for Thanksgiving dinner, Barebones employees (in collaboration with Tifie) have sponsored a Thanksgiving luncheon for the students for the last 5 years.
Barebones employees have also donated their personal time to Roots High School through a myriad of projects, such as sponsoring the school’s career fair each year. They’ve provided gardening tools and donated raised gardening beds, in addition to hosting the school's CSA flower pick-up at the Barebones headquarters. Through Barebones’ direct service projects, donations, and funding, Roots High School has increased the graduation rate from 30% to over 80%. Through this safe educational program, high school students develop self-confidence and a sense of belonging in nature and in their communities. Learning how to become dependable and hardworking young adults enables students to take on trade school education and jobs following their high school graduation.
The Classic Work Glove
Barebones is transforming communities and building bridges with families in Pakistan through the production of the Classic Work Gloves. These incredibly supple, yet tough, outdoor gloves are handmade by men and women in Pakistani villages. Through this cross-cultural enterprise, craftsmen and craftswomen earn wages that help raise their economic standing so they can provide more for their families.
Barebones Classic Work Glove Collection
Barebones believes in empowering communities to thrive, both locally and internationally, when resources are available. This abundance mindset is their “why” behind the generous donation of time, energy, knowledge, and products for the benefit of communities near and far. For Barebones, philanthropic and humanitarian work is at the heart of what they do. In the variety of the do-good projects they’ve taken on over the years, it is obvious how interwoven this ethic is in their business initiatives.
We are assured it will continue to be part of their story for many years to come.