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The [HAS HEART] Coffee Shop will be more than just a coffee shop, it will be a community base. Located on the park grounds of the Grand Rapids Veterans Memorial Park, this historic building will transform to become the connector of the past and present and a conduit for current conversations and relationships between Veterans and civilians.
Through a partnership with the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation, Madcap Coffee, Ghafari Associates, and many others, [HAS HEART] will be able to continue to fulfill its mission to bring worlds together through art, design, fashion, and now: coffee.
LOCATION: Veterans Memorial Park, 22 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI
OPENING DATE (TENTATIVE): Summer 2021
ABOUT US:
[HAS HEART] is a Michigan-based, registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (“Fashion Has Heart,” EIN: 45-2609530) founded by 8-year U.S. Navy veteran Michael Hyacinthe and artist/designer Tyler Way. They first met over a cup of coffee in 2010 and quickly discovered the disconnect between their two worlds but felt the need to do something about it.
They further realized the power of creative collaboration once Michael met a local quadriplegic Marine who collected t-shirts but lost the ability to speak from his injuries in Iraq. Tyler worked with the Marine to co-create a design that shared his message (view project), and it was such a powerful process, that they’ve continued to pair Veterans with designers ever since.
Each HERO[series] project consists of a two-day design process in which a designer helps translate a Veteran’s story through graphic art. [HAS HEART] thoughtfully documents this powerful creative process through photos, videos, and written stories that can be shared, displayed, and exhibited to enable the average person to engage with and better understand a Veteran’s story of service and sacrifice.
Each of the meaningful HERO[series] designs are produced into US-made products through unique collaborations with brands such as Starbucks, Airstream, Alpha Industries, and more. A percentage of proceeds benefit the Veteran while also further enabling [HAS HEART] to share another’s Veteran’s story.
PRESS RELEASES:
01. “HAS HEART Coffee Shop Announcement“
02. “Veterans Day 2019 Release – HAS HEART“
03. “Nonprofit Raising $100K to Complete Nationwide Veteran Design Tour“
04. “Nonprofit Traveling 50 States to Give Veterans Creative Outlet“
05. “Couple Gets Married, Travels to 50 States with Their Cat on a Mission“
MEDIA DOWNLOADS:
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ACTIVE MISSION:
After five years of conducting these powerful collaborative design projects with very few resources and a small team of volunteers, [HAS HEART] believed the best way to impact more Veterans, enlist more creatives, and reach more civilians would be to take the HERO[series] across the country themselves.
Tyler and his wife Kendra Clapp Olguín quit their careers in the fashion industry, financed an Airstream trailer to live and work in, and leased a truck to tow themselves across the country.
With the help of a few key partners to launch the tour (AIGA, Alpha Industries, Schultz Family Foundation), they hit the road in July 2017 to partner a Veteran with a graphic designer in all fifty states, capturing their two-day collaborative design process, writing the Veteran’s story, and documenting their personal journey along the way.
“50 STATES” DOWNLOADS:
VIDEO DOWNLOADS:
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WE NEED YOUR HELP
FUNDING NEEDS:
Between July 2017-December 2018, we drove over 44,742 miles to 39 states where we’ve been able to conduct 41 projects, and work with 50 Veterans and 123 creatives.
Our initial funds managed to get us this far, but since January 2019, we were forced to pause the tour indefinitely. We need your help to finish raising the final $100,000 needed to finish the tour and complete this nationwide mission.
Press Releases
- Press Release: HAS HEART Coffee Shop Announcement
- Press Release: “50 States: Veterans + Artists United” Project
- Press Release: STATE 01: VT – “Ca-Deuces”
- Press Release: STATE 02: ME – “Don’t Panic”
- Press Release: STATE 03: NH – “Transform” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 04: MA – “XVII”
- Press Release: STATE 05: RI – “Take Flight”
- Press Release: STATE 06: PA – “The Best Time” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 07: CT – “Believe”
- Press Release: STATE 08: NY – “Don’t Look Back”
- Press Release: STATE 09: NJ – “And So It Goes” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 10: MD – “Reflection”
- Press Release: STATE 11: VA – “Two Tales” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 12: DE – “Untold Stories” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 13: NC – “Love Like This” (Available by Request)
- Press Release: STATE 14: SC – “Chase” (Available by Request)
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
2020
- ABC WXYZ Detroit: “Pistons honor veterans, create t-shirt campaign with Vietnam hero”
- AwareNow – Issue 10: “This Mission HAS HEART“
- Fox17 WXMI: “Veterans organization working to bring coffee shop to GR“
- Michigan Business Journal: “New GR coffee shop will connect veterans, artists“
2019
- MuskOx Clothing: “Reconnecting the Civilian and Veteran Worlds“
- Realtree: “HAS HEART: Where Veterans and Artists Unite“
- ABC WZZM-13: “Cards created by kids at Children’s Museum delivered to local vets“
- ABC WZZM-13: “Kids visiting the GR Children’s Museum make cards for veterans“
- Airstream: “Supporting Veterans One Story at a Time“
- Alpha Industries 60th Anniversary: “Everyday Heroes: Tyler Way, Co-Founder [HAS HEART]”
- a little more human (podcast) episode 13: HAS HEART (Tyler Way & Kendra Clapp Olguin)
- NBC-3 KSNW-TV: “Wichita veteran’s story is being shared through art“
- Wichita State University: “MID student recruited for HAS HEART project to help connect artists and veterans“
2018
- AIGA Vermont: “Member Spotlight – Colin Bright“
- Alpha Industries News: “A Has Heart Story“
- Iowa State Daily: “Bridging two worlds together“
- ABC-8 KLKN-TV: “Non-profit [HAS HEART] unites veterans, artists“
- CBS-10 KOLN/11 KGIN: “[HAS HEART] Project connects graphic artists with U.S. Veterans“
- University of Nebraska Lincoln: “Husker Alum uses art to tell veteran’s story“
- The Post and Courier: “A life story in a single image: North Charleston Vietnam veteran takes the challenge“
- AIGA Portland: “Bridging the Gap Between Design & Social Causes“
- Threadless: “[HAS HEART] Brings Artists and Veterans Together“
- Video Jungle Podcast: “A Passion Project that [HAS HEART]“
2017
- STARBUCKS Newsroom: “Veterans and artists find healing through design and apparel”
- Threadless: “How to Sell T-Shirts for Charity“
- NBC WoodTV8: “Shortlist entry honors fallen serviceman“
- MLive: “Hero Series greeting cards in honor of veterans now sold by Michigan retailer“
- SpartanNash: “[HAS HEART]“
- Grocery Business: “SpartanNash Teams Up with [HAS HEART] to Support Military Veterans“
2016
- FOX-2 Detroit: “Non-profit pairs U.S. vets with artists, shop open on Woodward“
- ABC-13 Grand Rapids: “West Michigan organizations debut greeting cards in honor of Veterans“
- Grand Rapids Business Journal: “Greetings from a creative downtown firm“
2015
- Chaco: “Chaco x Fashion Has Heart“
- AIGA West Michigan: “Fashion Has Heart, and so does AIGA WM“
- Grand Rapids TV: “NPO Spotcase – Fashion Has Heart“
2014
- NBA – Detroit Pistons: “Come Together | Wounded Warrior“
- Detroit Free Press: “Pistons’ Kyle Singler helps veteran design T-shirt“
- Ludington Daily News: “Fashion Has Heart matches Ludington wounded warrior Eric Lund with Detroit Piston Kyle Singler — “Victory” T-shirt now available“
- FOX-17 West Michigan: “Fashion Has Heart is looking to raise $20,000“
- Kendall College Art & Design: “Students Help American Heroes Share Their Stories with Design“
- 98.7 WFGR: “Fashion Has Heart Co-Founder Michael Hyacinthe Talks to JoJo About Helping Wounded Veterans“
- FOX-17 West Michigan “‘Fashion Has Heart’ Helps Wounded Veterans“
2013
- NBA – Detroit Pistons: “Come Together: Fashion Has Heart“
- TEDx Talks: “Fashion Has Heart: Michael Hyacinthe at TEDxMacatawa“
- Forbes Galleries: “Wounded Veterans Exhibit Original Art At Fashion Has Heart Exhibit at The Forbes Galleries“
- MLive: “Wounded Warriors Unveil ArtPrize Pieces at Fashion Has Heart“
- Public Media WGVU: “Newsmakers: Fashion Has Heart“
- The Oakland Press: “Fashion Has Heart helps vets fulfill design dreams“
2012
- NBC WoodTV-8: “Wounded vets to show Fashion Has Heart”
- Stellafly: “FREEDOM: A Benefit for Our Wounded Heroes Presented by Fashion Has Heart“
- Rapid Growth Media: “Fashion Has Heart for ArtPrize“