Choose901 Merch: Shopping With Purpose
Memphis swag is everywhere: T-shirts, hats, keychains, coasters, etc. At City Leadership, we love seeing passionate Memphians representing their city with pride. We want you to express your love of Memphis in any way possible.
However, for those of you who are looking to support Memphis with your purchases, Choose901 Merch is the place for you. Our merchandise is unique because we don’t sell it for profit. We sell it to support programs that are benefiting the city of Memphis. In fact, 100% of the sales is poured directly into fueling these initiatives, helping our city to thrive.
WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS DOES MY PURCHASE SUPPORT?
New recruits for Memphis Teacher Residency, a partner of Teach901 and Give901 to support excellent Memphis educators.
City Leadership is a nonprofit organization, which means we’re not making money on anything we sell. It’s far more important to us to give back to the community, which is why all purchases go directly to our campaigns: Choose901, Teach901, Serve901, Choose901 Alumni, and Give901.
Let’s break it down. What can your purchase actually do?
When you buy a T-shirt, it contributes to our teacher job fairs held through Teach901. Through these job fairs and our job board, we’ve helped connect hundreds of teachers and schools, addressing the issue of the teacher gap. It’s vital that our students have quality education, and your purchase goes towards that.
Buying a hat can fuels the Choose901 Alumni team to help a graduate find their first job. The years after graduation are particularly fragile for most young people, and your purchase enables us to give them support they wouldn’t otherwise have. This keeps our young Memphis talent in Memphis, investing right back in the city.
Choosing our corporate gifts for your staff appreciation changes a student’s life because it enables them to attain a scholarship through Give901. Because we’re a nonprofit, we’re able to offer our services to anyone who wants to create a scholarship. This offers the ability for someone to go to college who may not otherwise have been able to afford it.
These are just some examples of the power of your purchase. Check out our links for more information on what each of these campaigns do because we’ve barely even scratched the surface.
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
In 2012, Memphis swag was hard to come by. You’d have to buy anything Memphis-related in the Tiger bookstore or a souvenir shop. So when Choose901 Merch was first launched, we were filling a high demand for items to represent a love for the city.
During our first market, people were lined up outside the door waiting to get their fill of 901 gear. Since then, we’ve had collaborations with local artists like Eso Tulsen in the merchandise line “Embrace Your Inner Memphis” that he launched as a way to encourage the acceptance of the good and bad that comes with the Bluff City. Other designs have included beloved Memphis landmarks like the “Zippin Pippin,” “Adventure River,” and establishments like the Hi-Tone.
Our swag isn’t just for tourists. It’s for people who know and love Memphis. It’s for people who want to make thoughtful purchases that make a difference in their city and the lives of those who live here. Our merchandise is for the benefit of Memphis.
