The Community Box: Addictions Edition
Our fifth Community Box was created in partnership with Portage Ontario, a drug rehabilitation centre for teenagers ages 14-18.
This Community Box includes a Crewneck Sweater designed by Tobias and Benjamin, two youth Creators overcoming drug addictions. The design is both meaningful and personal to their journey with addictions.
Addicts are People too
“There are people who believe addicts are monsters. Monsters who they want to shield from their friends and family, who like to take away from others, and who are a tumour in society.”
“If there’s one thing that you take away from our project, I want you to know, that we are people too.”
“People with addictions are people too.”
The individuals featured are youth leaders between the age of 14-18 overcoming addiction at Portage Ontario. For their privacy, their face will not appear in any photographs and their real names has been substituted with Tobias and Benjamin.
Design Inspiration
Tobias: “It’s about seeing the real person behind the mask. In the design, the addict is getting the power to take the mask off and show who they really are, instead of the mask that people made for them.”
Benjamin: “The non-sober me was a dark person who pushed everyone away and did whatever to get drugs. The sober me, after entering recovery, feels socially normal and good. You have the dark, addiction side of you, but that’s only a mask covering what’s really on the inside.”
Purchase our Sweater today!
The sweaters are 100% Combed Ring Spun (meaning they feel incredibly soft), ethically manufactured by Just Like Hero, and embroidered locally in Waterloo, Ontario.
The sweaters are perfect for a weekend outfit, and can also be stylized to suit almost any social occasion.
The sizes are unisex, and they come in both Maroon and Grey. If you are stuck between sizes, we would recommend choosing the smaller size!
Our Creators
The two inspiring youth Creators who designed our crewneck sweaters
Purchase our Community Box
Every Community Box includes a premium crewneck sweater, and a special addictions insert designed by our Creators.
*Express shipping is free on all orders $75+ before tax!
Becoming a Community Leader
By wearing our sweater, you are standing up for those experiencing addiction, and starting meaningful conversations around an important cause.
"I love it when my friends ask me about the design. It's not just a sweater, it's also a reminder to all of us that we need to treat those overcoming addiction with dignity and respect, because they’re people too.” - Liz, 26, customer of The Community Company
Purchase our Community Box to empower our Creators!
Our Community Promise
There are five promises we commit to when you purchase a product with us.
Your purchase provides real social impact, Creators are compensated fairly, the products you receive are incredibly high quality, our brand supports local businesses, and our products start meaningful conversations.
About Portage Ontario
Portage operates a Residential Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center in Elora for vulnerable Ontario youth between the ages of 14 and 18 working to overcome their substance dependency. An average stay in residential care is six months followed by 18 months of aftercare in one’s home community to help youth reintegrate back into society and maintain sobriety.
Learn more by clicking the link below!
Elora, Ontario
“Throughout my addiction, I was a very two-faced person. There was high me and sober me. High me was the happy-go-lucky person that could do anything…”