Welcome to the Winter 2013 issue of HALFSTACK readers! Thank you so much for your continued support and loyalty. We are all working extremely hard to bring you content that is amazing and relevant! As this issue goes live, we are just a week shy of Christmas Eve and are knee deep in holiday celebrations from all cultures. Chicago is such a diverse city and instead of focusing on the idealogy of Christmas, my goal was to focus more on the aspect of what the holidays really mean
editor’s letter
to us as people. As I grow older and now that I have children, the idea of giving has completely changed for me. While many of you out there may not be at the same point in your lives, the idea still lingers in your mind. What do the holidays truly mean? Well, to me it is about family, relationships and giving with conscience. I am teaching my kids that this time of the year is not really about the gifts, rather the time we get to share with one another and the opportunity we have to give to others less fortunate than us. With this in mind, the direction of this issue began to develop. Often times we, as a society, focus on the material (and while I’m not discounting that completely - gifts on a budget are always fun), my hopes were to take this issue
JENNIFER M. VEGUILLA - EDITOR IN CHIEF & HER DAUGHTERS SOPHIA & BELLA
beyond your typical holiday gift guide. Rather, we are doing what we do best and pushing the limitations. We are showcasing a slew of brands, companies and artists who are on a mission to do good with what they create and sell. We are showcasing brands like One-P Apparel (athletic-wear), who provides low-income schools and organizations with athletic apparel, throughout the city of Chicago. We also will introduce you to The Lunchbox Fund who is helping to feed hungry children all
4
Halfstackmag.com