Donate to SBC, get 25% off Soap Distillery’s cocktail-inspired candles and soap

As I discussed recently, a great strategy for lifting your spirits on short, gray winter days, especially during this challenging era is to light candles. That's a key element of the Scandinavian hygge concept of making the colder months more pleasant by creating a cozy and convivial home environment. So I'm happy to report that it just became easier to get some nifty candles and other great stuff for your abode, while supporting a Chicago business owned by a bike industry veteran, and pitching in on this year's Streetsblog Chicago fund drive.

Currently Streetsblog Chicago is trying to raise $50,000, in addition to a generous $75K grant from longtime SBC supporters The Chicago Community Trust, though other grants, ad sales, corporate sponsorships, and donations from readers like you, with a goal of wrapping up the fund drive by January 1. That would allow us to promote talented Streetsblog Chicago assistant editor Courtney Cobbs to co-editor, as well as launching a new weekly series focusing on transportation and urban planning issues that impact Chicago’s Latino communities.

Big thanks to all of our readers who've come through so far with donations big and small. Right now we're at $31,948, with $18,052 left to raise by New Year's Eve. There are still some possible ad sales and grants in play, but a significant chunk of that money will need to come from individual contributions.

The good folks at Chicago's Cape Horn Illustration, which creates artwork related to architecture, history, and cities, with a focus on the Chicago region, recently offered to help with a 25 percent-off discount for people who donate $100 or more to Streetsblog Chicago.

Now to sweeten the deal, Soap Distillery proprietor Danielle Martin is graciously offering the same deal on her cocktail-inspired candles, soap, and other body care products. Danielle is a former employee of the Chicago-based bike parts manufacturer SRAM, and an ex-bike shop worker, so you know she's down with the cause of promoting sustainable transportation.

"While drinking an Old Fashioned during a conversation about scent, I came up with the idea to scent my products like cocktails to truly stand out from the crowd," Danielle explained. "Now, several years later, Soap Distillery's small team of four creates a myriad of uniquely unisex scented products that our customers love." The company has a focus on sustainability, so most the products that they produce are plastic-free, their soap boxes are biodegradable, and they don't use essential oils that are unsustainable to produce. Also good to know: Soap Distillery donates to local organizations like the Broadway Youth Center every year.

Here's how the discount works for both Cape Horn and Soap Distillery. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to Streetsblog Chicago. If you donate $100 or more, we'll email you two 25 percent-off discount codes that can each be used for a single purchase from Cape Horn's website and Soap Distillery's website. (If you've donated $100+ already and would like to get in on the deals, feel free to email me at jgreenfield[at]streetsblog.org for the codes.) Cape Horn and Soap Distillery will each redeem up to 50 coupon codes; one code use per company per customer. The codes can be used for a multiple-item purchase, as long as they're in one order for each business. Taxes and shipping and handling costs will be added post-discount.

Help fund Streetsblog Chicago's livable streets coverage, support righteous local businesses, and get cool stuff for your home or a jump on holiday shopping: Sounds like a no-lose proposition!

Thanks for your support, and I hope you have a light-filled and heartwarming December.

- John Greenfield, editor

Would your business also like to offer a discount to Streetsblog Chicago donors? Please drop me a line at jgreenfield[at]streetsblog.org or 312-560-3966. Thanks!