Just Because One Door Closes, Doesn't Mean You Can't Open Another
Andie Maranda had a good life. A home. A husband. And a little girl named Jade. She was the woman behind the counter at The Out Box, a print shop she owned and ran in Fonthill. She didn’t know much about the printing business when she opened the store on South Pelham Street and Highway 20 back in 1996. But she didn’t let that stop her.
It’s sort of a mantra of hers. When one door closes, make another open. Enjoy a good challenge. And welcome change.
She ran the shop for four years. Then, in 2001, she added stay-at-home mom to her resume. She was burned out and wanted to spend more time with her daughter.
Life was good for awhile. Then it all fell apart.
It started with her marriage. She split with her husband of 10 years and found herself in the middle of a divorce.
Then she got caught in a series of chain events that led to her declaring bankruptcy.
All she had were her belongings. And, of course, Jade.
She had no job. No family nearby. Her employment insurance was about to run out, and she was facing a life on welfare.
By year’s end, she would have no home. Nowhere to go. She spent the holiday season packing up 10 years’ worth of belongings. Ten years of memories. And as her life came crashing down on top of her, she sunk into a depression.
Then she found Bethlehem Projects of Niagara, an organization that supports people facing issues such as poverty, abuse and family breakdown.
Andie and her daughter moved into Bethlehem Place, an apartment building on Welland Avenue.
Andie spent a year of her life there.
When she moved out, she started a business named after her daughter, called Gypsy Jade Designs.
Her love of painting drinking glasses has been a constant in her life. It’s been her therapy. Her hobby. Her light.
So, she thought, why not also make it a way to earn some money. So with help from a program that pays her Employment Insurance while she develops her business, Andie became an entrepreneur.
These days the 45-year-old single mom sells her painted glasses at the Market Mall on King Street in downtown St. Catharines on Wednesday and Friday.
She donates $1 from the sale of each glass back to Bethlehem Place. One day she hopes to be big enough to hire other single mothers to paint for her.
Each glass is hand-painted. Every one is different. They vary from bold, bright colours to subtle and all white.
No comments yet.
Leave a Reply