Our partners in health: Mike Fretto, T-shirt designer

Mike Fretto displays one of his t-shirts.

You will want to put more than one of Mike Fretto’s “Help Haiti Rise” t-shirts in your virtual shopping cart (they can be found at www.hellofretto.com). Mike and his father, who co-own Fretto Prints, a screen printing business in St. Augustine, Florida, are donating 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of these shirts to Partners In Health’s work in Haiti. Not only are the shirts ultra-soft, they are that coveted slim-fit that is all the rage right now.

Mike has long been using the simple tee as a canvass to tell the stories of people in need. After years of working with apparel companies as a freelance graphic designer, he became interested in combining screen printing with social justice. In 2006, Mike began a non-profit called ROSA LOVES. A portion of the proceeds from that organization are used to help support individuals and families in the local community and abroad. For example, money raised from the sale of a shirt called “Simple Machine” helps pay for the commission of recycled bikes that are donated to people in St. Augustine who have limited access to transportation.

Like many people who have read Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains, the book left Mike and his father with a sense of compassion and understanding for the people of Haiti.  Their desire to help only increased after the January 12 earthquake. “We felt confident and compelled to give to PIH,” Mike said.

While the original concept for the “Help Haiti Rise” t-shirts was Mike’s, many people helped to get the project off the ground. A friend donated online storefront space. TSC Apparel and American Apparel offered blank shirts at discounted wholesale prices. Others contributed by posting photos of the shirts online, spreading word of the fundraising drive on Facebook, or simply volunteering their time folding t-shirts.

News about the shirts spread quickly via online social media platforms, particularly the blogosphere. Since then, Mike has spoken on the radio about his initiative and the story has appeared in several local papers. At first Mike was worried that the initial run of 150 shirts would not sell out, but within less than 24 hours after posting them online, the shirts were on backorder. 

“We’ve made approximately $11,000 in sales so far. We’re working towards reaching our goal of $20,000,” he said.

Ultimately, Mike hopes that the shirts will raise awareness about the dire health situation in Haiti following the earthquake.

So, keep shopping. And may your “Help Haiti Rise” tee hopefully one day go out of style.