For Southwest Creations Collaborative the core of its program is a contract manufacturing operation, which is expected to generate $1.3 million in revenue this year. Among its clients are Jonathan Adler, Designers Guild and máXimo.

Those customers “aren’t (just) driven by supporting us as a mission,” said Executive Director Susan Matteucci. “We offer competitive pricing and good service.”

Matteucci describes Southwest Creations Collaborative as a social enterprise “that operates in the marketplace with a double bottom line. You take the profits you are making and reinvest them in well-being of our employees and their families.”

Southwest Creations provides not only income for 35 people, it provides a way for women to invest in their children. It provides day care for 25 cents an hour. It offers its employees classes to earn GEDs, to learn English and to obtain citizenship. It is collaborating with Albuquerque Public Schools to expand its own successful program designed to help at-risk families get their children through high school.

Employees of Southwest Creations Collaborative with Executive Director Susan Matteucci. (DEAN HANSON/JOURNAL)

“We’re finding that if we work with the whole family, we have a 98 percent graduate rate among employees’ children,” Matteucci said. Of those kids, 85 percent are in college or university.

Samaritan partners with the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management for the annual selection and recognition of highly ethical businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals. Open nominations are made by the community-at-large and then UNM business ethics students, guided by UNM Professor Sarah D. Smith, complete a semester-long research project reporting on the final 30 nominees. An independent, volunteer selection committee, chaired by Henry South, Managing Director of Atkinson & Co. Ltd., named this year’s recipients.

The Samaritan Counseling Center has hosted the New Mexico Ethics in Business Awards since 2000. The program honors organizations and individuals who promote ethical business conduct for the benefit of the workplace, the marketplace, the environment and the community. Ethical business practice is determined by organizational and individual behavior based on high standards and exemplary practices.

Southwest Creations will be celebrated at the 14th annual Ethics in Business Dinner on May 1, 2013 at Hotel Albuquerque. For more information, please contact Susan Matteucci at 505.247.8559 or visit the Samaritan Counseling Center’s website.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Mich., and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.

Today, Sense is one of the most sought after lifestyle clothing lines due to imaginative design and high end fabrics. Sense is dedicated to styles and fabrics that nourish your senses and soul. Sense is manufactured entirely in the USA.

HU in APS aims to improve academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and college attendance among Latino youth by implementing proven strategies in school engagement, intergenerational college preparation, and health care access. The initiative, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is a collaborative among Southwest Creations, Dr. Veronica Plaza of the University of New Mexico’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and Albuquerque Public Schools.

“We are proud and excited to launch Southwest Creations’ most successful program to more families in our community,” said Jessica Aranda, Southwest Creations’ Program Director.

Approximately 300 English and Spanish-speaking Latino families at Albuquerque High School, Washington Middle School and Reginald Chavez Elementary School will be enrolled in the pilot program. The program will implement training for families and school staff, improve educational and health outcomes for families, and enhance the college and career counselor and school-based health center models within each school.

Southwest Creations has an ongoing partnership with APS and is recognized as a valuable resource for the district due to our pioneering and highly effective programs. Over the past few years we have trained over 60 APS staff members and helped integrate practical and effective techniques that promote multiculturalism and cultural competency among educators.

“Our collaboration with APS means more families in Albuquerque will benefit from this amazing model that we’ve crafted over 18 years,” said Aranda.

Please be sure to check in with Southwest Creations’ website, Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on the pilot program.

Southwest Creations’ Board President Melecita Archuleta helped lead the Women in Philanthropy’s site visit, which influenced the committee’s decision to fund 100 percent of our request. Additionally, Flor Lopez, Southwest Creations’ Leadership Development Manager, made a moving presentation on our strengths and past achievements as indicators for our future success.

“Working with the United Way has been an engaging, positive collaboration and we’re very happy about our on-going relationship,” said Susan Matteucci, Southwest Creations’ Executive Director.