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New Business Painting a Picture of Opportunity

Don, Mary, Donna and Andrea Schronce

A new venture in the struggling Maritime provinces of Canada proposes to use art to foster economic development. Maritime Art and Frames, developed by MCC partner Island Business Ministries, plans to manufacture picture frames and market the finished products to retail and gift shops in the region.

Island Business Ministries
MCC partners with local evangelical churches, Christian business owners, and other individuals in supporting Island Business Ministries. Originally started to minister to the spiritual needs of local businesspeople, the organization expanded to address other needs felt due to growing unemployment. Donna and Don Schronce, MCC volunteers, work with Island Business Ministries as economic developers.

Local resources
The project focuses on using local resources. Regional artists will be engaged to paint pictures of local scenery. The pictures will then be housed in frames manufactured by local youth at the company’s home in New Waterford on Cape Breton Island. A local non-profit community development organization has expressed interest in helping to support the project.

The business is currently developing prototypes and seeking potential investors. The next phase of the project is to take the prototypes into the marketplace in order to determine whether the products are desirable and whether shopkeepers will purchase them.