By Teri Carnicelli

A new Internet company, Gifts With A Conscience (GWC), enables gift givers to give twice. By purchasing an item through GWC the giver becomes part of GWC’s effort to help people help themselves.

And now, those who want to order online and pick up in person, or be able to touch and feel items while they browse, can come to the new GWC boutique that opened on Sept. 4 at 3301 E. Indian School Road.

Gifts With A Conscience was formed in late 2007 by Sue Spahle, Missy Shackelford and Vivian Mueller. Shackelford and Mueller watched their own children grow up together through grade school and high school and eventually enter adulthood. Spahle is Shackelford’s sister-in-law; they both live in Arcadia.

The partners launched their Web site, www.giftswc.com, in early March 2008. The site features quality gift items for hostesses, girlfriends, co-workers, daughters, mothers, sisters, and colleagues.

Longtime friends (from left) Sue Spahle, Missy Shackelford and Vivian Mueller opened a boutique this month to complement their Web site, launched in March, that features gift items geared toward women (submitted photo).

“We’ve all had the experience of buying teacher gifts, friend gifts, family gifts and shower gifts over the years, and we know what we like versus what is the same-old, same-old,” explains Mueller, a North Central Phoenix resident. “We also wanted to give our shoppers some affordable price points. With gas prices the way they are, more people are shopping online, and this gives them a great gift option with the added bonus of helping someone else raise up their own life.”

One of GWC’s signature lines is The Blessing Basket Project. Women in Third World countries who are attempting to find their way out of bondage and poverty make this diverse line of sturdy, attractive baskets. While there are many similar basket offerings on the market today, only those with the Blessing Basket symbol pay the weavers a Prosperity Wage, which is a sustainable living wage, Mueller points out.

As a result of that fair wage, the women are able to support their families and help build schools and hospitals to improve the lives of people in their villages—chiefly in Uganda, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

GWC’s carefully researched and selected gift collection includes glassware, fun evening and specialty bags, original art products, coffee, tea, tempting confections and many other items. With the opening of the boutique, the selections have expanded and that will be reflected online as well.

“It just seemed like a fun idea to do this; we’ve know each other so long, we knew we could work well together,” Mueller says. “We’ve been having a great time and we’re proud of our Web site and our store.”

The Gifts With A Conscience boutique is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Special extended evening hours are offered until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. A grand opening will take place in October.

For more information, visit www.giftswc.com or call 602-577-7494.