Dear Community,

We need your help! On the morning of February 5th, Chai's day started like any other. As an employee of Sauvie Shrubs (Sascha's small-batch botanical drinking vinegar business on Sauvie Island), Chai does fulfillment which includes shipments, restocking and deliveries of handcrafted shrubs. That week’s many cases of shrub were carefully tetrised into the trunk of their Mitsubishi Outlander, alongside packaged mail orders ready for the post office, tote bags, and the usual working-day trunkstuffs. Everything was locked up, but after loading the car, they came back to a smashed rear window. And an empty trunk.

This was a seemingly pointless act of violence against a car that already had a smashed-out passenger window from another robbery not even a month before.

Every bottle of Sascha's lovingly crafted shrub. Every mail order already packaged for customers. Gone. This wasn't just theft from Chai, it was a direct hit to Sauvie Shrubs, a scrappy, community-rooted business that Sascha has spent years building from the ground up. Between stolen product and repair damages, neither of which insurance will cover, we're looking at roughly $4,000 in losses.

Chai is an incredibly hard working employee who goes above and beyond. And Sauvie Shrubs is the kind of small business that runs on hustle, heart, and community. Right now that community is needed more than ever. If you've ever sipped one of Sascha's shrubs, or if you just believe that hardworking people deserve better than this, now's your chance to show up.

Donations will go towards:

Replacing stolen product: Raw ingredients, bottles, labels, and the hours of work that went into making them.

Window replacement: Two smashed windows in two months on Chai's car. This needs to be fixed so the team can keep moving product safely.

Fulfilling customer orders: Mail orders were ready to ship and had to be replaced. Donations will help recoup the cost of shipping and time lost.

Keeping the business alive: Every dollar is a vote for small, local, handmade goods, and against the senseless acts that try to undo it.

Small businesses run on community. You don't have to give a lot to make a difference. Even $5, $10, or $20 adds up fast, and even just sharing this fundraiser (free!) goes a long way. Thank you for your continued support.

Sascha & Chai