Giving Back

Who doesn't want some good karma? KTD Creative (KTD) gives back to the global community using design and communication tools.

In 2003, KTD Principal Kate Tallent was traveling in Ghana when she stayed with the Ewe people on Adaklu Mountain in the Volta Region. She volunteered the redesign of a brochure for an eco-tourism venture they had created with Peace Corps volunteer Jonathan Richter (http://www.bridgingdevelopment.org), to educate people about their mountain.

Kate was so inspired by this experience that she decided her company would locate each year a nonprofit or business that needs assistance with its communications efforts and donate services to them.

• In 2005, KTD donated design services to a Washington, DC-based nonprofit called Brainfood. KTD completed the redesign of a web site and the creation of a brochure for this worthy organization, which teaches DC teens to prepare nutritious meals and has them volunteer at food banks and shelters. 

• In 2006, KTD donated a booklet design to DC-based Solimar Travel for an eco-tourism venture in Costa Rica. The booklet was created with DC-based graphic designer Adriana Cordero working with KTD as a freelancer, and completed by an intern at Solimar Travel.

• In both 2008 and 2009, KTD participated in the Big Draw at North Chevy Chase Elementary School in the Montgomery County Public School System in Maryland. Organized every year by fourth-grade teacher Jacqueline Moore, this entailed KTD Principal Kate Tallent teaching a typography and design class along with graphic designer Adriana Cordero (who created the wonderful curriculum) to four classes of students. The fabulously talented KTD Junior Designer Will Bramlett also assisted in 2008.

• In 2010 KTD donated design services to three deserving small businesses: a poster for Gaia (a Washington DC-based Arts Festival produced by Nicolas Laget), a logo for Vista Global Coaching & Consulting (based in San Francisco), and a logo for Nichiban (a sushi restaurant based in Baltimore, MD). The projects benfited from the input of student interns Derek Torsani and Melissa Barat from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

• In 2011 KTD continues to give back. KTD donated the identity system for Excel Rehab Therapy located in Utah. KTD had already completed a brochure, new web site and WordPress content management system for this company. We also donated logo design services to a DC-based Capaeira studio called the Tao of Happiness. The projects benfited from the input of student interns Nate Robinson of the University of Baltimore School of Communications Design and Sonya Elefante from the University of Maryland College Park. 

• Also in 2011 KTD has donated the design of an identity system to the Corfu Foundation. KTD had already completed a new web site and WordPress content management system for this nonprofit that is dedicated to nurturing the understanding that individual well-being is inseparably linked to concern and compassion for others and the world around us. The identity system project benfited greatly from the input of wonderful student intern Annie Palgutt of James Madison University.

• We love good karma. In 2012 KTD has donated a new logo and business card design to District of Paws dog walking! We came up with the name as well for our friend Jason Boone's new company.