Hello Beautiful People,
I think I’ve had a love affair with fashion from an early age – and it’s just gotten deeper and stronger as I’ve gotten older. I appreciate the beauty and artistry that goes into making different pieces of clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry.
As you all know by now, arts education has a huge piece of my heart, and is a core component of my career, so when I first heart about Threads by The Shine Project, I was intrigued. This jewelry company employs American inner city youth to help hand make jewelry, and assist in running the daily functions of the company, (customer service, shipping, jewelry design, t-shirt design, new product design, sales, and events.) Because of their work at The Shine Project, the students are then given a scholarship to help pay their way through college, and are mentored with full-time employees of the company. You can read more of their story here.
Art + Education…what’s not to love?
Here are ways in which you too can help, outlined by the company:
Your donations are what allows us to keep giving our students scholarships. Some of our students have been raising themselves for years, most are first generation college students, and all of them rely on financial help to be able to go to school. 100% of the money that you donate goes directly to the students. If financial aid pays for their schooling, then the money is used for things like books, housing, meal plans, and other school supplies that are too burdensome for them to pay for out-of-pocket. Without your help, many of our students would not be able to go to college.
Our students are studying to be teachers, lawyers, accountants, journalists, and leaders in their communities. If you feel the stir, please sign up to sponsor one of our students. It can be a one time donation, a month-long fundraiser that you get your work involved in, or a reoccurring monthly donation that you give us. We are grateful that you choose to donate your money to us. If you want to get your work, club, church group or community involved, we will mail you a packet that highlights one of our students. You will be able to read and share details about them with the people you are raising money with so you can see and learn about exactly who your money is benefiting.
Fundraiser ideas can include:
Donate Your Drink Day: Get coworkers and friends to donate the amount of money they would usually spend on a drink that day, and sponsor a student with it instead.
Dress Down Day: Allow the office to wear comfortable clothes if they pay a monetary fee that will be donated to our non-profit.
Donate a percentage of sales of a certain product, or on a certain day and let people know that they are benefitting our inner city youth.
Simply ask for donations!
Give a company donation that is 100% tax-deductible. Our non-profit is a 501-c3.
Thank you for helping these youth shine.
Please contact Brooke@theshineproject.com with further questions.
Here are some of my favorite pieces:
Bottom line – it’s always a beautiful thing when products go towards a greater good, and it makes my heart go pitter-patter when that good is for education.
Brava, Ashley and co!
Live, Love, Learn,