joining people through jewelry
"Joining People Through Jewelry" was the slogan that I used 6 years ago when I came back from Uganda with three bags full of Ugandan paper jewelry and a will to sell it all to raise money. The philanthropic spirit in me has always been at the core of whatever I do. "How can I make something that can help someone else?" "Will this inspire others?" "How can I give back?" What is the purpose of life if we aren't working towards making this world a better place for ourselves and for others?
Joining People Through Jewelry 2008
With my little "Joining People Through Jewelry" campaign, I was able to raise over $7,000 for my friend Susan whom I met while I was in Uganda! She had originally wanted to come to America with that money and study over here. Realizing that she could do so much more for others with that amount of money in Uganda, she used it to build the foundation for what will be a school for pastors. This is what life is all about.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/141863456987317135/
Fast forward to the summer of 2013 when Christina Lazarus approached be about making a bracelet that could be sold to raise money for our local Helping Hand. By the end of four months of working after hours to hand stamp and tie hundreds of bracelets, we were able to donate $4000 to Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach by the end of December. Lots and lots of local families had a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal thanks to locals and folks I have never met ordering our handmade elastic bracelets.
The Helping Hand Bracelets
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Helping-Hand-of-Myrtle-Beach/177170052785?ref=br_tf
These are the things that inspire me to keep going. To keep giving. Throughout the entire year, I am very happy to donate a piece of jewelry here and there for auction items and get involved with various fundraisers for local organizations. I know that I can't donate to every single thing and give to every organization but I feel that even the little things add up to be big things. If nothing else, it warms my soul.
https://www.spoken.ly/detail.php?pid=1amPr6FgeB4zXmj5pEWh8LDeLXm%2BzG95
6 years later, I am still joining people through jewelry. To finish off 2014, each month from September - December, I am going to donate a percentage of online sales from ashhoffmanjewelry.com to a different local organization. There are plenty of people and animals right here in our community who need assistance and we have some great local organizations who work very hard to make that happen. How cool is it to know that a piece of jewelry you bought for yourself or as a gift was made locally and is helping to give back locally? It's kind of a win win and will surely warm your soul too! If you aren't sure, just give it a try! Thank you in advance for your support, love and giving heart!
