Many years ago I asked my young children what two things they needed from their parents. They said ‘food and money.’ I told them ‘roots and wings.’ My goal in pledging 99% of my assets to philanthropy is to help others with roots—food, warmth, shelter, healthcare, education—so they too can have wings. You may remember this quote from the blog post about the Giving Pledge, but the concept of roots and wings is one worth exploring and discussing more deeply. Although roots and wings may not be the first words that come to mind when we think about how to meet the needs of others, upon reflection, it makes perfect sense. Without a solid foundation on which to stand, it’s difficult for an individual to take flight, to be able to care for himself, and ultimately to find her own gifts to share with the world. It is for this idea of building firm roots to allow others to find their wings that See Beautiful emphasizes sustainability in our Giving Initiatives. What does this mean exactly? It means that the impact of the Giving Initiative is felt beyond the sum of the funding. It means that the community and individuals in it grow in their capacity to meet their own needs. And it means that See Beautiful becomes a small part of a path toward empowerment. There are so many examples of sustainable projects, and here are just a few. As was shared in a recent blogpost, Mavuno providing technical training to peer-selected individuals exemplifies a sustainable solution. Funds are used in a way that will continue to positively impact the community.  Mavuno See Beautiful’s partnership with How Global helped Kenyan families purchase goats to start small businesses.  How Global With the support of See Beautiful and Kula Project, an entire community of women were able to purchase land and coffee trees to create a lasting business and income for their families.  Kula Project This short list only scratches the surface. Read more fantastic success stories to see the range of sustainable organizations and projects See Beautiful has helped to support. And get a dose of inspiration while you’re at it. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator
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Founded by a group of parents, Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville provides support and services for adults with autism and their families. Breakthrough’s services include a residential community and respite and recreation opportunities, as well as individualized services unique to the participant. First and foremost, Breakthrough strives to build and nurture a community of support and friendships. So much beautiful happening there.  Judi Brookshire, the Chair of the Board of Directors, shares her thoughtful personal account partnering with See Beautiful: My husband and I first met See Beautiful Founder Lydia Criss-Mays when she was a student at the University of Tennessee. She came to us having agreed to help with our son who was diagnosed with autism and had a significant history of behavioral issues. My husband had his doubts given Lydia’s slight stature compared to that of our son (6”8” tall and stout). I could tell from the first day, however, she was an answer to our many prayers for help in what was a very difficult and trying time not only for us but also our son. She worked hands-on with Luke for several years. Lydia was one of those special people who was destined to devote her life to improving the lives of others, particularly children and the disadvantaged. It came as no surprise to us that she founded an organization like See Beautiful with its simply stated but wonderful mission. Thanks, Judi, for your willingness to share! And See Beautiful is beyond thankful and proud to have Breakthrough as part of the family. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator It’s hard not to be instantly inspired by the mission of Mavuno: ending extreme poverty in Eastern Congo by focusing on empowering villagers. Through leadership, training, and people-focuses solutions, Mavuno helps individuals make an impact in their own communities. This sustainable, life-giving approach is right in line with what See Beautiful is about.  The Mavuno agronomist provides technical training to community members who have been chosen by their peers as agriculture monitors for a growing season, representing our model of community-driven development, with technical assistance and mobilization from Congolese staff. As a Giving Initiative partner, Mavuno and See Beautiful worked together to raise money to provide training for an Eastern Congo community to build latrines. Here’s what our friends at Mavuno had to say about the Giving Initiative: Mavuno initially connected with See Beautiful through a simple Instagram comment. Since then, See Beautiful has turned into one of our most valuable and aligned partnerships. Lydia and her team worked with us to build an effective (and rapidly successful) campaign that will fund the construction of several latrines in rural communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where we are based. Beyond that, the See Beautiful team has continually demonstrated a passion for continued involvement in our cause. No other grantmaking organization we've worked with has been so invested in our vision in such a personal way. We're proud to be a part of the See Beautiful family. There's nothing quite like it!  The sanitation project that See Beautiful funded has yet to be constructed, but here’s a photo of a latrine in another village similar to the one that will be built with See Beautiful funding. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. — Mother Teresa Luckily for the children and families in the Casper, Wyoming area, Wyoming Food for Thought feeds more than one. As one of our Humanitarian Giving Initiatives, they were able to provide food bags to hungry children. With every purchase you made through See Beautiful that supported WFFT, you helped to feed a child for a weekend. That may not sound like a lot, but for children who don’t have enough to eat, it is everything. Here’s a great shot of the food bags ready to be delivered.  We are so pleased to share these kind words from our friends at Wyoming Food for Thought: Wyoming Food for Thought Project exists, first and foremost, to feed our children. But equally as important as nourishing little bodies, our food bags serve as a reminder that these children have not been forgotten. And what more powerful way to show them they are valued than a project supported by strangers across the country through partnership in See Beautiful's Giving Initiatives? The food funded by the See Beautiful Giving Initiative creates real change in our students' lives, allowing them to reach milestones in school, and in their personal lives. Thank you to everyone who supported WFFT, and of course, thank you to Wyoming Food for Thought Project for all of their hard work. For an added dose of inspiration, read more testimonials from our funded partners. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator Giving is so much at the heart of See Beautiful, and it truly depends on you. So, we’re excited to share more Giving in Action with you guys. Once a Giving Initiative is funded, good stuff happens, and we want you to be a part of the celebration! Forever We encourages generosity through purposeful play. By providing dolls to children with cancer, Forever We gives those children and their families a way to communicate about what they are going through. The dolls inspire compassion, story sharing, and a spirit of playfulness that is so important for these kids. Here’s a word from Chantel and the team at Forever We about the funded See Beautiful Giving Initiative: Thank you, See Beautiful, for sending so much love our way! We were able to send 50 Forever We huggable companions to kids with cancer at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. There's nothing we love more than connecting kids with cancer and families who care through purposeful play. Our dolls and books represent their experience and engage the community at large in a conversation about kindness and friendship. Despite cancer stories of devastation and loss, we also hear touching stories of beauty in the midst of all that pain. Working with See Beautiful to see more beautiful in the children we serve is the hallmark of our work this year. Thank you for your investment. Forever We See Beautiful.   This act of joy and kindness during what can be such a dark time for families is what See Beautiful is all about. Want to hear from more of our Giving Initiative partners? Check out these amazing testimonials. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator See Beautiful is honored have the opportunity to cross the paths of our amazing partners through our Humanitarian Giving Initiatives. When you purchase through See Beautiful, not only do you get your ethically-sourced, high quality, and great looking product, but you can also rest assured knowing that $5 of that purchase goes directly to organizations or families that are creating more beautiful in the world. And, you get to pick which organization or family that donation goes to. So, what happens once the Giving Initiative is funded? Well, the work certainly doesn’t end there. Our partners are out there living their missions. Every. Single. Day. From supporting the education of schoolchildren, to protecting animals, to caring for a family member, to bringing a smile to the faces of the elderly (and way, way more), the See Beautiful Giving Initiative recipients truly make a difference in the lives of those they touch. The See Beautiful team gets to celebrate the impact of your generosity, but you don’t always see the end result. So, we’ll be sharing more of this Giving in Action with you, so that you can celebrate along with us. To get us started, you might remember Jacob from Love for the Elderly. At age 14, Jacob started Love for the Elderly to bring generations together, and to show our elderly friends and family that folks out there care for them. The See Beautiful Giving Initiative helped launch the Sunshine Box program, and each purchase you made to support Love for the Elderly’s Giving Initiative funded a Sunshine Box for an elderly person. Well, here it is, guys! Watch the joy as Jacob distributes a box. Don’t you love her reaction? Her future's so bright, she’s gotta wear shades, right? Thanks, Jacob and Love for the Elderly, for spreading beautiful and sunshine, and for becoming a part of the See Beautiful family. Here’s what Jacob had to say about the experience of working with See Beautiful through the Giving Initiative: See Beautiful was absolutely amazing in every way! We worked with See Beautiful to raise funds for our Sunshine Box program, which distributes little boxes filled with fun, cute goodies for seniors who deserve a bit of extra sunshine in their day. We're so thrilled that we now have $1500 to use to help build and expand this program. It wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support from the See Beautiful team, who always helped if we had any questions or concerns. Want to hear from more of our Giving Initiative partners? Check out these amazing testimonials. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." ~ B.B. King Join us in celebrating our newest giving initiative with the Kutemwa Foundation. The Kutemwa Foundation, alleviates the cost of schooling for young children in Lusaka, Zambia, by providing funding for required school supplies. Additionally, many children with whom they support are vulnerable to not being able to continue education or are orphans and must receive supplemental financial support to attend school. Since schools in Zambia work on a trimester schedule, there are three points during the year they look provide funding for school supplies including books, pencils, paper and more to the tune of $6-7 per child. Additionally, when the school year starts many children do not have the means to pay for tuition or school uniforms. And while this is only Kutemwa Foundation's first year of operation, they are working to collect livelihood gifts to bless children with for the coming year (i.e., soap, toothbrushes, etc). How your purchase helps: Your purchase provides a child with required school supplies for an entire trimester. Additional funding from this Giving Initiative will provide tuition for students who need the supplemental support. Connect with Kutemwa Foundation directly here, Facebook, & Instagram.
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