Showing posts with label philanthropy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philanthropy. Show all posts

Monday, December 19, 2016

{#MondayMotivation} What happens when @Kmart gives select NYC #Bloggers an unlimited budget to shop for @StJude? #Kmart #Love

For those of you that follow me via Social Media, I recently experienced another death in my family. Second one this year if you are keeping count.

It sent me into a very dark tailspin.

One I'm truthfully still trying to shake.

And while I have turned down a majority of events I have been invited to this last quarter of the year, one event invite stood out from the rest.

The opportunity to join with fellow NYC bloggers to support an initiative with Kmart to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Philanthropist Marlo Thomas (daughter of Danny Thomas who founded the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in 1962) was there with some of the children of St. Jude to lead us in a Toy-Shopping Spree - with my favorite words ever included - 'unlimited budget'. We were told only to 'fill up our carts' and that we were shopping from ages 0-18.

Kmart has marked a milestone achievement of donating $100 Million to St. Jude in total lifetime donations. They are the first Corporate Partner in the hospital's history to attain this landmark donation!
These funds have helped to:

 Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fully treat 206 patients with ALL, the most common form of childhood cancer

 Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Provide more than 10 million meals for St. Jude Families

 Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cover the costs of 67,000 days of Chemotherapy

Here are some photo highlights to put a smile in your motivation Monday!

See those cute #Love Hats? They are available at Kmart for $5 and $1 from each hat goes directly to St. Jude!






Special thanks to NYC Blogger and St. Jude Blogger Brand Ambassador, Nichol Perez of fivelittlewords.net for sharing the three photos above with me!

I filled my cart with stuff for pretty much every age group!
MY TAKE:

This is an amazing achievement, and I personally prefer to support brands that are doing something to give back. Way to go Kmart!

I haven't even put up a tree yet with everything I am dealing with (and quite frankly may not), but as a survivor I jumped on the chance to help do something to bring a smile to the children of St. Jude, I know how much a prolonged hospital stay sucks, I know how much Cancer Sucks, anything that makes Christmas a bit brighter for children battling cancer and are in the hospital for Christmas is something I am all about doing.

And I got to experience the joy of giving at a moment where I really needed it most. They have no idea how much I needed to be there and do something to get outside of my own head for a little while.

As I am not a mom it gets super frustrating to be pitched toys all the time, EXCEPT in THIS context!

An event where the toy swag goes directly to the children who need it? YES, PLEASE!

Readers Sound Off: Does knowing that Kmart has reached this milestone level of support for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital make you want to shop there just a bit more? Will you pick up a #Love hat this holiday season?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Compensated Post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Kmart Gift Cards were provided to bloggers in attendance as a thank you for our time, not as compensation for the post.

Things that lure Ascending Butterfly out of her butterfly cocoon of fabulosity: Electronics/Technology (yes I am a Gadget Geek first!), Fashion, Jewelry, Bubbly/Spirits, Foodie/Restaurants, Photography and Travel. And remember Ascending Butterfly does NOT have children, please do not pitch her toys (at least not those that are intended for children).

Unless it's charity related, If a campaign doesn't pay, this butterfly won't want to play.

Smile if you got this far, twirl around twice and sing Mariah Carey's Butterfly.

Still here? Now go make someone happy today.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Is 'Cause Marketing' becoming the 'Stray Dog of the Internet' - something you have to stop feeding for free? #MotivationMonday

This is NOT a Sponsored Post.

Photo Credit: Steam Driven Media
Blogging seems to be the only industry I have ever worked in where people assume it's OK NOT to pay at all for the services they require or suggest that a barter of product suffices as payment. Social Good and 'Cause Marketing' are beginning to feel like that stray dog that you are warned never to feed under any circumstances.

And this is coming from someone with a Print (remember Newspapers? 'The Blogs on paper" that melted on your fingers when you read them) background as - get this - a 'Human Interest Reporter'. I went on to Television News writing and then did a brief stint for several Magazines before joining the 'Digital Influencer' side of the journalistic house.

My blog began in 2009 (I was actually Ghost Writing for a few brand blogs before then), and the first week we launched a simple empowerment post with an affirmation it got on the radar of a well known celeb - one whose roots began in Music and has become pretty much an empire - he re-tweeted that post. Simple enough right?

That simple 're-tweet' got picked up by his fellow celebs and was re-tweeted so often they temporarily broke our server.

Very much a blessing. One I was NOT prepared for. I got bombarded with un-solicited press releases and requests to 'run giveaways' and post what amounted to 'advertorials', with no compensation for me because the info was just so 'valuable' and 'informative' that my readers would LOVE it they assured. I scoffed. I have a strong communications background, a degree in mass media communications and these emails were nothing similar to the ones I received when I was in print or television. Not at all similar. I hid and was 'PR Free' for the first year of our launch. Those were the most blissful 365 days of my blogging career.

Then along came a household brand who had pitched me the whole time, invited me to events and really wanted a way to be presented to the community I worked very hard to build. I knew full well I needed to be careful in how I partnered with brands. It's why I avoided it for so very long.

This brand was persistent, they make products I actually use in my home daily and spent a year really reading my posts - most likely because I refused to snatch the dangling carrots.

They finally presented a charitable initiative. A very worthy one.and asked directly how we could partner.

Alas, my 'Good Heart' became both a blessing - and to an extent - a downfall. I enjoyed partnering with the brand. I certainly enjoyed helping them help a worthy cause. Doing good fits well with an Empowerment Blog that is run by a Life/Career Coach.

But don't cue the music and don't ride off into the sunset. Yet.

It opened up a flood gate of  'do me a favor' emails. A ton of 'why did you it for them and now won't do it for me?' questions that I face to this day.

I now have to tell them what I tell brands that pitch me other things:

When underwear brands pitch me about creating content or running a free giveaway in exchange for their underwear, I ask their reps pointedly 'Do YOU get paid in UNDERWEAR'? and when they reply 'No, of course not' I reply 'Why should I?' - Most have no answer. One agency rep forwarded my email to his entire agency with the subject - 'Who does this little bitch think she is?' I was 'accidentally' copied. Within minutes I tweeted the agency's owner and let them know I could post our email exchange and show their reps exactly who 'this little bitch' is. Needless to say they didn't want that to happen and I will never partner with their atrocious agency.

Sadly I now have to tell folks who pitch me 'Cause Marketing' something similar - I can't quite pay my bills with my 'good heart'. I can't give every cause free advertising just because it's a good cause. And the hard part is I have a background in Human Interest and Empowerment. That will always be 'my beat/my thing' but that does NOT mean I am REQUIRED to do anything for free.

It's an even bigger pet peeve of mine, when the rep will look at my site and tell me since you haven't posted for a day I thought you were in need of 'content'. I live in New York City where there are thousands of trade shows, theatres, art, and multiple events DAILY - I also Life Coach, run a Social Media Consultancy and mostly blog during 'Graveyard Hours', I will never lack content and at any given time - I average 14K in un-read emails on a 'good day'.

These lessons in Blogging and Cause Marketing have prompted me to take on ONE major pro bono cause per year and devote myself specifically and entirely to that cause, which I can opt to change the following year so that more Not-For-Profits can have a voice that are scrambling to get heard over the Social Media noise out there. I was raised by a very philanthropy driven family, and was taught that giving of time is as valuable if not more so than giving money, but the problem is - there is only finite amounts of time that one can afford to give away.

That means I have to turn others down and I refuse to allow myself to feel guilty for doing so. This is a business, I have always treated it that way. If you approach me like I am a 'hobbyist' - you are doing us BOTH a huge dis-service.

Call To Action/Soundoff:

Bloggers how do YOU approach Cause Marketing on YOUR Blogs? Readers, how do you feel about Bloggers 'feeding the stray dog'? Is it like any other 'advertorial' to you or does it make you truly explore the cause a bit more?

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FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a compensated/sponsored Post, All opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Pass the Virtual #PurplePurse & a $5 donation will be made to YWCA for Dometic Violence Awareness Month + a #TwitterParty!

#ad: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and The Allstate Foundation, see below post for additional disclosure details:



You know how much Ascending Butterfly loves featuring Brands that Give Back. Brands and People that are working to make a difference in the lives of others will always have space here. In addition to October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this month The Allstate Foundation has chosen a Purple Purse as the symbol for domestic violence awareness, with the purse representing a woman's way to escape the cycle of abuse by gaining Financial Independence. The program, which is now in it's third year, has pledged to donate up to $350,000 to the YWCA for programs that are designed to assist survivors of domestic violence (and other women in need).

To get the conversation going, 1,300 purple purses filled with information on domestic violence will be distributed across the United States with the goal of the purse being passed between family, friends, community leaders, celebrities, and media. In fact there is a twitter party tonight to raise awareness and I hope that you will join. While I am not personally co-hosting this one, I will be attending to help raise awareness and discuss this important topic. (and hopefully to win too!).



For every Purple Purse passed through the end of October, The Allstate Foundation will donate $5 to the YWCA, up to $350,000 to help domestic violence survivors and to stop the cycle of abuse! They are almost there, so I am passing my Virtual Purse to each and every one of you in hopes that you will share this information with your family and friends. If you see something, say something! If you suspect someone is the victim of domestic violence, let them know you are there to help, direct them to their nearest YWCA, they need to know that there are options out there, and they don't have to accept abuse, EVER!

Butterflies, domestic violence occurs more than 145 times each HOUR in the U.S. on average, THREE women die every day as a result of injuries sustained and it affects one in four women in their lifetime - that is more women than breast, ovarian and lung cancer combined. Only about half of Americans know how to help the victims of domestic violence and the lack of financial knowledge and resources are the number one reason victims will return or stay in the abusive relationship.

Let's all get on Twitter tonight and join the #PurplePurse Movement, this is a party that we must help 'trend' on twitter, let's get everyone talking about it!

Twitter Party Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 9

Time: 9 to 10 p.m. EST / 6 to 7 p.m. PST

Hashtag: #PurplePurse

Hosts to Follow:

@mslatina
@jeannettekaplun
@deborahderas
@diariolamoda
@lbconnect
@laflowers

Prizes:

Grand Prize: Adriana Castro Purple Maya Clutch (ARV $635) - 1 winner

Party Prizes: Allstate Foundation Purple Purses (6 winners)

To be eligible to win you must be active during the Twitter Party and using the hashtag actively making an original tweet using the #PurplePurse hashtag and by answering party giveaway questions, winners will be announced throughout the hour. Again, I am NOT personally hosting or co-hosting, so please direct any questions directly to the hosts.

I have registered my purse and passed the virtual code along to you, you can get involved by posting the code in the graphic above at www.purplepurse.com or via Facebook!

Butterfly did you pass the purse?

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

I am a Ronald McDonald House Charities #Blogger Brand Ambassador - Check out my photos and recap of my #Chicago Immersion Experience! #RMHCVoices

Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo


I know things have been unusually quiet around here, to say I have had a lot to process would be an under-statement. This summer has been a bit of a blur, a flurry of events and activities and I had hoped September would bring a little stillness to what has been a chaotic past few months, but it didn't. It didn't slow down one bit. Latinista Fashion Week melded into Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City and I ducked out on the last half of Fashion Week in my hometown New York City this year for a very good cause.

I am a member of the Ronald McDonald Family Arches Community and awhile back they put out a call for the community members to apply to become a Blogger Brand Ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Out of a community of over 6,000 members, I was selected to be one of five Ambassadors. And while I am indeed proud of being selected, understand that this is a huge commitment. This is NOT a paid role, it is a voluntary mission to help support the work of Ronald McDonald House Charities and the families who seek their services. I thought long and hard before applying. Lately I haven't had time to breathe let alone think and I didn't think at first that I had room on my plate for one more commitment.

I posted a bit about it in last week's 'Weekly Moment of Gratitude', but I needed some time and distance from everything to really take it all in and put the entire experience in true perspective. I am also very much an incredibly visual person, and looking at all the pictures has also helped me to remember not just what I saw, but how the experiences made me feel.

The trip was equally exciting and emotionally exhausting. It wasn't easy to steel myself to walk back into a hospital. To walk into a room, to hear the sounds of the machines and smell that smell that is so distinctly 'hospital'. Seeing the children fighting for their lives, yet walking the halls (IV and all) with a nod, smile or hello. Families and parents that were emotionally spent yet took time to share a meal with us are moments I know I won't soon forget.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago walk through Photos, Lurie Hospital, Hyde Park House, Ronald McDonald, Butterfly Fractal
Photo Collage of Lurie Hospital Walk Through - These photos will be also posted on our Pinterest Page with captions!

























Our visit started with a walk through of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, formerly Children's Memorial Hospital, it is a facility that provides superior pediatric care in a setting that offers the latest benefits and innovations in medical technology and research while offering super family-friendly design. Each floor has an 'animal theme' that is very child friendly, but also makes things a bit easier for the families to remember which floor offers which service. Even the elevators are not only numbered by floor, but by their animal theme and there are interactive buttons to press to keep the little ones entertained during the elevator ride too!

Fire Truck Cab, Chicago Fire Department, Pierce Manufacturing, Engine 98
Actual Fire Truck Cab donated to Lurie Hospital by Chicago Fire Department Engine Company 98 and Pierce Manufacturing


I loved that the decor of the hospital turned out to be a true community effort, with the massive whales in the lobby being donated by the local Aquarium and a real firetruck that the Chicago Fire Department convinced Pierce Manufacturing to donate. In 2009, Pierce Manufacturing donated a custom cab complete with child-friendly switches and games. And you really do see the children's eyes light up when they see it and the cute dalmation dog statues that complete the real fire department feel. The hospital is a true labor of love that took many donors and community partners to help make come to fruition.

View from one of the Sleep Rooms on 12th Floor of Lurie Hospital


And if you are wondering how the hospital ties in with Ronald McDonald House Charities, they operate nine Sleep Rooms on the 12th floor of the hospital near the Family Life Center. The complimentary Sleep Rooms whose bedding and decorations were donated by Denihan Hospitality (operators of the Mile North and James Hotels - the hotel the Ambassadors stayed in during their time in Chicago) are reserved for families of children in critical care who have been referred over by a Social Worker.



We followed our tour of Lurie with a walk over to the Downtown Ronald McDonald House on East Grand Avenue where we were greeted by J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, President & CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities who shared about his own personal journey with McDonald's and how came to hold his current position as well as answering our questions about RMHC and it's connection to McDonalds. (One of the main takeaways for me was that the charities have McDonald's as one of its major contributors, but not it's SOLE contributor, it is the donations made by individuals in both money and time that go a long way to helping the charity help families stay together during such a critical and challenging time!).

J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez,  President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities


We also had the chance to have lunch in the Downtown House (Various Corporations donate meals to the houses) and we had the chance to not only have lunch in the Downtown House but to also interact with families who were having lunch as well. Families whose children are actually able to come down for lunch giving them the chance to interact with other families, and for the kids to know that there are other children who are experiencing the same challenges they are. I thought it was incredibly generous of House and the families to allow us to share in a meal with them!



During our tour of the House we passed one of the family rooms where a young girl was playing so beautifully on the Piano we had to stop and listen to her!

We decorated Sugar Cookies with the families staying at the Downtown House, of course I made a butterfly cookie!


Her family and others also joined us in decorating Sugar Cookies for the families to enjoy and I think this activity definitely brought out the little kid in us all. Of course I had to make a butterfly cookie, but I think the pretty butterfly fractal art I saw in the hallway during my tour of Lurie Hospital was still in my head. (The picture is in the Collage of photos at the top of this post, it was designed by a 20 year old patient.)

Thought this paratrooper light fixture in the toy room was pretty cool!


We also got the chance to meet Rick Wion, McDonald's US-Communications Director of Social Media who shared about his role as well as how the Ambassador's would also utilize Social Media in their roles, we even had an impromptu hashtag jam session and the hashtag #RMHCVoices was ultimately decided upon as the way we will share our posts and experiences during our year long journey on Twitter.

We had a brief moment to decompress and then change for dinner, and I think the emotion of the day didn't actually hit me until I had that moment to stop. It was such a non-stop day that in the brief moment of not being immersed in it I realized how emotionally tired I actually felt. While Lurie Hospital and RMHC downtown Chicago offer so much love and hope to the families, I couldn't help but really see the exhaustion behind the tired eyes of the families and the instant total recall I felt when being back inside a hospital again so soon after my own harrowing experiences.

We had a group dinner that night at Rosebud on Rush Restaurant where we shared great appetizers and wine, and I had that night's seafood special which was definitely delish!

Left: Clara L. Carrier, PR & Marketing Manager RMHC and Right: Nick Karavites, Restaurant Owner/Operator and founder of Rock The House annual event. Photo Credit: Melanie in the Middle Blog (I cropped myself out, but you can see me on her site in this photo!)


The next morning we had breakfast at a local McDonald's Franchise owned by Nick Karavites who spoke to us about "Rock the House", a charity event hosted annually in Chicago that is now in it's fourth year! I hope that all my butterflies in Chicago will help support this event! If you do attend, please tag us on facebook so we can see your great pictures!

Hyde Park Ronald McDonald House South Drexel Avenue in Chicago. Photo Credit: Melanie in the Middle Blog


After Breakfast we visited the Hyde Park Ronald McDonald House on South Drexel Avenue where in addition to a tour of the House we had the opportunity to help assemble Welcome Bags to distribute to the families. The Welcome Bags contained a great mix of items to help the families feel at home, keep the little ones entertained, and even some snacks to help them keep their energy up. And while we were there to help them, I thought it was super sweet of the House to give us a copy of their Recipes from the Heart Cookbook, proceeds from this book benefit four Ronald McDonald Houses in the Chicagoland area! I'd be happy to email anyone that would like to order the book a copy of the order form!

The picture of me in the collage with Ronald was taken at the Hyde Park House!

Flying home on 09/11 for me as a New Yorker was a bit of a scary idea, but thankfully I made it home safely. There was a lot to take in and I have decided to split some of the stuff I learned into different posts, and I will do a Wordless Wednesday next week with my pictures of the things I got to see during my downtime!

Ultimately the most important thing I took from the Houses I got to visit was that the dedicated staff and array of devoted volunteers work hard to make such an awful time for families a whole lot easier. The Houses do more than just 'keep the families together' and under the same roof, they work tirelessly to give the families a space that truly feels like home, so routines don't have to be more disrupted than they already are. Some families who have stayed at the Houses said you sometimes arrive there with nothing more than the clothes on your back (some families have experienced the fear of their child being transported by emergency helicopter to a hospital) and the Houses literally take care of every need they could possibly imagine so they don't have to worry.



I can only hope and pray that none of you have personally experienced the fear of not knowing, the fear of having a seriously or critically ill little one. Of not only having their life hang in the balance, but then wonder how you can keep your family in one place so you can keep track of everything and everyone. These Houses provide Love, Hope, Comfort and Care in an environment that is truly family-friendly. Can you put a price on Hope? on Love? on Comfort? or Care?

As part of my commitment I will be helping to volunteer at my local Ronald McDonald House and I of course will share that with you, and hopefully find ways to involve you and make you part of the experience as well. But there is a super simple way you can join me in helping, you can put your change from your next McDonald's purchase in that collection box by the register. It's money you won't miss anyway and it will provide a world of good for a family going through a very difficult and trying time in their lives!

I know seeing the Houses gives me a different perspective, but I just visited a local McDonald's over the weekend and noticed that people had thrown their receipts in the collection box instead of an actual donation and it really made me super mad! I was once told that the only explanation for hard times and struggles is to make us more empathetic and open-minded to the suffering of others. I come from a long line of 'givers' but my year seeing life from the perspective of a hospital bed has certainly made me more sympathetic and empathetic to those currently in the same situation.

I'm not even sure this post does justice to all that I've learned, but I hope you will all join me finding a way to support your local Ronald McDonald House Charities as well. There are so many ways to help, as an individual you can donate time or money or hopefully both, and if the organization you work for is looking for ways to give back you can point them in the direction of their local chapter!

Do you have experience with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities? Have you volunteered at your local House?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated post. My RHMC Ambassadorship is a volunteer role. My trip to Chicago and hotel stay were provided for the immersion experience however this did NOT influence my opinions! All opinions are 100% my own. Ascending Butterfly appreciates those individuals and brands who give back. Please note that due to editorial and time constraints we cannot provide editorial space to each and every initiative that reaches out to us.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Not So Wordless Wednesday: Champagne and Diamonds Event in NYC - Royal Asscher Diamonds, Where Luxury Meets HEART!


Last week I was invited to a Champagne and Diamonds Event, and I have to admit, being born in the month of April (which makes Diamonds my birthright ahem I mean birthstone) I was quite a bit intrigued about what the night would bring! As a girl who of course loves Diamonds, I already knew that the Asscher Cut Diamonds are considered to be among the Worlds Finest. And now the 21st Century brings The Royal Asscher Cut, a signature diamond cut for Royal Asscher.



It is very rare for a brand to open their doors and allow you in for a full behind the scenes no holds barred sneak peek. And bloggers, editors and socialites alike enjoyed an evening in New York City's infamous Diamond District sipping Champagne and learning all about the history of the Asscher Diamond Company run by Fifth and Sixth Generation Asschers upholding a 160 year old tradition of Diamond excellence and innovation. Over 90% of Royal Asscher Diamonds are above VS2 clarity!

An Amazing History:

Both the Excelsior and Cullinan Diamond's were cleaved by the Asscher Family, specifically by Abraham Asscher (Excelsior - 997 carats) and Joseph Asscher (Cullinan - 3,105 carats) respectively. The two largest stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond, called Cullinan 1 and Cullinan 2 can be found in Great Britain's Crown Jewels.

Edward Asscher stands in front of a photo of his Grandfather, Joseph Asscher as he cleaves the Cullinan Diamond

Getting the chance to learn of the company's history and charitable works directly from Edward Asscher was certainly un-forgettable, and team Asscher couldn't have been more personable or more welcoming.

Replica of the Imperial State Crown which contains the Cullinan 1 and 2 Diamonds

The replica for Kate Middleton's Diamond Tiara was also on display and while this isn’t Kate’s official tiara, nor is it the tiara she wore on her wedding day, the tiara was inspired by Kate and is an absolute stunner! (See Photo Below):

Kate Middleton Tiara designed by Royal Asscher’s Reena Ahluwalia

Where Luxury Meets Heart

The Asscher Family has made a commitment to Social Good that extends way beyond just avoiding 'blood diamonds', they don't source from Sierra Leone so all of their Diamonds are considered 'conflict free' but despite the fact they don't use Diamonds from Sierra Leone, they still give back to Africa. They have three main iniatives that I wanted to share with Ascending Butterfly readers because I love when brands find ways to give back!

Stars of Africa:

The Stars of Africa Collection (named after the largest Diamond ever found, The Star of Africa (aka Cullinan Diamond), is a fundraising initiative launched in 2009,  to improve the infrastructure in Africa by creating funding for healthcare, education and self-sufficiency programs with a portion of the proceeds from each piece in the Stars of Africa Collection. The collection is incredibly fashion forward (it includes rings, pendants, cufflinks, colliers and earrings) and have been fondly nicknamed by many 'The Diamond Snow Globes' as the Diamonds are suspended in a silicone fluid that allows them to appear to float.

Stars of Africa Diamond Rings

The floating diamond part came from my love affair with snow globes. It’s always so mesmerizing, I can't stop staring at them, and I have noticed many agree with me. It is such a beautiful concept; it keeps you looking at it all day.” – Lita Asscher

I have to admit to being a bit obsessed with this collection, as it combines two joys of mine, Diamonds (which are certainly this April Baby's best friend) and GIVING. I got to meet Lita Asccher, Royal Asscher's President, during the Champagne and Diamond's event and her passion for helping the people of Sierra Leone is very much infectious!

The Diamond Empowerment Fund - A non-profit international organization

Mission

Founded in 2007, The Diamond Empowerment Fund™ (D.E.F.) is a non-profit international organization with the mission to raise money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource.

Seven Bar

Royal Asscher Special Collection in support of Seven Bar Foundation. A Foundation which empowers women via microfinance by helping them out of poverty and into business. Available on CoutureLab. Every sale results in a 25% retail profit to benefit the Foundation and women around the world.

Edward Asscher hinted that another philanthropic effort is in the works and once I have more details I'll be sure to share it with you my butterflies!

More behind the scenes photos:


Left: Lita Asscher Right: Edward Asscher, Father and Daughter face behind the Royal Asscher Brand

Had my camera had burst mode, I would have caught a very sweet kiss on the cheek that Edward gave Lita!


Left: Lita Asscher, Center: Ascending Butterfly, Right: Edward Asscher


Left: Ascending Butterfly, Center: Edward Asscher, Right: Mama Butterfly

I love that Royal Asscher is where Luxury meets Heart. The Asscher Family is incredibly down-to-earth, Socially Conscious, Innovative and Fun. I have to say living in the City that Never Sleeps has its perks, but this evening of Champagne and Diamonds, wasn't just another night in New York City, it was an honor and a pleasure! You can stay updated with Royal Asscher on both Facebook and Twitter or sign up for their newsletter.
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FTC Disclosure: Gift Bags were provided to event attendees. All opinions are 100% my own. No additional compensation has been received.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Not So Wordless Wednesday! + #NYFW + Let's Throw in Some Philanthropy Too Just for Fun!


Christmas in February? You Bet! I'm a life long New Yorker, and for us, this is the most wonderful time of the year! Andy William's 'The Most Wonderful Time of The Year' has inspired me to write a Fashion Week Christmas Carol:

It's The Most Fashionable Time of the Year
The Fashions are Flowing
The Cool Breezes Blowing
Designers of Good Cheer.....


With The Bloggers a Buzzing,
The Cocktails keep flowing,
keeping me of Good Cheer,
Fashion Week is the most wonderful time,
the hap happiest time .....
OF THE YEAR!!!!

Just a bit of Fashion Week levity to get the creative juices flowing! (My 'Fashion Carol' is still very much a work in progress!) :) 

Remember where I was last year around this time? (A little HINT) Today I am off to the EMU Australia Fall 2012 Fashion Show and I couldn't be more excited, it was one of my favorite shows last year, and I'm sure this year will be no different. I will definitely take pictures and post a recap as soon as I can.

And later in the evening I will be attending an event where Fashion and Philanthropy meet, you know just how much Ascending Butterfly supports giving back and the organizations and brands that do so!

Want to attend a swanky event at the Flatiron Hotel in NYC and support a good cause? $40 buys you admission to the F.A.B. (Fashion|Art|Beauty) semi annual event that will be raising money for the Toshi Now Foundation, which provides arts and entertainment scholarships to kids. Get your makeup done, have your hair styled, relax with a massage or bronze up with a spray tan with one of the beauty lounges in attendance. A whole lot of something FAB for YOU and a way to give back too! Great way to wind down from Fashion Week Insanity! Nab a ticket while there is still time HERE.

WINNER: Congratulations to Lily K (Entry #368), she is our In Bloom by Jonquil $80 Giveaway Winner! Bummed you didn't win? Didn't quite get the gift you wanted for Valentine's Day? Don't get mad, get it yourself, and at a great discount! Use the coupon code “butterflies” (without the quotes when you enter it in), it will give you $10 off a purchase of $50+ at In Bloom by Jonquil - good through March 1, 2012. (Please note the first In Bloom link is to our giveaway so you can check out the winner announcement on the rafflecopter form for the giveaway that recently closed, and the second link will take you directly to In Bloom's site so you can purchase, and it is NOT an affiliate link.)

OK, I know what you are thinking, this is definitely NOT a Wordless Wednesday! :)

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: Ascending Butterfly has been provided with passes to both events as a member of the digital press, no additional compensation has been received in exchange for this post.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Happy Labor Day - Today's Words of Inspiration - Let's Give!


Happy Labor Day Butterflies! I hope that everyone who has the day off is making the most of it, and those of you who are at work today, THANK YOU! Your labor is the foundation that America is built upon. Hard work, grit, effort! Your efforts aren't going un-noticed, even if it may feel that way right now!

In the spirit of inspiration, I just thought I'd remind everyone that The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon is on today (New Yorkers can catch it on Channel 9 - WWOR TV, others please check your local listings!). And you know how much I love 'inspiration in action', so today, let's help Jerry Lewis help those with neuromuscular disease to find a cure!

Your donations equal hope, even if you don't have anyone with Muscular Dystrophy in your family, donate in the name of a healthy child in your life as a way of saying thank you for your blessings of a healthy family. If you have someone affected or have lost someone to the disease, donate in their name.

You can even pledge online at https://secure.mdausa.org/donate/  -Note this is a SECURE server, you can feel confident in making your pledge online! Remember, No amount is too small!

You can also participate in the online auction and bid on great items, including vacations, HERE - You can even bid on cool General Hospital items like signed photos as well as a cabin on the 2011 Soap Cruise! I'm tempted to bid on that one myself! (You know I couldn't resist letting you know about it, since I was elected as General Hospital Mom Brand Ambassador this year!) Labor Day offers us a chance to give back!

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will put inspiration in action today and give from the heart!'

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.


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