The Season of Giving Back Campaign Kenmark Eyewear

Kenmark Eyewear, a leader in crafting and distributing original optical eyewear and sunglasses, is excited to announce 'The Season of Giving Back.' Each week throughout the month of December Kenmark will be donating a portion of sales to several charities and initiatives dear to their heart and they are encouraging customers to get involved so that they can help change the world together. Customers will be able to place orders through their sales consultant or online through their customer portal and all sales globally will go towards the donations each week. The charities chosen for donation are the National Forest Foundation, whom they have an ongoing partnership with this year, Mental Health America, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Best Friends Animal Society, and UNICEF. 

Unworn Dresses Provided to Underprivileged Girls

For Thanksgiving, brand new unworn dresses will be provided to underprivileged girls by the Believe in Yourself Project. The dresses will range in style and be functional for thanksgiving and other holiday occasions the girls have coming up. 

Believe in Yourself Project

The Believe in Yourself Project is an American non-profit charity organization dedicated to providing brand-new, unworn designer dresses for girls to wear at school functions. Many teen girls are up against unobtainable social standards placed upon them-which are not just unhealthy, but often times unaffordable. In an effort to close this gap, The Believe In Yourself Project is dedicated to the gainful advancement and empowerment of young women with a gift of confidence.

The Believe in Yourself Project is a foundation that will provide underprivileged  girls with dresses for upcoming dances and at same time promote a positive body image through speakers and mentors. They recently launched their website: www.believeinyourself.org and are looking for other retailers to donate dresses.

This project was created by the founder of UsTrendy.  UsTrendy started ten years ago and serves as a global marketplace that enables fashion designers to list their items for sale and grow their brands online. 

Learn more about the Believe in Yourself website.

Charity Fashion Sample Sale & Dog Adoption

Some of the fashion vendors you will find at the charity fashion sample sale & dog adoption fair on July 29, 2016 at the CMC Penthouse.

Learn more at our California Market Center Shop For A Cause post.

Date: Friday, July 29, 2016 

Location: CMC Penthouse, Floor 13

Shop for a good cause! CMC is collaborating with Wags & Walks for a major Shopping Event & Puppy Adoption Fair! Shop a curated selection of brands for Women, Men & Kids, including clothing, accessories & footwear and feel extra good about it knowing proceeds will benefit the Wags & Walks dog rescue organization. Puppies will also be available for adoption, hosted by Wags & Walks! (Note: This event takes place same day as our end of month Showroom Sample Sales at the CMC!)

Event Schedule:

10a-6p  |   Shopping

11a  |    Wags & Walks Foster Orientation Program

12p-3p  |   Dog Adoption Fair

Event Admission: Open to the general public >> $5 cash donation per person. All proceeds donated to Wags & Walks.

Yes, fashionistas love clothing & accessories, but they love animals also.

Wags and Walks is a non-profit organization founded by Lesley Brog, whose mission is to spread word about shelter dogs and save lives everyday! Wags and Walks does not select dogs based on their size, age, or breed, but hand-pick each dog based on their temperament and likelihood to thrive when placed in the proper home. They cover hundreds of miles each week and spend countless amounts of hours in shelters to save as many dogs as they can. Wags and Walks has successfully placed hundreds of dogs in their forever homes, and have worked with the following celebs & organizations: New Mark Models, Ashley Benson, Chevrolet, Oscars 2016 (E! Red Carpet), Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady, Dane Cook, People Magazine, Lauren Conrad, Maria Menounos, LA Kings, Uber, iHeart Radio, ABC News, Sophia Bush, etc. 

Some of the fashion brands at the charity event are as follows:

FOR LOVE & LEMONS  ·  FIDELITY JEANS  ·  KITSCH   ·  VANESSA MOONEY  ·  CRAP EYEWEAR  ·  PUSSY & POOCH  ·  SHILLA THE LABEL   ·  LISA MAREE  ·   LOLA VS HARPER   ·   WISH AUSTRALIA  ·  GOLDIE LONDON  ·  5TWO3  ·  MR BACON’S  ·  THE BEACH PEOPLE  ·  FOR BETTER, NOT WORSE  ·   DEX  ·  ALICE'S PIG  ·   MOLLY BRACKEN  ·  DARLING   ·   SPIRITUAL GANGSTER  ·  QUILTZ 4 PAWZ  ·  AN OLD SOUL JEWELRY  ·  LEAH ALEXANDRA   ·  LANOOSH  ·  B COLLECTION  ·  EBERJEY

California Market Center Shop For A Cause

California Market Center (CMC) is collaborating with prominent dog rescue organization Wags and Walks to host a Charity Sample Sale event and Dog Adoption Fair, scheduled for Friday, July 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  The "Shop For A Cause" event will feature a curated array of Contemporary apparel, accessories and lifestyle products for women, men, children, and pets at below-retail prices, in addition to a Dog Adoption Fair hosted by Wags and Walks, with event admission fees and 5% of vendor sales being donated to the organization.

Held in the CMC's Penthouse event space overlooking downtown Los Angeles, the shopping event's preliminary list of vendors already includes coveted brands such as For Love & Lemons, Fidelity Jeans, Kitsch, Vanessa Mooney, Spiritual Gangster, Crap Eyewear, Pussy & Pooch, Shilla The Label, Lisa Maree, Lola Vs Harper, Wish Australia, Goldie London, 5two3, Mr Bacon's Beard Oil, The Beach People, For Better Not Worse, Dex, Alice's Pig, Molly Bracken, Darling, Quiltz 4 Pawz, An Old Soul Jewelry, Leah Alexandra, Lanoosh, B Collection, and many more.

Wags and Walks will be on site to host a Dog Fostering Orientation at 11:00 a.m. and Dog Adoption from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Based in Los Angeles, Wags and Walks is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing shelter dogs and finding perfect forever homes that are able to meet each dog's specific needs.  

The CMC established the July 29th event as a means to integrate community-building and social-consciousness into its public fashion events, teaming up with Wags and Walks who shares in the CMC's desire to help increase awareness for the ethical treatment of animals. 

 "Wags and Walks is thrilled to partner with the CMC.  Our goals align seamlessly towards furthering our mission," said Kathryn Hurley, Development Coordinator for Wags and Walks.  "I know this relationship will not only lead to more dogs being adopted, but also stronger educators and advocates regarding the importance of pet rescue.  Plus, what is better than fashion and a puppy kiss!?" 

Additionally, the event will feature a raffle for premium prizes such as Vrai and Oro's Gold Bar Necklace. Raffle tickets will cost $2.00, with all proceeds being donated to Wags and Walks.

Eventgoers will also be treated to a fresh juice station sponsored by downtown's Green Grotto Juice Bar, in addition to a Bai Antoxidant Infusions drink station, plus more to be announced.

"The CMC is very excited to be collaborating with a phenomenal organization like Wags and Walks," said event producer Alyssa Olmstead, Senior Marketing, PR & Retail Relations Manager.  "This is one more way for us to get more involved in our community, and finding a way to build awareness of overcrowded shelters and support dog adoptions through the fashion industry has been extremely rewarding for us.  We have received an enormous outpouring of support from notable companies who share in our desire to make a difference. This is just the first of many more, new community events to come."

Open to the general public, admission to the event is a $5.00 cash donation (per person) with all proceeds being donated to Wags and Walks. The event will be held Friday, July 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the CMC, running concurrently with the Fashion District sample sales that take place every last Friday of the month.

For more information, please visit:  www.cmcdtla.com/wagsandwalks 

Autism Puzzle Piece Charm for Charity

During April 2016, in honor of Autism Awareness Month, Chamilia, a Swarovski Company, announced that it will continue to support its program to donate five percent of proceeds from its “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm to the Autism Research Institute. The brand became interested in supporting these efforts after learning that in 2012 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that one in 68 people under the age of 21 living in the U.S. has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This number continues to increase, as a more recent CDC National Health Interview Survey suggests that 1 in 45 children, ages 3 through 17, now have been diagnosed with ASD.

“Everything we create at the Chamilia brand is supportive of women’s lives in some way, some items especially so,” said Chamilia Vice President, Global Merchandising and Marketing Catherine Ottaviano. “Autism awareness is a cause we continue to support because the lives of so many people are impacted by this condition. We all need to be a part of the solution to serious issues.”

There are more than 400 exclusive charms available from the Chamilia brand. The line is made from sterling silver or 14 karat gold and features genuine Swarovski Crystals, Swarovski Zirconia, or Murano Glass that is handmade using the finest ingredients. The brand follows strict Swarovski guidelines for quality and aesthetic standards.

The “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm from Chamilia is a sterling silver representation of a piece from a puzzle and retails for $35. The charm symbolizes the need to develop a greater understanding of the condition of autism and its impact on our society.

The Chamilia “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm will be available at the brand’s nearly 2,000 retail partners worldwide and on the Chamilia website, www.chamilia.com.

About Chamlia

Based in Cranston, RI, Chamilia is an American company that was established in 2002. Since its purchase in 2013, it has been a member of the Swarovski Group, a world leader in quality and innovation. Each of the more than 400 exclusive charms, and its fine jewelry collections, available from the brand are made from .925 sterling silver or 14 karat gold and feature genuine Swarovski Crystals or Zirconia, or are handmade with Italian Murano Glass. The brand follows strict Swarovski Group guidelines for quality and aesthetic excellence. For more information, please go to www.chamilia.com.

About Swarovski 

Swarovski delivers a diverse product portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship and creativity. Founded in 1895 in Austria, Swarovski Crystal Business designs, manufactures and markets crystals, natural and created gemstones, finished products such as jewelry, accessories and lighting. The company’s film division, Swarovski Entertainment, produces artistically accomplished feature films with global box-office appeal. The Swarovski Foundation was set up to honor the philanthropic spirit of the company by supporting creativity and culture, promoting wellbeing and conserving natural resources. Now run by the fifth generation of family members, Swarovski Crystal Business has a global reach, with over 2,350 stores in about 170 countries and more than 25,000 employees, www.swarovskigroup.com.   

View more blog posts about charms on the Fashion Blog.  Charms are a fun way to dress up bracelets, necklaces, fashion accessories, zipper pulls, etc.

By the way, it is not too late to pick out a Valentines Day Charm for your loved one or for yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Rachael Ray Wearing Sequin Jewelry

Rachael Ray was photographed wearing Sequin jewelry at the Michael J. Fox Foundation's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's Gala in New York this weekend. The celebrity chef and TV host accessorized her black dress with Sequin's limited edition Deco necklace available upon request ($595, www.sequin-NYC.com).

See more celebrities at charity events on our fashion blog.

Clint Eastwood and Cool Watches for a Good Cause

Trendy at any age.

Clint Eastwood Presented Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award at the Navy SEAL Foundation: 2015 Los Angeles Evening of Tribute

Raising $3.8 Million for the Navy SEAL Foundation

Toby Keith and Clint Eastwood at the Navy SEAL Foundation: 2015 Los Angeles Evening of Tribute last night in Los Angeles.

Check out these amazing watches that had been on display at the event.

Scene from the Navy Seal Foundation 2015 Evening of Tribute on November 15, 2015 in Beverly Hills, CA. (Vince Bucci Photography).

Learn more about Graham watches for the Navy Seal Foundation and their other accessory designs.

Check out other charitable log posts.

MountKarma Crowdfund for Nepal

On April 25th a massive earthquake struck Nepal devastating its people and culture.  With over 8,000 deaths, half a million displaced individuals and countless world heritage sites decimated Nepal needs support.

Kevin Lanuk is the founder of Mountkarma, a Himalayan fashion start-up based in Kathmandu, Nepal.  They are running a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the purchase of aid materials for the earthquake victims of Nepal.  Specifically, they are focused on bringing aid to villages in the Nuwakot district, one of the areas hardest hit.  One village they assessed named Simle needs roof’s for 12 homes to hold back water from the impending monsoon and rice to feed the village.  The cost as of today;  a single 30kg sack of rice is 1350nrp or $13.28 and the cost of tin roofs for 12 houses is 58000nrp or $570.74.

They have a unique platform as a Himalayan clothing brand to raise support through awareness. That’s why they have taken their iconic Tibetan prayer flag tee and added it as an offering for contributors that donate $50 or more.  Handmade in the Himalayas from soft breathable bamboo textiles and adorned with stunning prayer flags this auspicious garment will bring you fortune wherever the wind takes you.

Prayer flags are ancient Tibetan devices used for turning our misfortune into fortune and the spread of positive energy.  When wind passes through the flags there energy is released and carried by the Lung Ta (Wind Horse) into all the surrounding areas.  They’re an age old force for good and change.

The entirety of the proceeds raised will be used to purchase relief materials minus the cost of production of the shirts, any bank transfer fee’s or Indiegogo’s fee.

Learn more at Mountkarma.

Giving is Beautiful Soma Bra Donation

Earlier this week Soma announced its next Giving is Beautiful™ Soma Bra Donation.  The nationwide charitable initiative to collect bras for women who have been affected by domestic violence is said to be the largest of its kind.  With more than 885,000 bras collected to date, the scale and scope of the project is a testament to the brand and the Soma customer’s dedication to making a difference in women's lives.  Now through February 4th, the company will accept both new and gently worn bras at all Soma boutiques across the country as well as monetary donations at the register and at www.soma.com.

“Our passion and commitment to this initiative has never been stronger,” states Laurie Van Brunt, Soma president. “What started as a grass roots effort in a few local boutiques has grown to become a brand-wide and nationwide initiative spanning more than 281 Soma boutiques and outlets. Our boutiques and customers enthusiastically contribute their time, money and bras to help women in need restore their lives. It’s our ultimate goal that no woman has to choose between buying a bra and putting food on the table.”

To help raise awareness about domestic violence, Soma will once again partner with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). The NNEDV is the leading voice for survivors of domestic violence. Representing over 2,000 shelter programs across 56 state and territory coalitions throughout the United States, the NNEDV continues to be a vital partner to help spread the word and make a difference in women's lives.

The Giving is Beautiful Soma Bra Donation initiative is national in scope but local in nature — directly impacting communities where the bras are donated. Each of Soma’s 281 boutiques and outlets will work with its community’s women's shelter to help local women in need. First launched in July 2010, this marks the tenth biannual Soma Bra Donation initiative. To date, Soma has collected more than 885,000 bras to help provide for the more than 1.3 million victims who stay in domestic violence shelters each year.

"Soma is partnering their boutiques with local domestic violence shelters to make a real difference in the lives of domestic violence victims, who often arrive at a shelter with nothing, says Kim Gandy, President and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).  “New and nearly new bras are less frequently donated than other clothing items, so shelters are especially grateful to receive new bras for the women who seek safety there.  Through this essential campaign, Soma is helping to raise awareness in local communities, raise critically needed funds, and help victims rebuild their lives."

 “Thanks to our partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, new and gently worn bras are distributed to domestic violence shelters in our customers’ local communities. Our goal is to reach a million bras collected, because that translates to a million women feeling confident and beautiful, from the inside out,” says Van Brunt. “And every woman deserves to feel that way.”

To help reach the brand’s goal of one million bras collected, Soma will continue to utilize a unique, shareable hashtag, #OneMillionBras in their marketing and social platforms during the donation time period, and are asking customers across the country to help spread the word about this worthy cause by tagging @SomaIntimates. The brand will also have a donation landing page, www.soma.com/givebras allowing visitors to read a number of touching stories about how our 885,000 donated bras have changed women’s lives across the country, plus offer information about the NNEDV, how to donate bras, and where to find Soma boutiques nationwide. 

About Soma:

Soma, a division of Chico’s FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS), offers beautiful and sensual lingerie, loungewear and beauty products. Home of the warmest personal service, Soma embraces women with luxuriously soft fabrics, innovative fashion and an always perfect fit in bra sizes 32A-44G. As of January 8^th, Soma will operate 281 boutiques and outlets across the country as well as a website at www.soma.com.

About NNEDV:

NNEDV, a nonprofit charitable organization, is the leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates.  NNEDV members include all 56 of the state and territorial coalitions against domestic violence, which have over 2,000 local programs. NNEDV has been a premiere national organization advancing the movement against domestic violence for over 20 years, having led efforts to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and to reauthorize and strengthen countless laws and regulations to increase safety and end violence.  To learn more about NNEDV, please visit www.nnedv.org.

You may also want to read the living beyond breast cancer article previously posted on our blog.  You should also read the give a smile news about Chico's donating to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

Thank you for taking the time to read our bra blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative.

Learn about other fashion companies supporting charity here on our blog.

If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Van Heusen #GIVEASHIRT Sweepstakes

Help Van Heusen Give Away Up to 10,000 Shirts with the Van Heusen #GiveAShirt sweepstakes promotion.

Let them know on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter who or what you give #GiveAShirt about, and Van Heusen will donate one shirt per post, up to 10,000 shirts, to Career Gear to help men trying to enter the workforce.  Use #GiveAShirt and tag a friend in your post to be entered into a daily prize drawing and grand prize drawing.  For details of official rules: https://pvhvanheusen.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/van_heusen_give_a_shirt_official_rules.pdf

Prizes

Just use #GiveAShirt and tag a friend on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win these great prizes.*

Grand Prize – NY Football Experience

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a “New York Football Experience,” including:

• Round trip airfare for two to New York, NY

• Two nights hotel stay

• Invitation to attend a football game

• Autographed football memorabilia

• $500 Van Heusen gift card

Daily Prizes

Every business day during the Registration Period, Van Heusen will randomly select one winner to receive a Van Heusen shirt.

About Career Gear

From its inception in 1999, Career Gear earned a reputation for helping men who are low income enter the workforce by providing business appropriate clothing. The basic offering of a suit was simple, but also powerful. For those men who were improving their work skills and employability, a clean, appropriate suit of clothing was another important tool in finding a job. To date, over 35,000 men have been served through the job readiness program. Learn more at careergear.org

Learn more about PVH here on the Apparel Search fashion company guide.
 
Thank you for taking the time to read charitable blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

ShopFunder Shop with Social Awareness

If you are and are looking for gifts that give back, ShopFunder is a great website that does just that.

ShopFunder combines the fun of online shopping with the importance of raising social awareness. The e-commerce site carries an assortment of clothing and accessories from emerging designers from around the globe and donates 30% of all proceeds to charitable organizations who partner with the website.

When customers visit the website, they are offered a wide variety of categories to explore including men, women, children, beauty and home. Once they select what they want to buy, 30% of each purchase goes directly to a cause they choose.  If they don’t choose a specific charity, this 30% will go towards ShopFunder’s featured cause of the week. If they want to learn more about these causes, each one has a dedicated page with additional information, images and videos and its overall fundraising goal. ShopFunder wants to make the world a better place and the beauty of this website helps achieve that aspiration.

Mint and Lolly Bracelets Helping Fight Cancer

These beautiful cuff bangle bracelets give back. For each Mint and Lolly "NO CANCER CUFF BRACELET," Mint and Lolly will donate to cancer-fighting charities. The list of potential agencies that may benefit from your purchase: Livestrong, American Cancer Society, & Walk With Sally. You are notified which organization you benefit once you purchase.

Learn more about Mint and Lolly at their website.

If you enjoy reading about jewelry, you may want to continue reading about bracelets.  You are welcome to visit the bracelets blog post section for additional reading opportunities.

CarryMeThrough from Patricia Nash

Patricia Nash LAUNCHED their #CarryMeThrough Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. The #CarryMeThrough campaign is inspired by the bond among grandmothers, mothers, and daughters, and Patricia Nash, who also shares that special bond with her mother and daughter, wants to show the world how powerful it can be.

Designer Patricia Nash will ask mothers and daughters to submit their inspirational breast cancer story of how their bond helped support and overcome that challenging time in their life. Each submission entered has a chance to win a weeklong trip for two to Italy!

“When I visit stores I often notice two or even three generations of women shopping together. I love seeing how my creations appeal to women of all ages. It reminds me of when I found my mother’s prized handbag in her closet five years ago, which actually inspired me to launch this brand. It is a truly special feeling that I want to celebrate during this month,” says Patricia.

 The #CarryMeThrough campaign began Wednesday, October 1, 2014, and run until the end of the month. All submissions will be made on a special landing page on the Patricia Nash website http://www.patricianashdesigns.com/bca, where participants will be asked to submit a photo with a caption and storyline for a chance to win. There will also be an opportunity to nominate a mother/daughter team who has been inspirational to watch during their fight with breast cancer. The campaign will be posted on the Patricia Nash website where readers will be able to view all submissions. Winner will be chosen by Patricia and Jennifer, and will be announced on The Patricia Nash website November 1^st.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer with Chico's

Chico’s FAS, Inc., and its family of brands – Chico's, White House | Black Market, Soma, and Boston Proper – announces its annual partnership with Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), a national nonprofit education and support organization serving women and families affected by breast cancer.

Beginning now, the White House | Black Market brand is selling The Give Hope Collection, which is made up of a Butterfly Embellished Black Tee, Butterfly Cashmere Sweater, Scarf and Butterfly Watch. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each item will be donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. The collection will be sold both in U.S. boutiques and at whbm.com now, through the month of October. 

Soma will donate $1 for every bra sold (up to $20,000) from October 7 through October 22 both in boutiques and at soma.com. The Boston Proper brand will donate 25% of the proceeds (up to $10,000) of their Double-v Lace Top to LBBC during the month of October.  The top will be sold both in boutiques and at bostonproper.com. Chico’s, White House | Black Market, Soma and Boston Proper will all be accepting donations at the register, and online during the month of October for LBBC.

Customers and fans of the Chico’s FAS family of brands will also be able to help make a difference by participating in a unique social marketing campaign called Pink My Pic. Now through the end of October, users will be able to add pink to their Facebook profile image to show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness month. For every pinked photo, $1 will be donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. In addition, for every social share, via Facebook, Twitter or email, an additional $1 will be donated to LBBC.  Total donations for both activities are limited to a maximum of $25,000. 

Users can access this fun shareable experience, learn more about LBBC, view The Give Hope Collection and make a donation at www.whbm.com/lbbc. 

Nautica, Austin Nichols and Oceana

Nautica®; the leading global lifestyle brand and Oceana; the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation have teamed up with actor, diver and ocean advocate Austin Nichols (best known for his role as Julian Baker in The CW drama series One Tree Hill) to help spread awareness on the importance of ocean conservation. Austin Nichols has collaborated with Nautica to design and create this exclusive printed tee in which 100% of every purchase helps support Oceana.

In June 2014, Austin showed his support for Oceana by participating in a shark tagging excursion off the coast of Florida. Tagging sharks helps marine biologists and scientists track, pinpoint and learn more about these incredible creatures. 

For a full video and more info on his trip check out: Nautica.com

Price: $29.50
Product details: Made of organic cotton, sizes S-XXL
Link to purchase: http://www.nautica.com/oceana-graphic-tee/V43220.html?dwvar_V43220_color=101#uuid=cdbvYiaagZ6GEaaadf1qkhc7ea

Learn more about fashion relevant charity opportunities on the Fashion Industry Network.

International Education Supported by Signorelli and buildOn

The Signorelli Movement Foundation, a non-profit focused on educating and inspiring rising generations to give back, and buildOn, a not-for-profit organization that combats the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education, today announced the groundbreaking of a new school in Malawi, Africa.

Known as "The Warm Heart of Africa,” Malawi is consistently ranked among the world’s 20 least developed countries on the UN’s Human Development Index with over 50 percent of the country’s population living below the poverty line. The Southeast African country has long been challenged by economic stagnation and a lack of access to education. 

With the shared belief that education is a basic human right, the Signorelli Movement Foundation sought buildOn’s help to develop an adequate school structure for a rural village in Malawi. Signorelli chose buildOn because of its approach to engage the entire community. buildOn contributes the engineering, materials, skilled labor and project supervision, while each village provides the land, local materials such as sand, and the unskilled labor to build the school. “buildOn’s work wouldn’t be possible without the partnership of companies like Signorelli,” said Jim Ziolkowski, Founder and CEO of buildOn. “This school will not only change the lives of hundreds of children, but will bring continued development for the entire Chapita community. Together we can break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations for generations of Malawians.” 

Additionally, every village must promise that girls will attend the school in equal numbers with boys. Currently, 49 percent of students in buildOn schools are female. “Education is the first step in combating extreme poverty so we wanted to bring this opportunity to Malawian children, especially to its young girls who aren't traditionally educated,” said Meredith Garrett, Signorelli Movement Foundation President. “As a female entrepreneur and mom to a young daughter, it was really important to work with an organization that championed gender equality. buildOn has given many women and girls their first opportunity to become educated and contribute meaningfully to their communities.” 

About the Signorelli Movement Foundation School in the Chapita Village of Malawi:

• Construction of the school began on April 29^th, completion is expected mid-July;
• 150 students will attend immediately, with enrollment expected to double in 2015;
• There are 4 permanent teachers, and 2 trainee teachers that commute daily;
• The local government has committed to providing more teachers once construction on the new school is complete, which will allow more grades to be added;
• Currently the school houses grades 1-6;
• The next closest school with proper infrastructure is located 3-4 miles away 

About Signorelli Movement Foundation

The Signorelli Movement Foundation is a non-profit with a mission to educate and inspire rising generations to give back to the world. Established in 2009, the foundation is wholly funded through high-end fashion brand Signorelli. Committed to the belief that giving back is at the core of “conscious consuming,” five percent of all sales from the Signorelli collection go directly toward the foundation. 

Through the support of numerous celebrity collaborations, the Signorelli Movement Foundation has already raised nearly a million dollars for programs including Computers for Africa, Educate America Program, Organic Gardens, Wildlife Adoption Program, Cause for Paws, Inspire the Arts, Lunch for Kids in Need, and Giving the Shirt Off Our Back. 

For more information, visit  www.signorellimovement.org or follow on Instagram to see our work in action. 

About buildOn: At home or abroad, buildOn’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. Across the U.S., buildOn empowers urban youth to transform their neighborhoods through intensive community service and to change the world by building schools in some of the economically poorest countries in the world. Since 1991, buildOn has constructed 611 schools worldwide, with more than 85,000 children, parents and grandparents attending these schools every day.

For more information, visit www.buildon.org.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. 

You may also have interest in viewing more of our charity fashion blog posts.

If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Party to Help Ovarian Cancer Research

On Sunday, the 25th of May, 2014 DKNY and DJ Hannah Bronfman hosted a Memorial Day dinner and cocktail party benefiting Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at Georgica, East Hampton.

Guest sipped on cocktails and dined at Georgica Restaurant followed by an after party, DJ'ed by Hannah Bronfman and performance by singer-songwriter Lily Lane.

VIP Guests including DJ Brendan Fallis, models Gigi Hadid and Julie Henderson and designer Hassan Pierre attended the event in support.

All guests walked away with DKNY gift bags, and raffle prizes included tickets to Super Saturday, DKNY bags, Red's Outfitters Sunglasses and Peloton Private Group Spin Class.

Thank you for taking the time to read our charitable fashion industry blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative.

View more charity fashion blog posts.

If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Send A Smile with Chico's

Behind every child in treatment is an army of people with them every step of the way. 

Chico's FAS, and its family of brands- Chico's, White House Black Market, Soma and Boston Proper- is proud to partner with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to support and salute these tireless caregivers by allowing you to send a message to caregivers you admire. 

From now through July 14th, 2014 customers can join an interactive website and Facebook experience called Send A Smile. The goal of the year’s Send A Smile campaign is to raise $50,000 for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and salute moms and caregivers. Users can create their own unique virtual card through a customized, mobile-enabled microsite. It’s completely free to create a card, and Chico’s FAS, Inc. will donate $1 to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital of the user's choice for every card created. If users get social and invite their friends to create a card too, Chico's FAS, Inc. will donate an additional $1, combined up to $50K. Users can access this fun, shareable experience on their mobile phone, tablet, or desktop through any of the brands' Facebook pages or these brand-specific URLs: www.chicos.com/sendasmile, www.whbm.com/sendasmile, www.soma.com/sendasmile, www.bostonproper.com/sendasmile.

52 courageous Champion children are selected each year to represent the 32 million treatments provided at 170 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Champions help us illustrate the important impact of CMN Hospitals and how donated funds are used for children's treatment and recovery. Each of the Chico's FAS brand-specific URLs feature a heat map, where you can meet the Champions and read their stories. 

Help them raise funds for these children by sending a smile today!

Thank you for taking the time to read our charitable fashion blog post.  Help Chico's and Children’s Miracle Network Hospital make a difference.

Sail to Sable at Jack Rodgers

Save the date for an upcoming in-store event at Jack Rogers! The beloved Mommy & Me brand SAIL to SABLE has created a matching mommy and me tunic and are giving 100% of the proceeds to the Scarlett Fund at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center!

From Capri to Palm Beach and destinations around the globe, Jack Rogers is dedicated to the art of living well—and filling each day with simple pleasures and vibrant color. We love good books and impromptu adventures, the perfection of white cotton against sunkissed skin and the confidence of a killer tennis serve. We know fresh cut flowers are the quickest way to brighten up a room—or mood—and we believe the best things in life are timeless.