Never Lose Hope
September 11th. A day many people will never ever forget. Although it is a day we remember those we lost and those who fought and continue to fight so hard, it is also a day of hope because we came out on the other end stronger than ever. Our country has so much good to offer, we should never lose hope.
Wearing jewelry that completes and defines an outfit isn’t at the top of our priorities list, but when the jewelry you’re wearing is connected to something incredible… priorities change. What started as something to help pass time, turned into a mother daughter journey spread across generations. Mother-daughter duo Sandy D’Andrea and Stevie Lynn D’Andrea have been creating beautiful beaded jewelry pieces for Jewels For Hope, all while giving back.
“We began this journey when my mother took care of my grandmother suffering with Parkinson’s and Dementia,” says Stevie. “She would make jewelry and then give it to the Hospice nurses who helped. A light bulb went off and she decided to start selling jewelry and donating a portion to Hospice.”
Jewels For Hope chooses a charity to partner with for the entire year! Last year, they partnered with USO, a nonprofit organization that provides live entertainment for members of the US Armed Forces and their families.
“We just have to support our troops. We have to support the vets. It’s so important to us they get recognition for what they’ve done for our country,” explains Sandy.
This year, Jewels For Hope carries American flag specialty items with proceeds benefiting House of Heroes in Connecticut, an organization that helps veterans.
The main organization Jewels For Hope is supporting this year is CASA for Children, a national association supporting and promoting court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children in order to provide them a safe and healthy environment in permanent homes.
“We have a connection to each and every charity we select – and this one is just so important since kids really are the future,” says Sandy, a mom of 3. “We worked closely with one of the leaders of this organization and we were able to personally give our donation to buy holiday gifts for the kids that were not going to get anything.”
If you know me, you know my obsessed with Law and Order SVU and country music. I was stunned to see Jewels For Hope pieces on an episode of SVU and on one of my absolute favorite country singers, Rodney Atkins. Jewels For Hope works with The Artisan Group who carefully chooses handcrafted pieces and showcases them to stylists and celebrities. Their pieces have also been seen on TV shows like Bones, Empire, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, and Hallmark Channel movies… my fav!
“We submitted a piece to Law and Order SVU’s stylist and they actually told us Mariska Hargitay helped pick out certain pieces for the show and ours was one of them!” says Stevie who handles all the marketing. “As for some of the other celebs like Rodney Atkins and Rose Falcon Atkins, that was all my mom. She talks to everyone and she met Rose and it just clicked.”
I love how the Black Beaded Choker can be glam, trendy, and casual all at the same time. I think I’ve worn it about 15 times these past few weeks. The Unique Silver and Gold Earrings are the perfect subtle hint of glam, and the beadwork makes it a statement piece. Jewels For Hope also has home accessories like bottle openers and wine stoppers, and men’s accessories like tie clips and cufflinks.
