It's so easy to feel like making a difference is just out of our hands. To get overwhelmed by all the negativity and atrocities that are hurled at us through the news and social media. But I can't just give up because at my core I am an optimist. I was taught from a young age to help those in need as much as I can. For me that meant donating new and used toys to kids less fortunate than me, donating my time at soup kitchens, in after school mentoring programs, and with the elderly. As I've gotten older I have found less time to volunteer because I get caught up in everyday life. But I've always made an effort around the holidays but this year I want to keep that feeling of giving going all year round. So I'm stepping up to spread more love, kindness and protection of rights for all in 2017.
It started with my second year of participating in the #goodkarmasale and donating a portion of all of holiday sales to charity. But this year I was compelled to donate to more than one charity and the donations have continued in to the new year.
I am so lucky to be able to run my own business here in LA, so first I donated to the
Downtown Women's Center thanks to your generous support of my jewelry.
Since November I've also donated to the Standing Rock water protectors, Together Rising (for their rescue work in Syria), the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.
There are so many amazing charities out there fighting so hard to save our planet and the people all over the world with so much less than most of us. If you have one you love that you think I should donate to next please send me a message, I would love to hear.
I'm also committing to donating actual time and energy in person to more volunteer work again. I would love to hear from you if you are doing the same and hear your experience.
On the jewelry side I do have lots of new jewelry up in both my
Etsy and
Amazon shops. If you are looking for a gift for yourself or someone else stop by and you can be sure that a portion of all jewelry sold this year will be donated to a few different charities. For this quarter I'm planning to donate to
The Good Shepherd Shelter here in Los Angeles.
Let's all work on spreading more kindness around our everyday lives in 2017. We might all disagree on politics, religion and other things, but I think we can all agree to be a little kinder to each other and this planet. I sure hope so.
Love,
Amanda
"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.
Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." -Scott Adams
