The mission statement at Origami Owl is as follows: “To be a force for good; to love, inspire and motivate people of all ages to reach their dreams and empower them to make a difference in the lives of others.” That’s why Origami Owl Independent Designer, Jessica Hooten, decided to use her jewelry business to make an impact in the lives of the Touch A Life kids.
Through the end of April, Jessica is on a mission to raise support for Touch A Life by donating 20% of all her sales and encouraging other Independent Designers to do the same! Jessica wrote to us and said, “Origami Owl is an incredible company that was started only two years ago by a 14-year-old girl named Bella. Bella created the concept of the Living Locketâ„¢, which is a glass locket filled with unique charms that tell each person’s story. Lockets have been around for hundreds of years, holding precious pictures, a lock of hair, and memories of loved ones. Bella’s take on this timeless piece of jewelry has brought a whole new meaning to the term ‘story telling.'”
Jessica was impacted by the Touch A Life story after meeting Pam Cope and traveling to Ghana. When she told us about her experience meeting the Touch A Life children, Jessica said, “I’ve never seen a happier bunch of kids. They were eager to hold your hand and sit in your lap. We watched them dance and sing, play soccer, and ride bikes. I was mesmerized by their joy for life. They were truly free in every sense of the word.”
That experience, coupled with her work with an anti-trafficking organization called Freedom Stones, made Jessica keenly aware of the issues of human trafficking and child labor, and she wanted to use her skills, resources, and passions to end it. “I knew that I couldn’t pretend like I didn’t know now. I know that I can’t change the world all on my own, but what if we all really opened our eyes to see what is really going on? What if we all did a little something? We could change it. We could end it. That’s what I want.”
If you want to help Jessica’s campaign to end slavery, here are a couple ways to contribute:
1. Host a Jewelry Bar in your home, office, online, or ANYWHERE! It is so simple and so fun. Just give Jessica a list of people you would like to invite to your Jewelry Bar and she’ll do the rest! You’ll earn free jewelry while earning money for Touch A Life!
(If you are outside the DFW area, where Jessica is located, you can find an O2 designer in your area and tell him/her that you want to host a Jewelry Bar to raise money for Touch A Life. Spread the word!)
2. Jessica will be donating 20% of all sales for the month of March and April directly to TAL. So, go online at www.jessicahooten.origamiowl.com and start building your Living Locketâ„¢ (and don’t forget that Mother’s Day is just around the corner!).