Just to clarify, ApParent Project is a 501 (c) 3 Non Profit empowering the poor in Haiti. Their money is earned from people like us hosting jewelry parties here in the U.S. - Although it is beginning to spread around the world. How cool is that?
I came home with a huge suitcase full of jewelry and I plan on having an Open House very soon for all my friends here in Jacksonville. But, you may have your own circle of friends or church who would LOVE to see all of these beautiful things up close. They may not come to my house - but they certainly would come to yours! And I know I have people all over the U.S. reading my blog - you can have a party of your own! It's so easy!!!!!
Here's the info directly from the ApParent Project website:
How to host a Jewelry Party
Hosting a party is one of the most hands-on ways that you can immediately help an impoverished family provide for their basic needs while maintaining their dignity in the process. Empowering a person to work is the kind of gift that lasts far beyond a hand-out.Hosting is really quite simple. Jewelry parties can be held in your home, school, workplace, or at special events such as concerts, conferences, or church gatherings. Here are the steps to hosting a fabulous jewelry party:
1. First contact us.
You can call us or email us at apparentproject@gmail.com to let us know that you want to host a jewelry party. Let us know the details of what kind of event you are planning so that we can send you the right styles and quantities of jewelry.
Tell us:
How much do you plan to sell?
What is the age range and social context of your party?
We have jewelry that is tailored for college students, jewelry that suits a more sophisticated clientelle, and all kinds of custom made pieces, so let us know what you are looking for.
Don't forget to send us your address!!
Give us at least four weeks to get the jewelry to you, or wait until you have received the jewelry and then set the date of the party. If you need logos, poster templates, or other aids for marketing you can find them on our "publicity" page.
Many people choose not to have a formal party.. no problem. You know your own personality best. Some people sell informally to friends, family, at their work and do really well!
3. At the party:
When you receive the jewelry, you will also receive a short DVD that you can use at the party to show what the Apparent Project is doing to help keep families together. If for some reason you can't get the DVD to work, you can play the video from the internet here. The video should be played towards the beginning of the party in order to show how impactful each purchase can be for the Haitian families involved.
When it comes to creating party atmosphere, you can be as creative as you want to be. Some have found great success in throwing a thematic party, others have found that simple and casual can be just as fun. The key is to know your audience and to present/display the jewelry according to their taste. Make sure to have a mirror and enough space for the jewelry to be accessible to everybody who might want to look.
4. Payment:
You do not need to pay in advance for the jewelry unless you are a retail outlet that will be carrying Apparent jewelry on an ongoing basis. Each piece of jewelry will be individually labeled with the artisans name who made it. It is very important to account for how much each artisan made during your party. Make sure before you start your party that you have printed out our jewelry inventory spreadsheet from the "publicity" page on this website, or have some other way to track sales. When you are done with the party, you will email the apparent project the total amount made, as well as a list of the individual earnings of each artisan.
People can pay by check made out to "the Apparent Project" or by credit card through pay pal if you have internet on site at your party. Just click on the "Pay Here for party sales" button here (or the "Pay artisans" button at the top of each page on this site) for each purchase and follow the on-screen instructions for each payment.
Note: Cash can only be collected if you are willing to consolidate it with one large check at the end.
(I take all my cash payments to the bank and have a Cashier's Check made out to ApParent Project)
Checks can be mailed to:
The Apparent Project
4623 Denton Ln SE
Lacey WA, 98503
5. Left-overs:
If you have left-over jewelry, simply send it to the above address as well. You can then let us know what your shipping costs are and we will reimburse you.
If any of this sounds intimidating or confusing, just know that we are here and ready to answer any questions you have. You really can't go wrong! Sound fun?
Please know that your decision to host a party has a far reaching impact on the quality of life that our Haitian friends and their families can experience. Our respect and honor go to these families who have endured so much more than we can imagine. Our prayer is that they would be blessed in abundance by your act of kindness in hosting a party in their honor!
Frequently asked questions:
How much does the Jewelry cost?
Bracelets $5-$8
Earrings $5-$8
Keychains $7
Necklaces $12-$24
Do I have to pay anything upfront?
No.. there is no payment upfront unless you are a retail store and there is no obligation to sell everything.
What if I don't sell it all?
No problem.. just send it on to our headquarters in Washington.
Can a friend of mine sell for me?
As long as you take ultimate responsibility for the jewelry and especially on writing down which artisan sold what, you can sell it by any means you like.
Can I hold on to it for future sales?
Please do not hold on to the jewelry for more than a month. It holds up potential sales of the jewelry that could put food on the table for our artisans. It really does matter if the jewelry sells. There is a direct impact. Just send it on to our headquarters if you are done selling, or don't have time to continue.
Can I request a certain style?
Yes, we sell various styles, such as lanyards, small bracelets, anklets etc.. that are not normally included in a box unless requested. Also if you know your friends would like more neutrals, colorful, or a certain style, please let us know.
Does your church, school, youth group, workplace need to raise funds to support a program, an upcoming event, or a short term mission? Tired of selling chocolate bars or Tupperware? Help Haitians AND help your cause by hosting an Apparent Project Bracelet fundraiser. It works like this: We mail you between 100-500 bracelets at $4 each (payment not required until after all sales are final- any unsold merchandise can be returned). You mark up the cost of the bracelets to between $5-$8 each. If you sell a bracelet for $8, that means that AP artisans get $4 towards feeding their families for the week and your group gets $4 towards your fundraising goals. If you sell a 100 bracelets, that's $400 towards your fundraising goals. We find that of all of our products, bracelets sell like hotcakes, especially with the individual stories of the artisan on the tag. Please contact us if this option sounds like something you would like to try!
See? How easy is that?
Another HUGE way that you can help is by collecting and shipping cereal boxes to them. As the demand increases, so does their need for cereal boxes. Collecting is easy - but you must follow through and SHIP them. Having all those boxes sitting in a room or garage somewhere doesn't help the artisans make jewelry and feed their families.We collect cereal boxes regularly at our church. People save them at home and then on the first Sunday of each month, we have a collection day. Everyone brings their flattened boxes in and I package them up to ship. We take a special collection for "Haiti shipping" to help offset the cost. And then I follow the instructions here:
ApParent Project Shipping Details
If you have been following my blog for the last week, you know that this is a wonderful way to help the Haitian people. This organization is amazing! They are not just giving hand outs to the Haitians - they are giving them a Hand Up - bringing dignity into their lives by providing jobs so that they can support their families and put their children in school. It's breaking the cycle of poverty in Haiti - the right way.
Won't you help?
Feel free to contact me with any questions!
artisans need to eat! Please respectfully send it
1 comment:
Awesome!
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