Thanks to Kristin Goecke founder of Mason Metu, from Me to You, a website where you can find kid-friendly activities and recommendations from one mother to another, for featuring Beaded Hope founder Jennifer Davis as her June 2010 Woman to Watch.

Women to Watch 2010
KRISTIN GOECKE | MASON METU, FROM ME TO YOU
Monday, May 31, 2010

“Beaded Hope is a wonderful non-profit organization that provides education and employment to the women of Mamelodi, South Africa. Started by Jennifer Davis, Beaded Hope continues to grow and help more South African women to provide food, vitamins, medicine, and clothing for their families. Many of these families have been impacted by the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS. Not only is the beaded jewelry hand crafted and unique, but knowing that each purchase helps these women provide basic necessities for their families makes every purchase worthwhile.

You can read more about Beaded Hope on Associated Content (also written by Kristin).

For our Women to Watch page, I wanted to learn a little bit more about Jennifer and Beaded Hope. Here’s our Q&A…continue reading

Thanks to Cincy Chic for featuring Beaded Hope in their “Hometown Heroes – Inspiring People Around Town” issue as their “Fashion for a Cause” organization!

Fashion for a Cause
ELENI SNIDER | CINCY CHIC
Friday, May 28, 2010

A local non-profit organization sells products that are handmade by artists in Africa. Find out how a certain Cincinnati hero is accomplishing all of this and more. This local non-profit reaches across the Atlantic to touch and support women’s lives through fashion.

Beaded Hope offers South Africans the opportunity to work and earn their own income to sustain their life and battle HIV/AIDS at the same time. The African artists create beaded works that explore their imagination and help them gain the resources to improve their medical needs.

Jennifer Davis founded Beaded Hope in 2005 on the basis of helping struggling people in Africa. Women trained in beadwork make handmade crafts like jewelry, small gift items, Christmas ornaments and even apparel that are then sold in the United States. Davis turns to these specific women for her products to help them fight hunger, poverty in their communities and diseases like HIV and AIDS.

A $15 dollar purchase from Beaded Hope is equal to two days of food for one of the African artists, Davis says. Likewise, a $30 purchase pays for the cost of employing one of the artists for a day.

Inspired by a visit to South Africa with Davis, author Cathy Liggett channeled her experiences in her book entitled Beaded Hope that was released in March. The novel centers around three women from Ohio who travel on a mission trip to Africa and who meet an African woman with the idea of creating beaded work that can be taken back and sold in America.

You can purchase this book at many popular bookstores and online at Amazon.com. Liggett also is donating 20 percent of the proceeds from her book sales to the organization. So you can get a good read and help people out all at the same time

Along with being charitable, Beaded Hope jewelry and products also can add stylish taste to your wardrobe. For instance, the tribal colored and printed jewelry and the layering of the bracelets offer two huge fashion trends right now, Davis says. The more the merrier, right?

Davis is a true modern-day hero to the Cincinnati community as well as the community of women artists in South Africa that her organization helps out every day. And what does it mean to be a hero to her?

“To me, heroes are people who give selflessly of themselves to others. Most heroes are everyday people who grasp the opportunity to help someone in need ; a coach who looks for just the right words of encouragement, a neighbor who coordinates meals, a friend who stops what she’s doing to listen,” Davis says. “These, too, are heroes.”

Check out Cincy Chic here and learn about all of the Hometown Heroes here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beaded Hope Mission Trip Volunteer Authors Inspirational Novel

CINCINNATI ‚ March 4, 2010 ‚ Beaded Hope, an African non-profit organization based in Cincinnati, inspired one of its mission trip volunteers, author Cathy Liggett, to write a novel also called Beaded Hope, to be released by Tyndale House Publishers in March 2010.

The non-profit group Beaded Hope’s mission is to further the ability of South African women living with HIV/AIDS to earn income by using their age-old African beadwork craft traditions. Of all the nations in the world, South Africa has been devastated the most by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with approximately 18 percent of the nation infected. Out of South Africa’s population, women bear the brunt of this disease. Among those ages 25-29, women are twice as likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS as men.

In addition, South Africans must meet the daily challenges of poverty. More than 60 percent of black South Africans live in poverty and half are unemployed. Beaded Hope founder, Jennifer Davis, set out to create an organization that could help fight these challenges in a number of ways: assisting the artisans of South Africa to earn income for their families by selling their handmade beaded jewelry to a worldwide market, raising African AIDS awareness as well as HIV/AIDS awareness in general, and getting the word out‚ telling the powerful and inspiring stories of people living with HIV/AIDS.

“It’s hard to imagine the impact that poverty or unemployment or a pandemic has on a community,” said Jennifer Davis. “But when you combine all three and witness first-hand what it’s like for women to live in such difficult conditions, it’s clear that you have to get involved.”

One of the people to hear those inspiring stories was novelist Cathy Liggett. After participating in a mission trip to South Africa with Beaded Hope and working with some of the women living with HIV/AIDS who craft artisan beaded jewelry, Liggett’s life and work were changed. Meeting the women made me realize that, yes, their situation is a far cry from my own,‚ states the author. ‚But aside from that, they are no different than I am. They are women who want nourishment and a sense of well-being for their families, and mothers who want a more hopeful life and future for their children.

Beaded Hope the novel follows the stories of three women who travel to South Africa on a mission trip, and discover the truly transformative and empowering nature of hope.

Author Cathy Liggett will donate a portion of the proceeds from her novel to the non-profit organization Beaded Hope.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beaded Hope Novel Inspired by Humanitarian Efforts in South Africa to be Relased March 2010

(Carol Stream, IL) Sometimes, hope finds you when you least expect it.

Beaded Hope, to be released in March 2010 by Tyndale House Publishers, is the fictional story of three American women who embark on a mission trip to Mamelodi, South Africa, to work with families whose lives have been devastated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Selfless cause, right? Not exactly.

Gabby, Heidi and Cassandra each have private reasons for making the trip. One is running from an overwhelming loss; one is trying desperately to save her career; another is hoping this will be an opportunity to bridge the gap that has separated her from her stepdaughter.

What none of them expect is how profoundly their lives will be changed by the women they meet, women who combat disease and poverty daily yet still embrace life with joy. Through discovering a way to help the South African women support their families by selling the bead work that has been taught to generations of women in the community, the American women find their own lives transformed as they learn to love and accept each other.

Novelist Cathy Liggett was inspired to write Beaded Hope following her own trip to South Africa. “Meeting the women made me realize that, yes, their situation is a far cry from my own,” states the author. “But aside from that, they are no different than I am. They are women who want nourishment and a sense of well-being for their families, and mothers who want a more hopeful life and future for their children.”

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Beaded Hope will go to support the nonprofit organization of the same name. www.BeadedHope.com

About the Author ‚ Cathy Liggett is the author of several contemporary romances and one nonfiction book. She worked in advertising copywriting and gift product development before turning to her passion for writing fiction. She was inspired to write Beaded Hope after traveling to South Africa on a mission trip like the one described in the story. Cathy and her husband, Mark, have two grown children and make their home in Loveland, Ohio. Visit her website at www.cathyliggett.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Maggie Rowe
Tyndale Publishing
630.784.5333 > MaggieRowe@tyndale.com

Buy the book now on Amazon

Below are images associated with the current Beaded Hope press release. For additional information or images please contact Natalie Hastings at natalie@beadedhope.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Purple Trout, LLC Announces Non-Profit Essay Competition Winners!

CINCINNATI- December 7, 2009  During the month of October, Purple Trout, LLC held a national essay writing competition for non-profit organizations to win a 6 month internet search consulting services award. After a review process was completed by a national confidential panel of nonprofit consultants in November, the applications were scored and the top three were selected. Purple Trout will provide complimentary SEO and social media optimization services to the selected winners:

Beaded Hope www.beadedhope.org
(National Market Winner)
Mission: Support of artisans impacted by HIV/AIDS

Covenant to Care for Children www.covenanttocare.org
(Regional Market Winner)
Mission: Advocacy, mentoring, support for neglected, abused, children at risk

Melodic Connections www.melodicconnections.org
(Local Market Winner)
Mission: Therapeutic support for individuals with special needs engaged in adapted music performance

The essay needed to answer this question: ‚”How will your organization utilize social media marketing and search engine optimization to strengthen your message?” The essays were to be no longer than 200 words. Applicants were encouraged to demonstrate need and how they felt a consultant could help them build their outreach capacity and help them better tell their story on the web.

As the largest SEO firm in Cincinnati, Purple Trout helps a wide range of local, regional, and national clients, strengthen their Internet presence by targeting on-site and off-site search optimization factors. The Purple Trout staff thought this would be a good way to give back to organizations struggling with fundraising and outreach during the economic downturn. Staff are looking forward to an opportunity to work on several unique projects that could be developed as helpful case studies for other non-profit organizations and disadvantaged businesses that cannot afford consulting services. As the projects progress, success stories will be shared on the Purple Trout blog and potentially in a nonprofit SEO white paper.

Purple Trout’s Blog
Purple Trout’s Newsletter

About Purple Trout: Headquartered in Newport, Kentucky, Purple Trout, LLC is a state-of-the-art search engine marketing (SEM) company that specializes in honest and ethical techniques to obtain higher rankings for company web sites in Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. Services include: Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Paid Search/Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns, Social Media Marketing, Video Search Engine Marketing, Usability Analysis, Conversion Tuning, Web Analytics, Competitive Analysis and more. For more information, please visit www.purpletrout.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Leigh Drake
Purple Trout, LLC
513.885.5000 > Leigh.Drake@purpletrout.com

Fighting AIDS Through Fashion
LINDA PALACIOS | CINCY CHIC
Wednesday, August 19, 2009

When it comes to this local company, the way to look good is to help others. Learn how your fashion purchases can support African artists who are affected by HIV and AIDS.

Most have heard the “Lean on Me” lyrics: “Lean on me, when you’re not strong/ And I’ll be your friend/ I’ll help you carry on.” But what if every other person around is fighting the same battle? This is the reality for the women and men in Mamelodi, South Africa.

“The thing with South Africa is that if you’re not infected, you’re affected [with HIV],” says Jennifer Davis, founder of Beaded Hope. So while the people of Mamelodi offer what little they have to their neighbors, they need a little help. That’s where Beaded Hope comes in.

Davis founded Beaded Hope in 2005 after fulfilling her lifelong dream that year by visiting Africa. Her company offers the work of women who were raised in the tradition of beadwork. “I look at it as girlfriends connecting across the globe. ‚Ķ How would you treat a girlfriend here and what would you do for them? Here’s a girlfriend in South Africa that you could also reach out to,” Davis says.

Beaded Hope products include headbands, jewelry, T-shirts and seasonal treasures. Davis purchases all of the products for Beaded Hope directly from the artists before the pieces go up for sale, but before the transaction occurs, Davis works with the women and other South African connections to ensure a fair price.

“The ladies that work for us can certainly go out and sell their products in open-air markets throughout South Africa, and our goal is to pay them much more than what they would be paid in that environment just because those environments are not paying nearly what the women are worth,” Davis says.

With the fair prices, every $15 purchase can put two days’ worth of food on the table for the artist. While Davis can keep track of the number of days’ worth of food that Beaded Hope has helped to give these ladies, the number of people who have benefited from Beaded Hope is almost immeasurable, Davis says.

For example, Davis and her husband paid a couple women for their work, and before the end of the transaction, the women started dancing and shouting, but

Davis and her husband didn’t understand the true meaning of the women’s reaction until they discussed the experience with a native South African. “[They were excited because] they’re going to have food on their table. Their children are going to have food on their table. Their families are going to have food on their table. Their neighbors are going to have food on their table because in South Africa when they receive, they share,” he said, and with this sharing culture, the money provided to the women helps many more.

Another example is an artist named Mrs. Tshabalala. She uses the money she makes in working with Beaded Hope to help run an orphanage, which houses many children whose parents’ lives have been claimed by AIDS.

Davis encourages Americans to learn from the South Africans and share what they have. “You don’t have to be a multimillionaire or anybody famous to make that change because you’re making that change one-on-one in a person’s life,” Davis says.

Check out the online article here.

CinWeekly shared their gift guide for Mother’s Day in the following article:

Mother’s Day Gift Guide
Perfect gifts for your mom, no matter her style
TERRON AUSTIN | CIN WEEKLY
Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Still looking for the perfect way to say Happy Mother’s Day? Rest assured, your shopping time has not expired just yet.

We found eight ideas you probably didn’t think of to help celebrate Mom’s special day.

With these great gift items, this year you can create a most memorable Mother’s Day, no matter what she likes or how much (or how little) you plan to spend.

Snag most of these special deals while they last before Mother’s Day, this Sunday, May 11!

MAKE HER FEEL GRAND!
Celebrate her elegance and beauty with a new addition to her wardrobe. Find great deals on accessory sets and on Donna Vinci custom-order designer suit and hat sets ($250) at England’s Elegant Attire.

After your purchase, you can even register for your chance to win a free limousine ride (for Mom, of course, not for you)!

Get it at: England’s Elegant Attire, Northgate Mall, 9527 Colerain Ave., Colerain Twp., 513-522-5900 or www.englandsattirenorthgate.com

MAKE IT PERSONAL!
Have your mom’s favorite artwork reframed, then save a little with a Mother’s Day 25 percent discount off any custom-framing job. Or get a custom-made mirror for enhancing Mom’s interior d√©cor.

Get it at: Artonomy Gallery, Rookwood Commons, 2723 Edmondson Road, Norwood, 513-281-ARTS (2787) or www.artonomyinc.com

MAKE HER FEEL FRESH AND ALIVE!
Give Mom some flowers and honor Mother Earth at the same time. Jones the Florist offers eco-friendly floral needs such as the Green With Envy ($95 and up) and Just Daisy ($55 and up) bouquets. Featuring seven special arrangements made with recycled glass containers and other environmentally responsible resources, the florist allows Mom not to worry so much about the environment.

Get it at: Jones the Florist near you, including Deerfield Towne Center, 5076 Deerfield Blvd., Deerfield Twp., 513-398-3095 or www.jonestheflorist.com

MAKE HER FEEL BEAUTIFUL!
Give the mom on the go some well-deserved quality pampering with a Mother’s Day Head to Toe spa package ($120, manicure and pedicure included). Believe me, she needs it, and she’ll love you for it. Order packages online or at the location closest to you.

Get it at: Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa near you, including 11330 Princeton Pike, Springdale, 513-793-0900 or www.mitchellssalon.com

MAKE HER FEEL USEFUL!
Share the gift of hope on Mother’s Day with one of Beaded Hope’s hand-made African beadworks created to support mothers suffering with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Choose everything from key rings ($8) and bookmarks ($15) to placemats ($20) and necklaces ($42). It’s the perfect way to remind Mom that you were listening when she told you to be a cheerful giver and to help others less fortunate.

Get it at: Multiple locations including Red Tree Art Gallery & Coffee Shop, 4409 Brazee St., Oakley, 513-321-8733 or www.beadedhope.com

GIVE HER A BREAK!
Whether it’s a Friday night fish fry, breakfast on Saturday or a classic Sunday dinner, Mom knows how to make it happen in the kitchen. Return the favor; take her out for an exceptional dining experience where you can celebrate with a special menu ($59 per person) created just for the big day.

Get it at: Morton’s The Steakhouse, Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., downtown, 513-621-3111 or www.mortons.com

MAKE IT MEMORABLE!
Mom doesn’t have to be tech-savvy to make the most of her memories for years to come. The DPF-V700 Sony digital photo frames (starting at $189.99) help her easily display hundreds of photos in vivid color on large LCD screens with direct memory card input and special features to enhance quality.

Get it at: Sony Style, Kenwood Towne Centre, 7875 Montgomery Road, Kenwood, 513-793-0512 or www.sonystyle.com

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE “MOMMY-TO-BE!”
Help the soon-to-be mommy take a moment to relax and be light on her feet this Mother’s Day with the Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Oil foot soak ($4.40). Afterwards, keep her refreshed and nourished feet cozy in a pair of Earth Therapeutics Soft-Soles gel booties ($13.75).

Get it at: Kohl’s near you, including 61 Spiral Drive, Florence, 859-647-6817 or www.kohls.com

Note: For the mom who’s just too picky, gift cards to her favorite restaurant, hair and nail salon, day spa or bookstore will always suffice. Whatever you choose to do to celebrate your mom on Mother’s Day, just remember to do it with love.

Check out the online article here

The Cincinnati Enquirer, once again, reported on Beaded Hope as part of a special Mother’s Day article on the front page of the Life section.

Looking for the right gift? Here’s some help
To Mother, with love
By Joy Kraft
Cincinnati Enquirer
May 3, 2008

No two mothers are the same. They are as different as the children they bear. On Mother’s Day, some tear up at a badly penned poem. Others take solace from a burnt-toast breakfast in bed, a make-believe tea party, a day at the spa or a sparkling diamond.

But they all want one thing – a gift from the heart.

Mother’s Day is the second highest gift-giving holiday in the United States – behind Christmas – with consumers spending more than $11 billion on their mothers, grandmothers, daughters and friends, according to the National Retail Foundation.

Here are a few suggestions for this year’s Mother’s Day, a week from Sunday.

Soft shoes: These little Oka b slip-ons we spotted at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Norwood’s Rookwood Pavilion are cute as a button.

But a closer look revealed the design is reflexology-based and they are antimicrobial and odor resistant, slip-resistant and dishwasher washable. $28 at Joseph-Beth or www.shoesthatloveyou.com.

Gifts that help. Beaded Hope sells hand-made African beadwork to help mothers impacted by HIV/AIDS near the capital of Pretoria in South Africa to feed their families and buy medication.

These Ndebele bracelets, $24, are available at www.beadedhope.com.

Other Beaded Hope products are at Red Tree Art Gallery in Oakley, Second Chance Consignment in Springdale, Pedigree Interiors in Montgomery and Optimistic Outlook in Fort Thomas.

Another top spot to shop where proceeds go back to needy communities is the gift shop at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, downtown.

Roses and rubber: This rose arrangement from Jones the Florist is designed to honor Mother Earth. The Green with Envy arrangement of VeriFlora roses (grown in an environmentally and socially responsible manner) comes in a recycled rubber container. $95. 513-961-2525

Tuffets for two: Mommy and Me Ottomans from Springcliffe Designs are two 10¬Ω-inch and 15-inch high footstools covered in a variety of fabrics with “feet” to fit mom’s style, whether stilettos or tennis shoes.

Each one is hand-crafted with “shoes” and “socks” signed by the artist. $375 for the pair at www. mytuffet.com.

Berry batch: In 1991, a French nursery introduced “Mara des Bois,” which produces aromatic fruits about the size of acorns with a rich, sweet flavor and tender flesh. In full sun, hybrid “Mara” bears throughout the season and throws vigorous runners. Six-pocket, 14-inch high terra cotta container with nine bare root plants. $135 from www.whiteflowerfarm.com.

Bag of benefits: Ten Thousand Villages in O’Bryonville, which sells fairly traded handicrafts from around the world and channels money back into needy communities, is out to help Mother Earth with a Guatemalan tote made from recycled fabric from the traditional skirts worn by native women. The bag is big enough for books and groceries, and small enough to use as a shoulder bag. $34. 2011 Madison Road. 513-871-5840.

Mom’s custom cookbooks

‚Ä¢ TasteBook (www.tastebook.com) is an online service that allows you to upload recipes and photos to create a hardcover, custom-published cookbook filled with up to 100 recipes – or you can supplement mom’s recipes with dishes from Epicurous.com and other Web sites. $34.95.

• At KeyIngredient (www.keyingredient.com), get oil-splattered and torn family recipes converted into hard copy recipe collections and into personalized, bound cookbooks. At 39 cents per recipe, it transforms collections into digital format that you can share, archive or create a cookbook, starting at $9.95.

Check out the online article here

Looking for a great Valentine’s Day gift? Here’s what CiN Weekly had to say about Beaded Hope…

Share the Love
Fresh Take on Valentine’s Day Gifts
CiN Weekly
Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Jewelry is a classic Valentine’s Day gift idea. Now it can even be heartwarming and bring hope to its creators.

A Cincinnati-based charity, Beaded Hope (www.beadedhope.com) sells handmade beaded products made by women in Mamelodi, South Africa who are affected by HIV/AIDS. The women use wages from their jobs making crafts to buy medicine and feed their families, while Beaded Hope donates proceeds from the sales of the merchandise to an AIDS program in South Africa.

Among the items, which range from as little as $6 to $75, are Zulu bangle bracelets ($28) and Ndebele (pronounced in-da-bay-lee) and Imbulunga (pronounced imbu-lu-nah) necklaces and earrings ($75 set).

Get it at: 2nd Chance Upscale Resale Shoppe, 11729 Springfield Pike, Springdale, 513-671-7162 or www.shop2ndchance.com; Redtree Art Gallery & Coffee Shop, 4409 Brazee St., Oakley, 513-321-8733 or www.redtreegallery.net; or www.beadedhope.com

Check out the online article here.