Where Holding Harts Proceeds are Going

Since launching, Holding Harts sent our very first donation checks for the month of February to The Heath Evans Foundation and the Lisa Ripp Foundation!  It was a small amount due to low sales but I know with every one's help we will be able to give more in the future!  Holding Harts was only able to give each organization $40.00; this doesn't sound like a lot but every little bit helps! 

To emphasize why Holding Harts is important I want to share an official letter from The Heath Evans Foundation explaining where Holding Harts proceeds are going! This month's donation will help with programming that supports the healing of children and families who have been victims of sexual abuse!  The letter below gives an example  of a mom who recently called The Heath Evans Foundation office asking for help for her teenage daughter who had been sexually abused by a family member. The mom revealed that she too had been sexually abused as a child but her parents didn't believe her and she never received the help that she needed! 

Far too many situations are exactly like this!  Children do not come forward because they are scared that no one will believe them. Children grow into adults, keeping the pain bottled up on the inside leaving their wounds untreated!  When there isn't a release of some kind the victim will always have a feeling of pain, agony, insecurity, distrust and is there something wrong with me! 

Now because of The Heath Evans Foundation and your support of Holding Harts, families like this will receive the help they need!  With your support of Holding Harts, we will be able to continue to help children and families heal through supporting expert counseling The Heath Evans Foundation provides. 

So please help spread the word about Holding Harts and what we are trying to accomplish.  Please help us help others by purchasing one of our fun Holding Harts designs!

Thank You

Since developing the concept of helping others through Holding Harts, so many people have provided their unconditional support.  In so doing, Holding Harts wants to express our gratitude.  These people are friends, family and even people I hadn't known until now!  They need to be thanked because this is and always will be a collective effort.

I'll start with girlfriends...Stacy Seamon, Whitney Guarisco, Nicole Labadot, Barbara Fortier, Tiffany Phillips, Alexandra Garner and Erin Smith thank you for listening to me rant and rave about my ideas, thanks for pushing me forward everyday and thanks for lending a helping hand!  Jennifer Gaubert, thank you for not only joining us in our first photo shoot but thank you for inviting me and holding my hand to discuss Holding Harts on Law Out Loud With Jen ; your help has  meant the world to me.  Thanks to all of my girlfriends who were a part of our first photo shoot and some of my biggest supporters; my sister Brandy Anderson, Stacy Seamon, Jennifer Iapichino, Cheri Giminez, Vanessa Duda, Jennifer Gaubert and Jenna Gaspar.  Thank you to our photographer, Stephanie Mediamolle of Envisage, who gave us the most incredible photos. Thank you to a real sweet person, Olivia Thompson, our hair stylist for the day!  Thank you to the most beautiful venue, Race & Religious, for allowing us free range for our photo shoot! Thank you Betsy Sharfenstein for helping me on those days that I needed an extra hand!  And last but not least, as always, thank you Juli Miller Hart of Projects With Purpose for giving me advice, love and support!

Secondly, I want to thank Sue Martin of the Heath Evans Foundation and Lisa Ripp of the Lisa Ripp Foundation for being able to see my heart, passion and determination for striving to help!  Holding Harts goal is to create awareness, inspire and donate as much as we can to support the mission of preventing, healing and fighting sexual abuse!

Then there is Peer Partners who has selflesly lended their expertise because they truly believe in what Holding Harts is trying to accomplish.  With their help we will become who we are meant to become!

Oh, and I can't thank Maria Muro of New Orleans Living enough for inviting me on the show and making me feel so comfortable and loved.  The show will air later this month.  I will post when I have additional details.

In addition to everyone above, I feel there is a real movement beginning.  On Sunday, March 25th from 1:00 to 4:00pm, several local businesses are getting together to host Shopping for a Cause; Holding Harts, Jessica Canedo of Bella Bliss Salon & Spa, Sherri Fourcade-Hallner of Vault Denim, Stephanie Daigrepont of Theres No Place Like Home and Brown-Forman. And in honor of Child Abuse Awareness Month in April so many are joining us in the fight against sexual abuse!  Holding Harts is collaborating with Mardi Gras World, Rita Tequilas Restaurant & Bar and The Silver Plum Children's Boutique in Mandeville.  Details about these events will be provided in later posts. 

Then I have to thank Monica Grimaldi, a friend and family member, for coming on as my partner in this effort.  Monica has an international background in fashion & design and will help to bring Holding Harts to a different, new and exciting level!

And my George, you will always be my greatest support, so thank you for that, thank you for allowing me to see that I can accomplish anything!  Then there's my mom, Elaine DeLeon and my Momma Duck, Beverly Seamon...and my brother, dad and family...and of course the one above all, God!

I am sure I am leaving someone out, so please forgive me!  With every one's help we will make a difference in this world, we will create awareness and inititate healing, we will lift each other up, nurture each other and hold each other's hearts!