Tag Archives: fair trade

Products, Recommendations

Why I Noonday

2 Comments

Have you seen Poverty, Inc.?

The whole documentary is an eye-opening look at the “business” of giving to poor countries. It is an important film to watch.

There’s an interesting segment on orphans, and how many of them end up in orphanages. Most aren’t orphans at all- many of them have at least one living parent who loves them and even visits them in the orphanage. They are there because the parents can’t provide basic needs for their beloved children, such as food and clothing, mostly because they don’t have jobs. It is a whole cycle of system of poverty and it is heartbreaking.

This is the main reason why I am a Noonday Ambassador and why Noonday is relevant on Integrative Mom.  Noonday provides jobs for artisans in developing countries so they are able to earn a living and keep the children they so love.

If you don’t know about Noonday, please watch this video for an introduction to what we are all about. (Watch for me- I’m wearing a tight fitting black dress that gloriously showcases my last baby bump!)

noonday trunk show

The new fall collection is out now, so check it out. And if you’re in the market for a new bag or any gifts as we head into fall please consider shopping from Noonday!

I also have quite a few items left in my sample sale which you can see here.

Noonday

Shine!

Leave a comment

noonday ambassador
The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy.

-Henry Ward Beecher

I am still reeling from the annual Noonday Ambassador Conference that I recently attended in Austin.

We had many amazing speakers including Glennon Doyle Melton of Momastery fame, Jen Hatmaker, Melissa Russell of International Justice Mission, and John Ruhlin.

noonday ambassador conference

In my opinion the real stars of the weekend were the women who traveled from Uganda, Guatemala and Ethiopia to speak to us about the artisans they employ. Artisans who make beautiful, handcrafted goods that Noonday Collection purchases from them.

 

hollyandjalia

{This is Jalia- she is the founder of African Style and creates all of the incredible jewelry made using paper beads in Uganda. Seconds before my friend snapped this photo, she said blessings over my baby and kissed my bump!}

I heard first hand how women have been rescued from the pit of prostitution, abusive marriages, and hopeless poverty. All because they now earn a dignified income.

These aren’t just stories, they are lives. And these lives are forever changed thanks to Noonday Collection and our fearless founder desiring to make a difference in the world. We’ve created a marketplace for them in the United States that they would otherwise not have access to.

Many of these women are moms who now are able to keep the children they were considering giving up for adoption because they now have money to buy food to feed them.

So if you ever wonder if your Noonday purchases really make a difference, let me reassure you- they do. Every single order, no matter how small, means a new order for our artisan partners. The ripple effect is huge. And I felt it last weekend.