H.elping O.ther P.eople E.very Day
Hope Clips was founded not only to bring you an amazing product and support Fair Trade, but simultaneously to give back to organizations with a focus of "Helping Other People Ever day." Hope Clips focuses on helping those in need through donating a portion of all proceeds to nonprofit 501(c)(3) causes.
From 2009-2013, a portion of all HopeClips proceeds was donated to Hopes & Dreams International and the Will Santa Find Me? Foundation; a nonprofit 501(c)(3) foundation focused on helping to rescue children who were victims of human trafficking, and to grant exact gift wishes for critically and chronically ill children and their families.
Starting in 2014, we're excited to announce that we've extended the scope of our reach of "Helping Other People Every day" to help other organizations and nonprofit causes with a focus on giving back--focusing mainly on nonprofit organizations that support education, children's causes, global health initiatives, and fostering creativity and entrepreneurism.
A Little History...
Lauren Smith found her first hair clip at a craft fair while she was still an undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut. She wore the clip all the time, and absolutely fell in love with its comfort, beauty, and durability, but never saw them again. It wasn't until a few years later, when trying to brainstorm nontraditional fundraising ideas for a nonprofit she was volunteering for, that she really started to look and the idea for Hope Clips was born.
After having volunteered for the "Will Santa Find Me?" Foundation and Hopes & Dreams Intl. for years, traditional fundraising began to bomb in the economy, and events such as golf tournaments or galas that used to generate revenue for the foundation were not getting a turn out, or were getting cancelled. It was time to start thinking of alternate ways to fundraise. Lauren was inspired by the idea of starting a business that could share a portion of their proceeds with nonprofit foundations--building something that could be an entrepreneurial endeavor and a consistent fundraising source on the side supporting other good causes simultaneously.
Only knowing that the hair clips were beaded in South Africa, Lauren spent the next eight months researching and networking -- making contacts in Hawaii, Australia, and the UK -- before finally tracking down the weavers in South Africa. She drafted a letter explaining what she was hoping to do... a young woman entrepreneur looking to import fair trade products in order to profit share with a nonprofit foundation for children in need. That Fall, in 2009, she received her first sample order of 200 hair clips, and was then granted a distributorship the following February, in 2010.
Through bringing this wonderful product to you,
Hope Clips is able to support both global and domestic causes, supporting global fair trade and South African artisans as well as giving back to American children in need. These two great causes are the reason that "Hope" is an acronym for H.elping O.ther P.eople E.very day.
Today, Hope Clips' products are offered at over 250 retail locations worldwide... spreading H.O.P.E,
one clip at a time.
