Dear Friends,
I want to talk to you about something that is very important to me, something that is at the heart of the April Cornell brand. - The Giving World.
The Giving World.
When I think about my company, when I think about the product that we have developed over more than thirty years, when I consider and reflect on the experiences of the past three decades, and I attach meaning to what I do - The Giving World jumps to the top of the heap in terms of giving meaning to my life, to commercial activity, to trying hard, to wanting to be better, to making the most of who I am, to being the best designer that I can be.
The Giving World is a foundation - registered in the USA and Canada of which Chris and I are trustees. The Giving World currently supports a dozen different projects in India. Projects that range from street schools [gali schools] a school for first generation learners, a home for girls at risk, a school for working children, a daycare for elderly beggar women, a micro enterprise project in Widow villages where men doing quarry work are dying from silicosis, programs for runaway girls, and more. In short we are involved in projects that are meaningful, that make a difference, and we 'seed' these projects until they become self sufficient.
The NGO that the Giving World works with in India is called Concern India; the founder of Concern India is Abk Dubash. He is based in Bombay India and he has made philanthropy his career. He has set up Concern India offices in half a dozen Indian cities and through these offices monitors more than 100 different projects.
Concern India also raises money through greeting cards that they design produce and sell to corporate India; they also host cultural events music, dance, and poetry as well as art auctions that raise money for Concern India. Aside from these events they raise money through their offices in India through individuals and through corporations. Most of their funds are generated in India. Because of April Cornell's close relationship with India we have had the good luck to get to know Concern India and have become involved in the many projects mentioned above. On every visit to Delhi, I include a visit to one of our projects. I have spent a lot of time with Abk Dubash and with Kavita Shah [director of Concern India]
As well as doing good - they are also terrific people. Like our licensees - they are the best of the best. We have frank discussions together, and discuss the values and opportunities in different projects. Like businesses - it is the dedication of individuals that make any of these projects work.
I know that we, Chris and I, have been able to impact many lives through working with Concern India. It has been a real honor and privilege.
I would like each of my partners to stand behind the brand and show the true meaning of beauty - show the sincerity and genuineness that the April Cornell customer respects and understands.
Join us in making a difference. Join us in presenting the strongest message we can to our customers, beautiful product that leads with design and beautiful companies that have unquestioned integrity and are willing to take leadership in the important issues of today - which are also the issues our customers care about - giving back - giving a hand up to those in need.
And I am asking all of us to come together on this.
Thank you, April
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