In early 2011, ALEX AND ANI was a small company on the brink of exploding into a nationally recognized brand. This was also the year that CHARITY BY DESIGN, a movement and change driver within ALEX AND ANI, was born. Our Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Creative Officer, Carolyn Rafaelian, wanted to give back in a big way through establishing meaningful relationships with non-profit organizations. It was about a movement about giving people the strength they needed through a unique piece of jewelry with a powerful meaning. More importantly, it was about collaborating with our fans to help amplify and strengthen a non-profit’s mission.
Nicki Maher (left) and Carolyn Rafaelian (right) were honored at the Roots of Resilience Gala hosted by Tuesday’s Children, an ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN partner.
“We need to find more ways to say ‘yes’,” is something that still comes to mind when I think back to my first conversation with Carolyn in April of 2010. We met through a mutual friend at a coffee shop and discussed her vision and belief that she could and most certainly would “turn peace up” through this brand that was so quickly growing.
On that day, I somehow became the chosen one asked to spearhead this mission. Being a logistics and goal-oriented person, I was excited about this concept but also unsure of where to begin. I knew that this would be about relationships first and foremost, which is exactly where we started within our roots of Rhode Island.
The HERO Charm Bangle benefiting Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
In five years, I have watched CHARITY BY DESIGN grow from our very first charm design, the HERO Charm Bangle supporting Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island, to the now 44+ organizations that we partner with on a regional, national and global scale. Knowing that we wanted to be able to support many (Carolyn would say “as many as humanly possible”) non-profits, we came up with other ways to support and spread our mission outside of design alone. Some examples include our CHARMED BY CHARITY® events (in-store shopping experiences where 15% of sales are donated to the organization), as well as numerous sponsorships and event support. Through these initiatives, we have helped more than 3,500 non-profits.
While this division began as a way to support multiple non-profits while helping to be the force in growth and helping others, we quickly expanded with the incorporation of our employee engagement program, Team (+) Impact. Officially launched in 2013, this initiative gives our employees the ability to volunteer with a non-profit of their choice during the workday, incorporating giving back in a whole new way. From this program, our employees across the nation have given more than 3,200 business hours of service.
The ALEX AND ANI executive team volunteered at Crossroads Rhode Island.
Today, we thank you, our amazing fans and supporters, as we celebrate the milestone of reaching more than $30 million in donations back to communities across the nation. This celebration is a testament to your dedication in supporting causes that resonate with your soul. Thank you, from the bottom of our heart, for making this one of the best and most meaningful jobs in the world!
With love,
Nicki Maher, SVP of ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN