One of the things that I love most about working with Norwex is that it’s a mission-driven organization. Not only is the company committed to radically reducing the number of dangerous chemicals in our environment and creating safe havens, but Norwex is also making positive change in communities all over the world through its charitable foundation.
Since 2013, when it started its Charitable Giving Program, Norwex has donated more than $1 million to community-based humanitarian, charitable and service organizations globally. Best of all, the organizations that the Norwex Foundation has chosen to support are nominated annually by our Independent Sales Consultants, who, in this way, are able to make a significant difference for causes that are close to their hearts.
Here, independent consultant Stacey Monahan talks about her involvement with The Vertile House and how Norwex, through its support of the organization, is helping orphans in Haiti.
Stacey says that she first learned about the amazing work that The Vertile House is doing with abandoned children in Haiti right around the time that she attended the Norwex Leadership Conference in 2016 and heard about the Charitable Giving Awards.
“I knew someone, who knew someone, who is on the board of directors of Vertile House and is incredibly passionate about sharing the work they do,” says Stacey, explaining that the founder and a number of board members live in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. On a shoestring budget, this tiny community-based organization provides a home, food, shelter, clothing, and education to kids who would otherwise be living on the streets. “It really pulled at my heartstrings and I knew I wanted to do something to help,” she says. It started with writing a small check.
When that year’s Charitable Giving Awards were presented during National Conference, Stacey was thrilled to see that groups from all over the world had been nominated and chosen for gifts, deciding that the Charitable Gift Award could be a great way support to The Vertile House in a more significant way.
As she was going through the 2017 nomination process last spring, Stacey asked what Vertile House needed most. “When they told me that they wanted solar panels for their building so they could be self-sustaining and not have to rely on electricity, which can be spotty in Haiti, I really felt like it all lined up.” A donation from Norwex would allow Vertile House to build something environmentally-friendly and sustainable that would help with the organization’s mission to provide kids with opportunities for the future. At the same time, it would be in keeping with the mission of the Norwex Foundation to create “brighter futures across the globe.”
The Norwex Foundation agreed with Stacey and at the 2017 National Conference, The Vertile House was awarded a charitable gift of $5,000 — the largest donation in the young organization’s history!
“When I told people from The Vertile House, they were so excited,” reports Stacey. “They actually have the Norwex banner with the giant check hanging in [the Boulder dance studio owned by the founder of Vertile House].” Meanwhile, work on installing the solar panels is underway in Haiti.
For Stacey, the Charitable Giving experience has been incredibly rewarding. “Even though I’m not intimately involved with the organization as a volunteer, I love that I’ve had the opportunity — just by being a Norwex consultant — to be a vehicle for helping them make a dream come true.”
She hopes to continue making a difference for the organization and has pledged to put aside 10 percent of her Norwex party earnings for The Vertile House until she is able to match the Norwex gift. “It may take a few years, but it’s making me work a bit harder and is keeping me energized in my business because I know people are relying on me.”
Happily, Stacey reports that business is going better than ever so that matching date may not be too far away!
Norwex is currently accepting nominations from Norwex Independent Sales Consultants for the 2018 Charitable Giving Program. If you know of a cause worth of support, let your Norwex consultant know. The deadline for submitting the online nomination form is 11:59 p.m. (CST), May 25.
