“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
With a tag line like “Style your Friends. Change the World.” Noonday Collection is doing this AND doing it well.
Noonday Collection is a fair-trade company that creates uniquely beautiful hand crafted jewelry, bags, and accessories . Its mission is to be a “socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities across the globe”. Noonday is leaving a profound mark on the fabric of many developing areas around the world. In 2018, their impact reached 33 artisan business partners in 15 countries providing work for 130 community workshops. Through Noonday, women in vulnerable communities have the opportunity to participate in dignified work, develop a specialized skill set, and play a significant role in a truly world changing organization.
Noonday jewelry is sold nation-wide by over 1,000 goal setting and sometimes globe-trotting ambassadors that live from California to New York. They not only have a heart to see transformation in the communities where the jewelry is made, but also to share the vision of Noonday with women who are family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and friends of friends. Ambassadors do this by story-telling and styling at trunk shows where the gorgeous jewelry is displayed and women gather to use their purchasing power for a fabulous cause.
One of these world-changing ambassadors, Debbie Rupard, lives in Southern California and is indeed making a difference. When I chatted with her about Noonday, it dawned on me that she loves the company because it has made a difference in her life as well. She has experienced a strong sisterhood with both ambassadors and artisans. A sisterhood that extends beyond country boundaries or cultural differences. A sisterhood that is a lovely, artistic expression of beauty, faith, and hope.
In the summer of 2014 Debbie was facing a hard reality. She was recovering from a c-section she had with her third son, and her eldest son who has cerebral palsy had just undergone major hip surgery. She also had a middle son to take care of as well. In the midst of all of the emotions, nurturing and sleep deprived nights, Debbie thought that if she were to go somewhere else in the world where there is extreme suffering or poverty it would help her not to struggle so much in her current reality.
This is why Noonday Collection caught Debbie’s eye and heart. She heard about a trip to Rwanda to visit artisan partners working with Noonday on a blog she was following. Again, her heart was stirred and she decided to step into action. So, in 2015 she became an ambassador.
Since then, Debbie has poured into the company’s mission and in turn, has been ablerun a successful Noonday ambassador business. In addition to her main role of being a mom to her 12, 9, and 5 year old boys, and growing her social justice and stylish entrepreneurial adventure, Debbie works another part time job with Olive Crest as a Quality Management Director.
Debbie believes in the mission of Noonday Collection and the vision designed by its motivational, strong, and magnetic “steel magnolia” founder Jessica Honegger. She’s always loved jewelry anyway, but she loves that the Noonday jewelry is beautiful and meaningful.
Every summer, sales goal-achieving ambassadors are able to go on trips to different communities where Noonday artisans are creating the one-of-a-kind pieces using natural, sustainable, and ethically harvested resources. Debbie has been blessed to go on three of these trips. She’s traveled with a group of ambassadors to Guatemala, Peru, and most recently, Ecuador.
Debbie shared a story with me from her Ecuador trip that truly highlights the amazing sisterhood of this company and God’s grand plans. While making a necklace alongside Luzmila, an Ecuadorian artisan, Debbie and Luzmila spoke in “Spanglish” about their children and the fact that both of them have established and maintained two different sources of income in their respective lives. Debbie felt connected with this lady through the bonds of jewelry appreciation, hard work, and motherhood.
Debbie also connected with another Ecuadorian artisan named Maria and discovered that she has a daughter with special needs. Since Debbie also has a child with disabilities, she immediately felt an even deeper connection of sisterhood and God’s divine goodness.
God is good and He truly knows how to encourage and lavish love on His children in beautiful ways. Ways that remind us we are all connected through our Creator and fashioned with amazing purpose.
Thank you Debbie and all of the wonderful Noonday Collection “girl bosses” for making a difference. Please keep shining and sharing beauty, joy, and hope.
*Debbie and Luzmila in Ecuador*
I am currently hosting an online trunk show for Noonday Collection. Please join the online party and use your purchasing power for a life-changing cause. You can indeed make a difference and also, buy some gorgeous treasures.
Here is the link to the online trunk show:
Be brave on the narrows, my friends. And, happy shopping to you.
Brave on the Narrows 