It's official! 10% of Purple Ribbon Sbangle sales collected as part of our own Purple Ribbon campaign will be donated to The March of Dimes.  Purchase a Purple Ribbon Sbangle to help raise awareness of and funds for research pertaining to pregnancy, birth, premature birth, and birth defects.

Visit the The March of Dimes website to learn more about their services, programs, and efforts and read about their Prematurity Campaign. 

Be sure to check out events hosted by Sbangle’s local chapter of The March of Dimes in New York and don’t forget to register for 2013 March for Babies Walk taking place Sunday, April 28, 2013.  

Not in the New York area? No problem! Find events and news from your own local chapter.

This blog post is dedicated A,R, and SMc, “For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands” (Christina Rossetti).

Shine on,
Sbangle

Sbangle is proud to formally announce that The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) will receive the 10% of Red Ribbon Sbangle sales collected as part of our own NO+ ONE MORE campaign.  Purchase our Red Ribbon Sbangle to help raise awareness of HIV/AIDS as well as fund the research that will eradicate this devastating virus and the disease it causes by clicking here. 

For those of you who don’t know, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the retrovirus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a disease that attacks the body’s immune system and leaves it defenseless against “opportunistic infections” that take advantage of individuals with weak or non-existent immune systems.  Click here to read more about the virus and disease.

Although many who battle HIV/AIDS have faced unfair discrimination because they are HIV positive or have full-blown AIDS, Sbangle assures you that HIV/AIDS does not discriminate when it comes to who can be infected. Getting tested regularly is of paramount importance, especially if you are sexually active.  If you test positive, you must seek treatment early and often.  Click here for resources about HIV/AIDS testing.     

This could be the moment where I drag out a soapbox and begin dropping the statistics that make your head spin about how many people a year are infected and how many are fighting HIV/AIDS in this world today.  But I am not going to do that.  Why not?  Because I don’t need to.

The fact that in 2013 you yourself can name at least ONE person who is battling HIV/AIDS is ONE person too many as far as Sbangle is concerned.  We can and we must do MORE to bring about a day where we can all say “NO” when we’re asked if HIV/AIDS is still thriving. 

In support of yourself or your beloved ONE fighting HIV or AIDS, help Sbangle and The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) say “NO” to the continued existence of HIV/AIDS + give “MORE” to those in search of the cure for HIV/AIDS so “NO+ ONE MORE” is lost to HIV/AIDS.

This blog post is dedicated to a most beloved friend whose fierceness knows NO limits.  I love you, Intuition. Your drive to do MORE each day is inspirational.

Shine on,
Sbangle

Exactly one week from now marks the third month since the launch of Sbangle's website www.sbangle.com.  Thus far it has been an exhausting, yet rewarding adventure.  

The words of Anne Sullivan, the renowned teacher and companion of the famed Helen Keller, provide the perfect metaphor for our experience with Sbangle in its infancy.  Anyone who has ever attempted to launch his or her own small business can attest to the fact that much of the time is spent fumbling around in the dark on one's own searching for understanding and just hoping for that spark- that Eureka moment- where it all comes together.  

We are thankful that every "failure" or frustration has yielded a lesson learned, a new skill mastered, a new friend made, and a clearer sight of the truest form of beauty: the journey.

We launched Sbangle on October 19, 2012 with the mission of sharing our art with the world. At Sbangle we believe one shouldn't lock her jewelry away waiting for an invite to an event as each day is a special occasion and should be celebrated to the fullest extent.  Thus, we have sought to construct our handmade crystal Sbangle bracelets to be as vibrant as the women who wear them.

As our first few weeks flew by, Sbangle's brand continued to grow stronger as we earned more friends, likes, and followers on Facebook and Twitter, respectively.  We are thankful for every like, comment, post, share, and email with feedback.  It has helped us grow stronger and discover a new purpose: charitable ventures.

In the winter of 2012, we launched a Pink Ribbon Sbangle to raise awareness of breast cancer and money for research leading to the cure.  After an intense amount of research to vet the credibility of each charitable organization we support, Sbangle has found a charity willing to permit us to openly acknowledge our contributions to promote transparency for our friends and followers.  

Each quarter, Sbangle proudly donates 10% of all sales of each Pink Ribbon Sbangle sold to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.  Being able to help raise money and awareness for such an important cause has been our shining moment.  It seems we discovered along the way, as Anne Sullivan put it, "a purpose [we'll] be glad to remember."

Sbangle has since expanded to feature a: 
Red Ribbon Sbangle (HIV& AIDS Awareness and Prevention/ Heart Disease), 
Purple Ribbon Sbangle (Premature Birth & Alzheimer's Disease), and 
Gold Ribbon Sbangle (Pediatric Cancer)

... and this is only the beginning.   

We'd like to use our first Blog post to thank our families, our friends, and followers for all of their love, support, and feedback.  We hope you will subscribe to our Blog to share in our continued adventures.


Shine on,
Sbangle