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Gifts That Lift
The focus of Gifts That Lift is to help people in the Philippines and Thailand create self-reliance by "teaching them to fish rather than giving them fish". Three months into the business, Wendy Bird became aware of a lack of adequate food, clothing, and basic necessities existing among the Filipino families. Relief supplies where immediately sent to Amara to distribute among the people. This grew into the formation of the Pearls with a Purpose Foundation www.pearlswithapurpose.org, a 501c3 non-profit organization that continues to ship clothing, food, and educational supplies to struggling families in the Philippines. The foundation also works closely with the Live to Learn Foundation www.livetolearn.org to fund educational scholarships to children and adults throughout the Philippine provinces.
As the parent company, Gifts That Lift offers an outlet to My Princess Pearls, My Thai Style, My Thai Shoes and other women owned businesses. Genuine pearl jewelry and other handcrafted items are imported to America through Gifts That Lift and sold through Field Reps, Retail Outlets and eCommerce to empower women in disadvantaged countries. Many women receive training through the Pearls with a Purpose foundation as well as educational opportunities for their children. Purchasing from Gifts That Lift truly makes a difference in the lives of others.
My Princess Pearls - Amazing Affordable Pearl Jewelry
  Founder Wendy Bird enjoyed making jewelry, and particularly liked pearls. After several months of electronically searching the globe for a pearl source, she came upon Amara Flordeliza in February, 2002. As they began to communicate via email, Wendy learned how Amara had quit her job as manager of an architectural firm to help raise the standard of living for her people in the surrounding villages in the Philippines. Since the early 1990's Amara has trained abused and abandoned Filipino women in the art of pearl jewelry making, rescuing them from severe poverty. These women are the sole financial support for their families. |
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The genuine pearl jewelry is hand crafted by the highly trained women using saltwater and freshwater pearls from all over the world. The lustrous pearls are available in 7 natural colors: white, black, grey, pink, white, peach, peacock and bronze. The original designs are available in styles perfect for every occasion from newborns (infant bracelets) to career wear. |
My Thai Style - Handmade Thai silk skirts and embroidered apparel
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Created by hand in Chaing Mei, Thailand silk skirts, wraps and blouses begin as beautifully woven silk fabric. The weaving is done by a team of women on large intricate looms. The very long silk threads are hung from the rafters and down into the basement during the weaving process. The vibrant colors of the fabric are all derived from organic sources.
Owner Kantana Bikin began her first store in 1998 as a means to provide for her two sons. Now teenagers, they help in her shop often. They would like to complete a university education and begin businesses of their own. Kantana reaches out to women who are struggling and offers them a hand up by purchasing their silk items directly from them. These are then imported by Gifts that Lift and sold at a fraction of the traditional retail price. |
My Thai Shoes - Hand beaded uniquely designed sandals and shoes
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Panniee began her business in 1994 with the goal of improving the living situation of her family. Working with her husband, they built a little shoe shop and began to connect with women throughout Thailand and China to design and create shoes and sandals. She has a son that is now 20 and attending the university. She has an invalid mother living with her and must make frequent doctor visits due to her poor health. Her favorite aspect of owning her own shop is the designing process.
She loves knowing that women in America like and wear something she has created with her own mind. She helps other women learn to use their own skills and imagination to design new and modern styles. Some designs are successful, some are not, but in the end, she is serving the purpose of empowering women like herself with a new skill set. All shoes are hand beaded, sequined, stitched and embroidered. Each pair is unique and seldom able to be reordered. “I love shoes and pearls. No matter how much weight I gain or lose, they always fit.” ~Seana J, customer |
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