Build a Nest and Proud Mary

The Nest event in NYC hosted with Proud Mary was a huge success. The wine was delicious and the conversations were fantastic. There were some very wonderful people at the event.

One of the supporters that came to the event represents Party with Heart.

Party with Heart went to NYC to support our friends at Build a Nest and Proud Mary. It is a rare occasion to have us all in the same city at the same time. As soon as Marybeth and I walked through the doors, the empanadas, vino and conversation began to flow. Rebecca (Build a Nest) had as line of people waiting to chat with her

Party with Heart is a blog for stlyish do-gooders. The blog combines fashion and fun with charity. The blog promotes products and events that all support a great cause.

The Party with Heart collection is inspired by beauty, style and goodness. All of the products in this collection positively impact the lives of others in some part of the world - you can see specifically how the product you like is helping someone else by clicking on it and reading the product information.

Thank you Party with Heart for supporting Nest.

Please spread the word about Party with Heart and become a part of a movement that embraces kindness, beauty and helping others.

Microfinancing, along with job training, is starting to develop a reputation for being one of the best ways to help end poverty.

Kate Murphy, a reporter for the New York Times recently wrote and article discussing the positive effects microfinancing is having on the developing world.

Her article is quiet interesting and includes many thought provoking interviews.

It is definitely worth reading.





Government agencies and international aid groups have long supported programs that train the world’s poor in how to start and run their own businesses. The training is seen as a way to end hunger and stabilize societies.

But interest in these programs has grown lately with the wider availability of microloans, or very small enterprise loans made to the poor. As with any start-up, these businesses are more likely to survive, advocates say, if the owners have basic operational skills.

Nest and the Queen of the Kurta

Nestled in New York City's Upper East Side is a treasure boutique named for founder and designer Roberta Freymann, and just a hop, skip and a flick of its bunny tail away is Roberta Roller Rabbit, an offshoot of the flagship store.

Reminiscent of a bustling bazaar and exploding with bold color, the sister shops showcase a bouquet of exotic yet cozy goods, including women's, men's and children's apparel, home furnishings, upholstered and hand painted furniture, gift items and more.

The designer, travel-addict Roberta Freymann, speaks five languages and devotes a large part of each year traveling to over 20 countries where she creates and manufactures her charming designs in partnership with dozens of artisans.

Her fabrics and products come in endless signature prints which are created using the ancient craft of hand block printing and dried in the sun. Freymann's various collections couple chic global style with affordable prices, a concept that has earned her a local following in New York and the Hamptons.

For those worldly women outside of New York now itching to get their hands on Roberta's signature kurtas and tunics, the Roberta Freymann and Roberta Roller Rabbit Collections are hitting the road to offer trunk shows in several cities across the nation.

Nest is set to host the boutique's Chicago event, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Nest. For those in the Windy City, it's an event not to be missed!

Nest Chicago Hosts Roberta Freymann/Roberta Roller Rabbit Trunk Show

Wednesday, June 24. 6-8pm: Kickoff Cocktail Party and Trunk Show
Thursday, June 25. 10am - 4pm: Trunk Show

The event will be held at the Ritz Carlton Residences, located at 625 N Michigan, 5th floor, Chicago.

Recycling is beautiful

Gray Pants merges art with recycling. Gray Pants was started by two young architects with a desire to make a difference through design.

The designers use cardboard to make beautiful lights and accessories for the house. Their designs are beautifully crafted. You would never suspect such an amazing piece came entirely from repurposed cardboard boxes.

Their philosophy: Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail. There’s only make. The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all the work all the time who eventually catch on to things. Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes. Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. it’s lighter than you think. Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. read. anything you can get your hands on. look at movies. carefully. often. save everything - it might come in handy later. There should be new rules next week.

Nest would like to give a special thanks to the boys of Gray Pants for donating one of their amazing fixtures to our Seattle event that took place this month.

Tilonia: Artisans of India

Founded nearly 40 years ago in Tilonia in Rajasthan, India, the Barefoot College is a skills-based learning community managed by the impoverished for the impoverished. The school is a place where uneducated men, women and children from the lowest castes and most remote villages come to a campus where they have an opportunity to learn "barefoot" trades. They are trained in fields such as water and solar engineering, architecture, education, and craftwork.

From their website:

"The Barefoot College is a place of learning and unlearning. It's a place where the teacher is the learner and the learner is the teacher. It's a place where NO degrees and certificates are given because in development there are no experts-only resource persons. It's a place where people are encouraged to make mistakes so that they can learn humility, curiosity, the courage to take risks, to innovate, to improvise and to constantly experiment. It's a place where all are treated as equals and there is no hierarchy."

Today, hundreds of rural Indian villages have solar energy, clean water resources, and education due to the efforts of the Barefoot College. The "Barefoot Approach" has spread throughout India and is beginning to breach the borders of Asia, Africa and Latin America. In March of 2009, the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship named the Barefoot College a success story, alongside the Grameen Bank, Cafédirect, and Participant Productions.

Crafts from the Barefoot College of Tilonia are now exported and are available online through Tilonia, a web store supported by the US non-profit organization Friends of Tilonia, Inc.

Proud Mary, a Nest partner, featured on designsponge.com

ZOOMA

Congratulations to all the women and men who ran the ZOOMA race this weekend in Annapolis Maryland.

ZOOMA Women’s Race Series presented by New Balance is an exciting new concept in women’s running that celebrates the power and beauty of all women.

• Purpose is to promote women’s and girls’ health and fitness by encouraging them to participate in a challenging and fun running event


• Pampering amenities and exciting entertainment with a “girls’ weekend” atmosphere


• Inaugural event held in Annapolis, MD on June 1, 2008 attracted over 1,600 runners


• ZOOMA welcomes both men and women to participate in all ZOOMA events.


• 2009 events will be held in Austin, TX, Annapolis, MD, Denver, CO, and Atlanta, GA

ZOOMA Women’s Race Series presented by New Balance works with a charity partner in each city. 2009 charities include LifeWorks, a non-profit that provides social support to families in Austin, Texas, and Girls on the Run Annapolis, a national non-profit educational and running program for pre-adolescent girls. A portion of each ZOOMA race entry goes toward the local charity partner.

Nest is one of the Charity partners of ZOOMA. This year, every person who finished the race was given a necklace made by one of Nest's loan recipients in Guatemala.

Interested in learning more about ZOOMA, check out their website.