DESIGN FROM THE HEART, A CAUSE WORTH CARING ABOUT
This past weekend, Dallas Design Group had the privilege to volunteer with a great foundation here in Dallas, Dwell with Dignity. We were not only honored to work with such a great foundation but our hearts were filled with joy as we worked on projects, that we knew would make a well-deserving family very happy!
What's Dwell with Dignity, you ask?
Dwell with Dignity (DWD) is a non-profit organization founded by Lisa Robison, an interior designer, who partnered up with Kim Turner, also an interior designer, to create a charity whose goal is “To bring good design to those less fortunate, inspiring them to maintain a standard of living they can be proud of and thrive in”.
DWD partners up with agencies that help families go from being homeless to being self-sufficient. These agencies nominate the families and DWD, then furnish the families’ homes with items from furniture, accessories, bathroom/kitchen supplies, food in the pantry, and even their first night’s meal!
It’s amazing how a GREAT idea and word of mouth can spread and go so far. And it has!
DWD has grown tremendously since April of 2009 and Lisa and Kim have not done it all alone. A lot of their help comes from hundreds of volunteers and items donated by different sources and the design community. DWD also raises funds with their successful THRIFT STUDIO which they do twice a year. Thrift Studio is a 30-day pop-up shop that raises funds by selling the overstock of donated, gently used furniture, housewares, accessories and high-end designer finds to the public. Along with Thrift Studio, they also have corporate sponsors and accept monetary donations. To find out how you can donate, click here.
Check out some of these before and afters of how this all works!
Photography by: Lance Selgo with Unique Exposure Photography
Photography by: Dan Piassick
Incredible, right?? Their main goal is to break the cycle of poverty and what better way than to design a living space that anyone would be proud of, to want to come home to and most importantly, to want to strive in! If you can change your surroundings, you can definitely step out into the world and feel like you can conquer it all!
You can view more amazing transformations here. You will be so amazed!
For any further information please visit www.dwellwithdignity.org
So DDG was lucky enough to partake in some of the projects for the next installment for a 60-year-old grandmother who has custody of her five-year-old grandson. The installation was happening this week, so we were eager to help in any way we could! We can’t wait to see the end result of this family's newly designed home!
Thanks to Laura Cismesia, and with her knowledge and guidance, she put us to work and we went right to it!
We were creating artwork, sealing furniture, adding hardware to furniture pieces......
collaborating ideas, sanding and priming dining chairs and even creating flowers!
We loved it all and we can’t wait to help and be more involved with such a great organization!
If you would like to volunteer find out here how you can help, because after all,
“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” John F. Kennedy