Headbands of Hope - New Styles... Same Great Cause November 16 2015 2 Comments
by: Corey Washburn, marketing and communications intern
We’ve mentioned to you all before the Bourbon & Grits founders, Shannon Koontz and Missy Durkin
, love to give back to the community. Since its earliest existence, Bourbon & Grits has been seeking ways to fulfill this goal, and came across “Headbands of Hope” in early February. These headbands have been featured in InStyle, Seventeen, Self, Lucky, and Vanity Fair, and have been worn by many celebrities including Lauren Conrad and Selena Gomez.
Jess Ekstrom started the company, “Headbands of Hope,” after completing a college internship for a wish-granting organization for children with cancer. Working with these children was rewarding for her in many ways, but also challenged her to think about the other ways she could give back. In April of 2012, she founded Headbands of Hope to help boost the confidence of little girls who were losing their hair due to chemotherapy. Recently, they’ve expanded their focus to girls’ headbands to include “buffs” for little boys as well.
So how does it work for the kids? For every headband purchased, another headband is given to a child with cancer AND $1 is donated to fund childhood cancer research. Since Headbands of Hope began, they have donated over $30,000 to support pediatric cancer research, and seek to reach beyond that accomplishment with every advancement in their business and through donations. How awesome!
Now, Headbands of Hope has become wildly successful. Just four months ago, in June 2015, they celebrated donating to every children’s hospital in the United States! The expansion of this organization continues as other businesses and organizations carry the headbands and other gear that is part of the “Hope Market” which was launched in September to carry jewelry, clothing, and other items.
Bourbon & Grits is passionate about carrying these headbands for many reasons. We have recently added even more Headbands of Hope styles, so that whatever you’re wearing – you can pair it with a beautiful headband to complete an outfit, while knowing that you’re supporting childhood cancer
research and a little girl who can’t wait to match one with her outfit, too.
Comments
Rebecca Backschies on August 18 2017 at 10:14AM
She was diagnosed April 17th and is currently in remission. Thank God and thank you girls for being so thoughtful and sweet-hearted
Rebecca Backschies on August 18 2017 at 10:13AM
This is a wonderful idea. My granddaughter who is 10 has a. A. L. Leukemia. We are holding a fundraiser and Leukemia awareness event on October 7th 2017 in Pottsboro Texas. If she is feeling up to it I would love for her to wear one of your bands of Hope to the event. She told me “granny b when I get through with this treatment stuff I’m going to be a model for kids with leukemia”. I told that little lovely that she was a model now. She rocks her beautiful bald head that she also loves adornment such as a little headband, henna tattoos ,and such ,she does not wear wigs yet as it is not cold in Texas . I think she likes the attention of being unique.