Happiest

Birthday wishes go out to Miss Megan Kelly!

 

Rewind back to March 2008. We were looking to hire a new person for our group at work.  I wasn't paying much attention, they said they would bring me in for the final interview when they found a candidate. Eventually, that day came.... 

The pressure and enormity of the impending decision had begun to set in.  While this person would work with everyone in our group, they would work mostly with me.  I would be responsible for training them and after that we'd end up working closely together, hopefully for a long time. I had to not only be able to tolerate this person for 45 hours a week, but actually LIKE them.... 

So I walked into the conference room and sat down at the table across from Megan. I had thought a lot about what I was going to say, the questions I would ask her.  So I wasted no time and started:

"do you like country music?" And that was it, four and a half years later, here we are!

I wish I had known Megan back when these pictures were taken.  Using current day as a base, I can only imagine how ridiculously fun a childhood together would have been.  Even though I didn't know the Megan above or below, I do often turn around at my desk to see this exact facial expression looking back at me!

Megan, HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY birthday! I feel so fortunate to have met you. You have changed my life for the better and every day I feel so lucky to work side by side with you not just at one job, but TWO!

To my juicer, confidant, coworker, twin, technically boss, fashion consultant, old classmate (#whatwerewethinking??), business partner, son's godmother, interior designer, and most importantly, FRIEND .... happy birthday!

xoxo,
Jess

P.S. - is that Paddington Bear wrapping paper in picture #3?!

Happy Birthday TFE!

It has been an amazing first year for Tailored for Education!  To date we have provided 1,074 uniforms and have another 4,355 in production; we are working in five countries through seven different partnerships.  We are so proud of how far we have come and can't wait to see how many children we can help during our second year!  The below video is a compilation of all of our projects over the past year.  Seeing these adorable children in uniforms and at school is a constant reminder of why we started Tailored for Education one year ago.  

Today is the last day of our 365 DAYS OF EDUCATION campaign, click here to donate a uniform.    Only 128 uniforms to go to reach our goal of 365 uniforms! !

Lastly, thank you to all of our supporters, friends and family for your generosity and encouragement over the past year.  We certainly could not have changed the lives of so many children without all of you!

xo, Megan and Jess

Birthday Week in Review 5-18-12

We are only a few hours from celebrating our FIRST BIRTHDAY.  

It has been a GREAT week and we couldn't be happier (or more excited to relax)!  We received a project update from Honduras, we successfully made it through a presentation to our largest group of adults yet, we made some headway on our "one for one" product and we have raised enough money for 218 uniforms.  There is still time to help us meet our goal of 365 before tomorrow!

We have constantly been shocked and saddened by the number of children in Haiti living as restavaks.

The new President of Malawi firmly believes that education for women is the best way to keep them safe and healthy. 

More on President Joyce Banda's stance of education for girls.

Lots of great things going on in Kibera, the largest slum of Kenya.

We've mentioned our love for JADEtribe products before, but when I saw this adorable ipad case in the new LONNY last week I couldn't help but share.  It screams summer and the beach, which is thankfully just around the corner!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for a birthday surprise!

xo, Megan and Jess

Only 2 More Days....

Until we are lost in party confetti and blowing out our birthday candles!

Things we didn’t know May 17, 2011:

• what Form 1023 and Form 990 were
• how many selfless people there are in the world who are working endless hours for little or no pay to make a difference
• the fun of Twitter bombing
• how many "gifts that give" we would own in such a short time
• that we could memorize a 23 minute presentation
• that in less than a year we would have provided uniforms to children in Haiti and El Salvador
• and have projects underway in Honduras, Kenya and Cambodia!
• that we would speak to Kim Kardashian on the phone
• that we would be making travel plans to visit Africa!
•  that we would meet and work with so many amazing and inspiring individuals and organizations around the globe  
• that we would be dabbling in social entrepreneurship and planting grand ideas and aspirations
• who Alan Turdyk was …. and how much help his one liner could be!
• that dedicating your free time to a cause you believe in can be one of the most rewarding feelings one can experience
• how much two dedicated individuals with big hearts and even bigger dreams can accomplish when they put their minds to it :-)

Happy ALMOST birthday to us! Please click HERE to help us reach our 365 DAYS OF EDUCATION goal of raising enough money to provide 365 uniforms before the last birthday candle is blown out. 

xo, Megan and Jess

Cake and Uniforms!

Two of our youngest scholars in Honduras being measured for their uniforms! How adorable are they?

pictures courtesy of our giving partner Pure Water for the World 

We are going strong with our 365 DAYS OF EDUCATION campaign and have raised enough money to provide 188 uniforms! We are just over half of the way there! 

Please help us reach our goal by donating HERE … only 4 more days until we blow out our birthday candles!!

Xoxo  Megan and Jess

Let Birthday Week Begin!

We can hardly believe it, but on May 19th Tailored for Education turns ONE!  So today we kick off our 365 DAYS OF EDUCATION campaign to raise enough money to for 365 uniforms before our first birthday.  That's right, we want to make sure one child receives an education in honor of each day we've been in existence.  Can you think of a better way to celebrate (other than cake of course)?

Click here to donate a uniform between now and next Saturday!

  Check back this week, we've got a lot of fun posts planned to help us celebrate our first year!

xo, Megan and Jess

One shopping day left!

With only one shopping day left until Jess enters a NEW DECADE, we wanted to remind you to participate in our 30 for 30 campaign and make Jess's birthday wish come true by providing a child with a school uniform.

 You don't want to upset the birthday girl...see above photo for previous birthday frustration.  Shopping has never been easier!  ---> SHOP HERE!

Have a great weekend!

30 for 30

Only two days left to donate a uniform for our 30 for 30 campaign in honor of Jess's 30th Birthday on Sunday!  To all of those who have donated already, thank you.  To those of you who haven't there is still time to help us reach 30 donations!  

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

xo, Megan and Jess

Jess's 30th Birthday Wish

With only three shopping days left until my 30th birthday, I am sure you all are stressed about finding the perfect gift.  Well, this year my birthday wish is slightly different so please return all the jewels and click here (as Ina Garten says "how easy is that?")! 

Today we launch our 30 for 30 campaign in honor of my birthday on Sunday!  That's right, all I want for my birthday is 30 new donations.  Nothing would make me happier (and make turning 30 easier) than to know that 30 children would have a chance to change their lives by receiving an education with the help of 30 brand new donors!     

Please pass this along and help us reach our goal!

xo, Jess