I’ve been donating my henna services to the community throughout my entire henna artist career. While sometimes I may do a fundraiser for a particular cause or event, there are also two things I do on an ongoing basis that are not so much to raise funds but rather just to give back to the community.
I do apply for grants from time to time, but I find that applying for grants becomes its own part-time job. (In fact, it is a job I have been paid to do for other organizations in the past… so I know how much effort and focus it takes to do well.) So, I could chase the paper, and spend significant time fundraising to support these efforts, but I would rather just spend more time doing more henna for more people.
Recipients of henna crowns sometimes wish that I would accept my regular hourly rate directly from them for these services. However, I refuse to do this, as my intention is to offer free henna crowns to everyone free of charge, regardless of their circumstances, so that this beautiful transformation is equally accessible to all.
So, upon the recommendation of some of my henna crown clients, I am making this donation page for anyone who would like to donate to these efforts.
1.The Henna Crown Project
Through The Henna Crown Project, I create henna crowns for people going through chemotherapy. I always do this free of charge, as long as they can meet up with me locally on a weekday. It has always been a dream to partner up with a hospital or other oncological services team so that I can also provide this service in a more official and accessible capacity.
The memory of my Aunt Aline is always firmly in my mind and heart when I create henna crowns for people. She is a huge part of the reason that I grew up to be the artist that I am today. She was very supportive of all of my creative endeavors throughout the entire time that my childhood and her too-short life overlapped. She made her living as a craftsperson as well, creating wedding and party favors and decor for her community at the mom-and-pop party store she worked at. I loved her so much, and am so sad that cancer took her away from our family so early.
2. The Nonprofit Fund
I regularly provide henna services to nonprofits such as the local Boys and Girls clubs, the Women’s Center of Rhode Island, Dorca’s International Institute, and other groups at no cost to them.
Sometimes we even collaborate on projects to share with the rest of our local and even intenational community… like that one time we made a PSA video about how natural, brown henna is great and chemical-laced, black PPD un-“henna” is bad news and will leave you with chemical burns. 🙂
Your Donation Can Help
With the help of your donation, I will be able to provide these transformative services to the community at large, regardless of their ability to pay. This will enable me to serve even more people, whether they are going through cancer or could just use a bit of beautiful henna to brighten what may otherwise be a very tough time.
Please select whether you would like to support The Henna Crown Project or The Nonprofit Fund when making your donation.
If there is an individual or group who has directed you to this page, or who you would like to mention for any other reason, please note that in the comments section.
A donation to our Nonprofit Fund in any amount – whether $20, 40, or $80 – allows a much broader cross-section of the youth of our community to get henna than otherwise might be able to. By sharing henna with our youth, we open their minds and hearts to cross-cultural sharing, helping them realize that we all have a lot to learn from each other.
A $150 donation covers the creation of a simple henna crown, which will transform the wearer’s life for approximately two weeks. Crown recipients report feeling more beautiful and confident, and therefore more able to find more moments of joy during a difficult time. They also report being greeted with warmth, amazement, and joyful inquisitiveness, rather than the standoffishness and awkward attempts at sympathy that can be the unfortunate default.
A $560 donation sponsors an on-site midweek henna party for a nonprofit group anywhere between Boston and Providence (and any other areas within one hour of Attleboro, MA), including all travel. If you would like to specifically fund one particular group that you know needs henna for their event, this is the best way to do it.
A donation of any amount is appreciated, and will be put to good use for one of these projects.