Throughout the year, our Climb for Courage programs offer our Little Warriors and their Navy SEAL mentors a chance to form a relationship, face their fears, and build the strength they need to continue their fight against cancer. Cancer is a debilitating disease, and often, our Little Warriors aren't able to rock climb for the entirety of the Climb for Courage program, needing breaks from physical activity often due to fatigue. We are lucky to have partnerships with a few companies that positively enhance our events by providing alternative activities that lift the kids' spirits and allow for periods of rest. Specifically, the jewelry company Kendra Scott has made an outstanding impact on our programs and our One Summit community for the past several years.
Giving back has been at the core of Kendra Scott since its founding in 2002. Since then, Kendra Scott has donated over $50 million to charities worldwide, supporting women and youth in health and wellness, education and entrepreneurship, and empowerment. The Kendra Scott Foundation, a component of the Austin Community Foundation, was established in 2023 and offers a variety of programs, including their creative arts program, Kendra Cares. Kendra Scott’s Kendra Cares program has steadfastly partnered with One Summit at our Climb for Courage programs since our partnership began in the spring of 2022. By bringing their Color Bar®, Kendra Cares gives patients and their caregivers a break from their busy lives to design their own piece of customized jewelry at no cost. Since 2022, Kendra Cares has come to six Climb for Courage programs to host their Color Bar® experience, providing jewelry to over 90 Little Warriors and their Navy SEAL mentors.
"Kendra Cares is a very special program that allows our Kendra Scott teams to bring fashion, color, and creative arts therapy to children and families that most deserve it. Kendra Cares is usually hosted at hospitals, but partnering with One Summit for Climb for Courage allows us to combine our efforts to create a very magical day in a unique, playful and active environment. It's a chance for them to feel empowered, independent and strong. Our Color Bar™ experience is a fun reward for their hard work with the SEALs. And the most special moments happen when they selflessly choose to make a piece of jewelry for someone else as a special gift and thank you!"
– Marketing & Philanthropy Manager, Matt Stanzione
The holidays are a time of giving and gratitude. However, they can be challenging for families that are dealing with the constant stress of cancer and, therefore, facing high medical bills, transportation costs, and more. Most families focus their money and resources on caring for their sick child, so the holidays become less about giving and more about gratitude. Because of this, we are always delighted to have Kendra Cares and their Color Bar® join us to lift the spirits of patients and their caregivers through a beautiful piece of jewelry at our Climb for Courage programs. Kendra Cares has graciously allowed our families to take home tangible memories they can keep for themselves or give as a gift to someone special. At a recent Climb for Courage in San Diego, one mother exclaimed, "I'm lucky. I have three sons here! I got three pieces!" Whether the child decides to give the jewelry to their caregiver or keep it themselves, it is a wonderful way for us to give back to the families constantly fighting for their child's life.
Additionally, the Kendra Scott teams in San Diego, New York, and Boston hosted four in-store Kendra Gives Back community events for us, where 20% of purchase profits go directly back to our mission. In response to one of Kendra Scott's in-store giveback events, one patient's mother said, "Thank you so much for having us at Kendra Scott! I'm sorry for Chloe, she's constantly irritated because she's living in pain and she comes off terrible to everyone but seeing her nurse Cathy and making a jewelry piece together made her smile. Thank you!" There is a reason focusing on the small things in life is a popular mantra – concentrating on the little 'wins' and happier moments throughout the day during tough times can make life feel a little less overwhelming. We were overjoyed to hear that Chloe was able to escape from her pain-filled reality for a second to enjoy making apiece of jewelry with her nurse and we attribute Kendra Scott for creating that opportunity for her.
"It has been incredibly rewarding to cultivate such a meaningful partnership with One Summit over the last several years. The synergy between Kendra Cares and the Climb for Courage program is undeniable, and we've loved providing custom jewelry pieces for pediatric cancer patients and their families at activations across the country. A critical aspect of the Color Bar™ experience is the agency it affords - when patients get to choose their own setting, stone, and metal tone, they feel a genuine sense of empowerment, which can be a game-changer for their recovery."
– Joy Miller, Regional Marketing & Philanthropic Manager, Kendra Scott
Our team is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Kendra Scott, sharing our like-minded missions and continuing the fight against pediatric cancer. Kendra Scott's philanthropic focus on youth empowerment aligns with our mission to promote growth through trauma via experiential learning, mentorship, and community building. To close, Max Svec, our Director of Programs, described the impact of Kendra Scott and Kendra Cares beautifully on our One Summit community:
