sisters in service: talents of sisters

Welcome to Sisters in Service, a series designed to lift, inspire, and motivate us to celebrate the (many!) different ways we can serve our brothers and sisters while we're here on this earth. Each post spotlights a project or idea that's lifting others, serving the Lord, and changing the world for good!

Today I'm so excited to introduce you to Courtney and Lauren, a pair of beautiful & dynamic sisters and stay-at-home moms, who have started Talents of Sisters, a nonprofit organization designed to make real differences in the lives of women.

Take it away, friends!

In a sentence, what's your project?
We sell donated handmade goods to raise funds which we in turn donate to small charities or other efforts that directly empower, educate and heal women worldwide, and where we can see the actual impact our donation.

Why is this project important to you?
It all started when we read the book Half the Sky. We wanted a way to feel like we were doing something to help counteract the horrible injustices in the world that are done to girls on a daily basis. Being stay-at-home mothers, our circle of influence felt pretty small. We didn't have a lot of means to contribute to causes we supported, and we didn't have the time to really get out there and do anything, so we looked around at what we could do -- make, collect, and sell handmade crafts. 

Have you had any special experiences along the way you'd care to share?
The most special thing so far has just been the positive response.  Everyone we talk to is so open to helping in whatever way they can. Through donations we've received, we've paid for a latrine for girls to use at a school in Africa, a bicycle to help a girl get to school, home birthing kits to help women have safer and cleaner birth experiences, and we've sponsored a woman from Sudan through Women for Women International. 

{earrings and necklace benefitting TOS}

What's your long-term vision for this project?
We would love to have a thriving marketplace with items being donating to us and sold on a regular basis so we can fund some big projects. We'd love to be able to help rescue a girl from sexual slavery, fund fistula operations, pay for a woman to be properly trained as a midwife, and help build better facilities for girls to go to school in.  

How can I get involved?
That's the easy part!  You can donate handmade goods to us in several ways (details on our site).  You can visit our Etsy shop and take a look at what we've got for sale (we've got some stuff that would make great gifts!).  And you can help get the word out about what we're doing. We are always looking for people that want to help in any way!

Isn't that awesome?

I hope you've felt inspired and empowered today.

We can't change the whole world, but we can change the world for one person! 
Ready to donate some handmade items? Or to buy some?
{psst, there's a pretty MM zip pouch up for grabs!}

You can find Talents of Sisters on their web site, on Facebook, and on Etsy.

Thanks for visiting with us, Lauren & Courtney!