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Lynde Griggs
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When we started The Stella Projects candle line, our desire was to create a sustainable product that could provide employment, income, and training to women rebuilding their lives after addiction, incarceration, homelessness, domestic violence, and other traumas.

To date, we have hired three women working to make our candles while receiving paid training on skills such as personal finances, computers, and resumes/interviews. It has been incredible to see how this program and our social enterprise efforts have provided for these women.

 

We are excited to have businesses use our candles for branding and promotional purposes. We have realtors, mortgage groups, and banks that have created Private Labels for our candles to use at events, client appreciation, and employee gifts. This has been a great way to sell more of our candles and share more about our mission, but also for businesses to give something that is unique and impactful to the community.

Every candle sold is an investment in a woman's future.

The Stella Projects candles are hand poured with 100% soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance oil, and wicks made of cotton, containing no lead, zinc, or other metals. They are beautifully boxed with matches, ready for gift giving.

If you are interested in creating a private label for our candles, please contact Lynde Griggs via email - lynde@belleandsparrows.org

www.belleandsparrows.org

 

Lynde Griggs
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Beautiful Not Forgotten Facebook Cover_Belle & Spa

Belle and Sparrows is a by-women-for-women non-profit that reaches women both locally and globally. We stand in the gap for marginalized women around the world by:

  • Teaching them skills for economic sustainability
  •  Providing encouragement as they brave the struggles of addiction and/or incarceration
  •  Helping them overcome the trauma of being trafficked or escaping the sex trade industry
  • Helping them find their worth after exiting an abusive relationship
  • Sharing a Bible study, time of prayer, and sharing of testimonies. 

Co-Founder, Lynde Griggs, says "To date, I have been blessed to have traveled to 8 countries on 15 different trips sharing the love of Jesus and seeing lives given to the Lord. It was in 2016, after leading [a women's] short-term mission trip to Guatemala that the Lord impressed upon me to start an all-women's mission organization. I am beyond ecstatic about Belle and Sparrows. I am certain the Lord has used my ten years on a church staff in both student and women's ministries, my need for Jesus, and my desire for him to be known as a catalyst for Belle and Sparrows. Empowering women to know their own worth and to share the love of Christ with other women is the heart of who we are and what we do. To God be the glory!"

Many women in our community/nation/world are facing insurmountable odds to not only keep their families together but to do that in a way that is uplifting and not demeaning. Our teams actively come alongside these women to lift them up and help them with the support and skills they need while also sharing with them about the redeeming love of Christ! 

There are many opportunities to serve & volunteer with Belle & Sparrows. We go every other month to Exodus, a residential program for ex-offenders to re-invent themselves by developing life and money management skills, becoming employed, starting a savings account, and most importantly – becoming a positive influence for their children to make correct life choices. We also go to Emily's Place, which provides long-term housing that is critical for helping domestic violence survivors permanently escape abuse. Check our website for more information on ways you can partner with Belle & Sparrows through mission trips, local service opportunities, and office volunteers.

https://www.belleandsparrows.org/

If you would like to make a donation or become a monthly partner, click the link below. We can't do what we do and help women around the world without financial support!

 https://www.belleandsparrows.org/give

Lynde Griggs
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Boots & Belles 2023_Belle & Sparrows (LinkedIn Art

Dust off your boots, grab your cowboy hat, and scoot over to The Backyard Venue for a night of Boot Scooting, BBQ, and Brews! This is one of our favorite nights of the year because it is so FUN! We have professional dancers from Dance Vision Studio in McKinney who teach line dancing, an incredible BBQ dinner with an open bar, and music provided by the one and only DJ 'KD'.

This is an adult-only event, so grab your spouse, a date, your friends, your life group, book club, neighbors, or whoever you love having fun with, and come get your boot scootin on!

This is a major fundraiser for Belle & Sparrows, and proceeds will go to fund The Stella Projects, a program that provides sup[plemental income for women rebuilding their lives through candlemaking and job skills training.

Tickets must be purchased prior to the event, they will not be sold at the door. Visit the link below to learn more and to register.

 https://www.belleandsparrows.org/bootsandbelles

A special THANK YOU to our sponsors and partners. Without them, events like this wouldn't be possible! The Backyard Venue, Dance Vision Studio, DJ KD, McKinney Cue Catering, Pappas Roofing, Highlands Mortgare, and Liberty Bank.

 
Lynde Griggs
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Volunteers Needed_Belle & Sparrows (LinkedIn Artic

Founded in 2017, Belle & Sparrows is a McKinney-based 'women serving women' non-profit that empowers, trains and employs at-risk and under-resourced women locally and globally. Our vision is a future where all women will lead a healthy, fulfilling life of self-reliance and dignity. Women will only realize their God-given potential when they know that they are worthy to receive it, and we want to help women hear that message.

Our approach is two-fold: serve & equip. First, we bring teams that actively come alongside to support, serve, and empower women locally partnering with existing ministries. Skills training and small business kits are brought to women in Guatemala and New Mexico so that they can begin earning income for their families. Second, we provide paid job skills training and employment to local women who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration, abuse, addiction, and homelessness as candlemakers.

 

The Stella Projects Candles are a boutique line of small-batch, hand-poured candles made by the women in our program. The women are given supplemental employment while they are rebuilding their lives, going to school, or trying to make ends meet. To date, we have provided over 2 years of part-time employment to several women with over 3,000 candles sold to date. Web sales, pop-ups, retail partnerships, private labels, and corporate partnerships have been responsible for growth.

We have many areas that you can volunteer and/or serve in. Visit our website & volunteer site for all opportunities.

 

https://www.belleandsparrows.org/

https://www.betterunite.com/belleandsparrows-volunteeropportunities

Lynde Griggs
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November 2021, we gathered women at our office and held a candlemaking class while we shared about Belle & Sparrows. It was so much fun to host a 'girls night out' with wine, charcuterie, and a little shopping, that we decided to make it a regular event.

Since then, we have hosted many women, some we know and others we had never met. This has been a great opportunity to introduce Belle & Sparrows to new people and gain support.

We have also had groups reserve the space for a private candlemaking event, such as life groups, book clubs, women's bible study, and even work team building! It's a unique and fun way to gather your group while also giving back to the community.

Our next Wine & Wicks is May 11 at 7pm. Choose one of our three fabulous core scents, learn the art of candlemaking, and take home a beautiful 12 oz candle. Snack on charcuterie and sip some wine while we share how Belle and Sparrows is impacting the community. Space is limited. Grab your tickets by clicking on the link below.

https://www.betterunite.com/belleandsparrows-wineandwicks-4

If you are interested in hosting your group for a Wine & Wicks event, please email Lynde Griggs - Lynde@belleandsparrows.org

Lynde Griggs
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Dust off your boots, grab your cowboy hat, and scoot on over to The Backyard Venue for a night of Boot Scooting, BBQ, and Brews! Boots & Belles is one of our most popular events of the year, and rightly so. We have 2 professional dancers who teach line dancing - and don't worry about your skills! Everyone is on the dance floor having the best time.

This year, Boots & Belles will be held at The Backyard Venue in McKinney. The outside is beautiful and rustic, while the 2,000 SF barn is the perfect backdrop for dancing the night away!

 

Tickets to this event are $50 per person. You or your business can also be a Sponsor for this event, which holds many advantages while financially supporting Belle & Sparrows. Your registration includes an amazing BBQ dinner, an open bar, a silent auction, and dancing. It's sure to be a night to remember!

This is a major fundraiser for Belle & Sparrows and we hope to see you on the dance floor!

For more information & tickets visit our website: https://www.belleandsparrows.org/events/2021/5/22/boots-amp-belles-we736

 

Lynde Griggs
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The Stella Projects' mission is to restore dignity and quality of life by eliminating barriers to success through entrepreneurial development, innovative education and training, and community-driven programs. In 2018, we saw an increasing service gap for women exiting recovery programs. This led to research, time in prayer, the call to begin The Stella Projects, and ultimately to open The Stella Center.

The Stella Center provides a safe environment for women rebuilding their lives to earn supplemental income while participating in job skills training. We have a team of individuals passionate about making this a reality by creating a vibrant community-based organization where collaborative partnerships invest in the success of the women we serve.

 

Our large social enterprise endeavor is our signature candle line. We hire women that have graduated from recovery programs to make and process our candles so we can give them supplemental income. At The Stella Center, they also receive vital paid training from community professionals such as computer skills, resume writing, interviewing, and so much more. Currently, we have 2 women in our program - Maria and Valerie. Valerie is new to our program and came from Family Promise, a program that offers homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence. Originally from Detroit, Valerie found her way to Texas with her 7 kids in hopes of a better life.

When you purchase candles from The Stella Projects, you are making an investment in a woman's future. Valerie recently moved into her own home, and it's programs in our community like The Stella Projects that enable these needs to be met. You too can stand in the gap for women like Maria and Valerie by purchasing a candle or making a donation through the links below.

 https://www.belleandsparrows.org/shop

https://www.belleandsparrows.org/give

 

Lynde Griggs
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2023 Birdies for Belles_Belle & Sparrows (Facebook

On March 27, 2023, Belle & Sparrows is holding their 5th Annual Birdies for Belles Golf Tournament at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas. This is a charity fundraiser and tax deductible, and your donation helps us further our ministry by building a long-term partnership with women around the world offering them economic sustainability. Funds raised by this event go to supporting our local candle program through The Stella Projects. We offer supplemental income to women coming out of various recovery programs, as well as job skills training and experience. Our mission is to stand in the gap for marginalized women, share the message of the gospel and let them know they are WORTHY!

Your day at Birdies for Belles includes a grab & go lunch, a keg & on-course beverage cart, raffle items, fun throughout the course, super ticket bonuses, and a cocktail & appetizer post-tournament award ceremony. Registration begins at 11:30 am and you tee off at 12:30 pm.

How can you get involved? Become a SPONSOR! This is a great way for your business to give back to the community & promote your name and services. You can visit our website for all of the sponsorship levels, or you can email: Lynde@belleandsparrows.org for a Sponsorship Packet.

 Registration is also open for individuals & teams through the link above. See you on the green!

https://www.betterunite.com/belleandsparrows-birdiesforbelles2023

https://www.belleandsparrows.org/

 

Lynde Griggs
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Guatemala Mission Trip 2023_Linkedin Cover_Belle &

Belle and Sparrows is a McKinney nonprofit that empowers, trains and employs at-risk and under-resourced women locally and globally by bringing teams of women to support, serve and train. On January 27, Belle and Sparrows will take its 6th trip to Guatemala to work with indigenous Mayan women in the costal mountain village of Tabacal. This year's team consists of 8 women from varying backgrounds and locations in North Texas who are coming together with one common goal; to serve.

While in Guatemala, the team from Belle and Sparrows will provide a small medical clinic, seeing patients from the village with minor ailments. Along with the clinic, the team will bring business kits to teach the women an artisan craft they can sell. Finally, the team will bring encouragement and hope as they host a women's conference for the women of the village.

Our vision is a future where all women will lead a healthy, fulfilling life of self-reliance and dignity. Women will only realize their God-given potential when they know they are worthy to receive it, and Belle and Sparrows wants to help women hear that message. If you would like to partner with the Belle and Sparrows team in Guatemala and purchase items from their supply list, please visit the Amazon List. To find out more, where we serve and how to get involved, visit Belle and Sparrows.

Lynde Griggs
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Imagine if you will...

You have a problem with your plumbing, your water is shut off and you must go without a shower or the ability able to flush the toilet until the plumber can make it in a couple of days. What do you do? Tough it out? Go to a friend’s house or check into a hotel?

Going to a friend’s house or to a hotel was not an option for one of our beloved candle makers; she was in between housing and living in her Honda with her twin 11-year son and daughter. Let that sink in for a moment, three humans living in a Honda. After candle making one Saturday, she was going to drive to a mobile shower unit so she could bathe. While having mobile showers available for those in need is something every city should have, it is still a demoralizing experience that only reinforces the stigma of homelessness.

When we found out she was going to the mobile shower, we insisted that she take as much time as she needed and take a long hot shower in the privacy of our office and not in view of those around. You see, we are blessed to have two full bathrooms with showers in our office. I quickly drove to the store, purchased a plush bath towel, and with toiletry donations we had on hand she was able to care for herself, by herself with dignity.

Restoring dignity and eliminating barriers are core to what we are about. Our goal for this Giving Tuesday is $18,000. This is what it takes to open our doors at our office for one year.

We need: 18 -$1000 Gifts OR 36 - $500 Gifts OR 180 - $100 Gifts

We need you in order to achieve this goal so that our office can continue to be a beacon of hope and place of refuge to women we are called to serve. Donate today or mark your calendar for Tuesday the 29th if you want to give on the actual day. Thank you in advance for pouring into women rebuilding their lives.

https://www.betterunite.com/belleandsparrows-donatenow