Feeding hungry children in need is now front and center on jewelry designer Kendra Scott’s giving back agenda. Add to that Scott’s signature-yellow masks donated to American cities hit hardest by the virus, plus virtual fashion initiatives catering to customers staying safe at home.

We are proud to say the iconic designer’s company is one of the many Texas-based teams working around the clock to make an impact in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, making us all #TXStrong.

“Our mission at Kendra Scott is to ensure women and children live their brightest, healthiest and most empowered lives,” says the big-hearted Austin-based business owner. “That has been our guiding star when making decisions throughout this crisis. Our first response was to help feed children who were out of school.”

To date, sales of new “Kendra Gives Back” Everlyne Bracelets, which launched on March 16, have raised funding for 1.36 million meals and counting. Available in six different colors and dubbed a “friendship bracelet,” every bracelet sold results in 200 meals to help Feeding America, a group that works with local food banks to empower children to live their brightest and healthiest lives by avoiding hunger obstacles when schools are closed.

In addition to the fundraising activities, some frontline workers in New Orleans, New York, California and Austin are now sporting custom, non-medical grade masks, made from 100% cotton Kendra Scott yellow bandanas. Local women’s volunteer groups are distributing the bandanas. So far, the company has received more than 1,000 requests for masks, and has committed to producing at least 4,000 masks.

Other “Shop for Good” initiatives include an endeavor with First Book, an organization that is working to make sure children in low-income communities stay engaged in education. For every Kendra Scott Literacy Charm sold during the pandemic, one book will be donated to children in need. Workers in Austin, Nashville, North Carolina, Colorado, Virginia, New Jersey and Ohio plan to drop off thousands of books to educators, along with local treats and gifts.

“At Kendra Scott, our purpose is to thoughtfully and joyfully connect through beautiful jewelry that gives back to the causes and people our customers care most about. The crisis is unlike anything else in modern history,” says Scott. “While we can’t speak for every business, I can say that here at Kendra Scott we have always believed that giving back is the truest form of success.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities is another nonprofit the successful jewelry designer is working with. Under normal circumstances, RHMC relies on volunteers to cook meals for families staying with them. Pivoting to the organization’s needs, Kendra Scott is now supporting all eight RMHC in Texas by catering meals for them with the help of local restaurants. (There are RMHC locations in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Temple, Fort Worth, and Dallas.)

“Now is a time that businesses can support our communities during this time of uncertainty,” says Scott. “I believe we all have the power to leave this world better than we found it – and we can accomplish even more when we do it together.”

For a fun at-home experience for customers, with stores closed, some Kendra Scott sales consultants are still hard at work. You can schedule a 20-minute, one-on-one personal shopping session to receive styling advice, gift recommendations and more! Want to “try on” a piece of jewelry from home? Team Kendra has that covered too. Starting April 21, you can use the new Virtual Jewelry Box feature to see how earrings and other items would look on you, while staying safe at home.

And for your social needs – try attending a virtual “Kendra Gives Back” event in your community… or use one of the brand’s new Zoom backgrounds to make it look like you are having happy hour at the Austin flagship store’s patio. You can even set your background up to look like you are working from Kendra’s home office desk!

Cover photo: Making pleats in masks from bandanas. Courtesy Kendra Scott

Britni Rachal lives in Austin, Texas. She is a freelance journalist and a full-time marketer. In addition to writing, Rachal enjoys traveling, event planning, fashion, fitness and serving the Austin community.