Joanne’s Raggedy Ann Club (JRAC), formerly the Raggedy Ann Club, is a non-profit organization co-founded by the late Joanne O. Murphy and Patricia J. Murphy to bring comfort to children in need around the world. Since 1997, JRAC has made and donated over 1,100 dolls to children at the National Institutes of Health’s Children’s Inn, the Chicago Police Department’s Operation Shining Star and Operation Santa for children of fallen police officers, the Greenhouse Shelter for victims of domestic violence, the Department of Women’s Justice Services for children whose mothers are incarcerated, the Tibetan Home of Hope for children who would otherwise be abandoned, and anywhere JRAC hears of children in need. Each doll reflects the diversity of each child who receives it and comes with prayers of hope and healing. For more information about JRAC, to join, make donations, or to start your own JRAC, visit Joanne’s Raggedy Ann Club
As an artist and designer, Will Lassen has been drawing and painting animals and scenes from the natural world since he was young. Traveling and painting outside in the Western Rockies and overseas in Europe is one of Will’s favorite activities. Here is his latest offering: Horse Gesture Paintings.
Vermaine is one of the most friendly and helpful guys around. I don’t believe you’ll ever see him without a smile on his face. At the opening party of the new Wisteria Outlet, he was all over the place, getting pictures with just about everyone. Here’s a little bit about him and some of the pictures from the party.
Tell us a little bit about you:
I’m 38 years old. My wife’s named is Sheila, and I have a daughter named Makita.
What is your job here?
Forklift driver, go-to man in the warehouse
What are your favorite things about working at Wisteria?
The family atmosphere and my coworkers.
What is one thing about you people probably don’t know?
How much of a softie I really am. I really do like to help people when I can.
What is your favorite place to visit?
My grandmother’s house.
What is the one place in the world you’ve never been but would love to go?
Las Vegas
How would you describe your personal style?
Fun loving guy, who loves to have fun!
What is your favorite Wisteria item?
My one indulgence is:
Sweets
Favorite spot in my house:
My bed
Favorite food:
Pizza
My pet’s name is:
Minnie Pearl
Favorite place to watch the sun set:
Front porch
Responding to the needs of victims of disasters around the world, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization.
Faced with the unprecedented and devastating flooding in Pakistan, the IFRC provided immediate life-saving assistance, and continues to respond with relief items, shelter, health, water and sanitation. To date, the IFRC has reached millions in need, and is working with affected women, girls, boys and men in promoting recovery, reuniting families and restoring livelihoods.
Chad and Jane Stephens met their two youngest children, Julie Wambui Stephens and Joseph Amani Stephens, in Kenya when they were babies. The Stephens family spent six months volunteering in to Kenya, where they met Julie and Joe. After a host of miracles and piles of forms, they were able to return to the US with Joe and Julie as fully adopted members of their family. Chad and Jane began Amani Children’s Foundation in 2004 to support children like Joe and Julie as they wait for their own families.
The Amani Children’s Foundation is committed to building dynamic partnerships as they raise awareness of the growing number of orphaned children in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are currently focusing on supporting the work of New Life Home Trust of Kenya. As Kenyan volunteers gather daily to care for these babies in Kenya, Amani volunteers gather in cities across America to support them from afar, making and selling jewelry from brightly colored ceramic and glass beads brought back from Kenya. Many families give “in honor of” ornaments at Christmastime to support a baby for the coming year.
Since 1993, New Life Homes has rescued over 1200 infants. Kenyan families have adopted nearly all the infants by their 2nd birthday. On a continent where adoption has been taboo, baby selling has been the norm, and child trafficking is ongoing, Kenyan families seeking legal adoption for an abandoned child is not only the miracle of a lifetime for their child; it has been a game-changer for children’s rights across the continent of Africa.
Because Amani is a volunteer-run organization, the overhead is very low. Donations go directly to Kenya, as do the proceeds of all purchases. Please learn more about them at www.amanichildren.org.
Introducing our City Chic collection! It’s a juxtaposition of all the things we love: the energy of the city, the sleekness of modern design, and the chicness of sophisticated pieces from around the world. Here’s a few of the pieces.
Okay so we admit it. We at Wisteria have been known to point and scream when we see one of our products in a magazine, on a tv show, or most embarrassing of all, when visiting the home of someone we don’t even know. We can’t help ourselves.
But, if you saw a recent airing of Lisa Kudrow’s sitcom, The Comeback, on the Sundance channel, maybe you understand why we get so excited. In Episode 8, “Valerie Relaxes in Palm Springs,” our own Antiqued Peacock Mirror (W2620) shares a scene with the former star of Friends.