Ross Park Mall store opening benefits nonprofits

Texas-based jewelry chain Kendra Scott hosted four fundraising parties for four local organizations to celebrate the grand opening of its new Ross Park Mall location.

Each "Kendra Gives Back" party, held Oct. 25 and 26, lasted about two hours, with 20% of sales benefiting local organizations A Glimmer of Hope, Bethlehem Haven, Pine-Richland Volleyball Boosters and Cancer Bridges.

Although the Ross Park Mall location is new, Kendra Scott's partnerships with local philanthropic organizations is tried and true, according to A Glimmer of Hope founder Diana Napper.

"We have worked with Kendra Scott for years at their Shadyside location. Their philanthropic impact is amazing, and we are grateful to be a recipient of the donations," Napper said. "In addition, they had a beautiful day for metastatic breast cancer patients at the Glimmer of Hope metastatic breast cancer center."

Before the grand opening, Kendra Scott's Pittsburgh stores honored breast cancer awareness month by donating jewelry gifts to the patients at the A Glimmer of Hope Metastatic Clinic at Allegheny General Hospital.

After her best friend Carol Jo Weiss Friedman passed away in 1990 from breast cancer, Napper founded A Glimmer of Hope to "fund innovative programs, treatments, technology, and research in order to prevent breast cancer from advancing. We want to lead the way to a cure."

According to its website, A Glimmer of Hope has raised and donated $6 million for breast cancer projects to Allegheny Health Network, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, Magee-Womens Research Institute Foundation and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

Cancer Bridges is another local nonprofit that Kendra Scott has partnered with in the past and partnered with once again for its Ross Park Mall opening.

Based in the Strip District, Cancer Bridges offers "critical support services and emotional support services to anybody impacted by cancer, whether it's the patient, caregiver, family, loved one (or) children," said Cancer Bridges development and program coordinator Jennifer Kehm.

"I want to say this is the third or fourth year that we've done this (with Kendra Scott). It's been a great opportunity, a great partnership for us. They're very generous, and people love their jewelry, so it's a win-win," Kehm said.

Cancer Bridges offers free services including nearly 200 programs and activities every month.

"You can get one-on-one counseling for free. We also have 25 different support groups. Some are cancer specific–brain tumor, breast cancer, prostate cancer, head and neck cancer. We also have general cancer support groups," Kehm said. "We have wonderful creative expression offerings, where sometimes people don't want to talk about cancer. They'll come in, and it's just some way to get your mind off of everything that's happening to you and still be in community with other people who are experiencing the same things."

Another beneficiary at the Kendra Scott celebration was Bethlehem Haven, a Pittsburgh Mercy nonprofit that's served women experiencing homelessness in the Pittsburgh area for more than 40 years, according to vice president of development Jody Figas.

"Our services include an emergency shelter, affordable housing programs, case management services, primary care and medical respite for both men and women who need recuperative care after being discharged from a hospital," Figas said. "We also provide a variety of supportive services, including assistance in finding stable housing solutions and accessing physical and behavioral health care to encourage them on the path to self-sufficiency. The demand for these services is high, especially now that the weather is getting colder."

Figas said the Kendra Scott opening was a fun event, with in-store specials and fun music played by DJ Cake.

"It was a fantastic opportunity to shop for great gifts, and their new store is beautiful. Additionally, the staff at Kendra Scott were so welcoming. We felt like part of the team," Figas said. "The entire store was filled with positive energy, with people finding great gifts while also supporting the community."

Ross Park Mall general manager Lisa Earl said the mall is overjoyed to welcome the new Kendra Scott location and provide shoppers with a new destination for "beautiful, customizable jewelry."

"The grand opening festivities, combined with the 'Kendra Gives Back' events, reflect the brand's strong commitment to both creativity and community, making this a special occasion for Pittsburgh-area shoppers and the local organizations involved," Earl said.