SMILE 2 SMILE: SHARE THE HAPPINESS

Some of you might remember Mel C from her days at GOTSTYLE King West (she’s the one with the curly hair beside me). Energetic and bubbly, Mel has gone on to launch a very personal global charity to help her home country, Haiti.

Started in 2013, Melissa saw an opportunity to utilize her design skills and the boxes of unused scraps of fabric many manufacturers and designers had laying around. She designed “Buddy”- a stylish, handcrafted friend for kids with long arms (for big hugs), and big ears (to hear all your secrets). For every Buddy sold, Melissa would make a second Buddy to be given to a child in Haiti.

First Smile 2 Smile Gifting Trip to Haiti, April 2014 ©Smile2Smile

The business quickly grew to a point where Melissa, who just returned from Haiti, was able to set up a small production facility in rural town of Hinche with 6 full-time employees to produce the complete line of Buddies. Not only is she spreading happiness among kids, she is also giving back to the community.

And this is where you come in, Melissa launched a kickstarter campaign to help grow her business and to employee more people in Haiti. I’ve personally made a donation of $500, I hope you can help out Mel as well. Click here to make a donation.

-Melissa Austria