the

>>Sirona Cares

G i v i n g i n a T i m e o f C r i s i s

Photo by Crobinson Photography

Conscious bride:

Michelle Lacourciere isnt a pushy woman, but that doesnt stop

her from getting what she wants. When her husbands company,
Sirona Fuels, traveled to Haiti to establish Jatropha farms, a source for
sustainable fuel, she saw a greater need-the need for sustaining Haitian
lives. She told her CEO hubby that in addition to providing much
needed farming jobs, they should assist existing communities and
build personal relationships. The children needed schools and libraries,
food and clean water. They needed to help break the cycle of poverty.
It seemed useless to create jobs when the children werent growing
up. The problem needed to be tackled from two angles not one. While

The recent devastation in Haiti, concerns about the

the environment, and our nations economic crisis
causes all brides to be grateful for being able to
celebrate with their loved ones on their wedding day.
By Monica Holmes

ore and more couples are going

green and giving back at their
weddings. Whether it be creating edible centerpieces to reduce
waste or skipping unnecessary gifts, brides and grooms
are more aware than ever of their impact on the world
around them. There are many things that couples can do
to lessen their weddings environmental impact or use
their celebration as an opportunity to give back to those
in need. The recent devastation in Haiti has struck an
emotional chord with many couples who have decided
to not only share their love with friends and family at
their wedding, but to also give back to victims of the
earthquake.
We are celebrating three stories of amazing women who
reached out to those in need in Haiti and made a big difference. All three women agree that no effort is too small
and they all share ways that you can spread the love and
make a big difference of your own on your wedding day.

her husband agreed, he explained that they were a new company and
those steps would put them out of business. And thus, non-profit,
Sirona Cares (www.sironacares.typepad.com) was created. Michelle
didnt let her husbands company off that easily though. Sirona Fuels
also gives 10% of their profits to Sirona Cares and agrees to purchase
any jatropha the farmers are not able to sell in country.
Sirona Cares is also building schools, but not just schools; they
are building connections. Michelle knows that donors often become
frustrated. Donors become exhausted and disinterested. They need
to see how they helped and feel like they did something. Thats why
every Sirona Cares donor, no matter their donation amount, receives
a packet outlining life in the region where the school is located,
pictures of the school, and even contact information for the schools
director. You need the last $10 as much as the first. Michelle recognizes that everyone makes a difference. Besides, its hard to find a
donor for $50,000 but its easier to sell 5,000 bricks for $10 each. It
is a lot of ordinary people that make things happen.
Michelle encourages brides to forgo gifts and instead ask guests
to buy bricks. How many brides would it take to build a school?
She hopes the trend of in lieu of gifts and favors for weddings will
continue and the response Haiti has received since the earthquake
will not dissipate. They have so much to offer but no ever gets
there to find out. I would hope that one of the good aspects that
comes out the earthquake will be an interest in Haiti and a value.
I dont want Haiti to be forgotten again. I dont want the people
there to be overlooked and I need them to know that they are
thought of and recognized and valued.

>>Help Doctors, Help All

Photo by Crobinson Photography

When Pramita Kuruvilla was a girl, she read a book about a doctor who saved the life of
a 15-year-old girl and knew she wanted to be a doctor. The Yale Medical School graduate
always felt a desire to serve, which is why she chose to practice at a county hospital. Following the earthquake, she traveled to Haiti and provided medical care. She worked with No
Time for Poverty and Partners in Health, an organization based in Haiti for 20 years that
strives to bring first world medicine to developing countries.
Upon arrival in Haiti, she was confronted with patients who had horrible injuries and
nothing to alleviate their pain. With little to no access to healthcare, infection ran rampant.
For that reason, there were a large number of amputees. Many Haitians avoided seeking
treatment for fear of amputation, which further complicated the problem.
Pramita was impressed with the spirit of the people. One woman had set her own shattered arm. Despite being in debilitating pain, her patients still smiled and remained joyful
and grateful. Everyone was smiling and welcoming. A habit she picked up, despite seeing
70 80 patients a day. Though most Haitians are living in poverty, they place little value
on material wealth. They value people over things. Only time will tell if the culture can
withstand the sudden influx of western influence but she feels they are a grounded people.
Pramita wants couples to know there are many organizations bringing quality healthcare
to places in need and doctors willing to help. She encourages couples to donate to places
like Health in Harmony, No Time for Poverty, Partners in Health, and Doctors Without
Borders. These organizations save lives. Even small donations have a dramatic impact.

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Jean-Juste, a Haitian priest, talk about his vision for a food

program in Haiti, she thought, What if there is something I can do?
When Margaret returned to the US, she received a call
from her father. Their church had planned on donating
$5000 to a food pantry, but it had closed. She tracked
down Father Gerard. Three weeks later the check was
received and his vision of a food program was realized.
Such a small amount of money made a significant difference. Friends and family began sending money, and
the What If Foundation (www.whatiffoundation.org)
was born. Her goal was small: To raise awareness and
resources to feed 500 children one day a week. Now, the
food program serves 1500 children, five days a week, and
is able to serve elderly adults with any remaining food.
In addition to the food program, What If also funds
an after-school program. The foundation has given 200
children school scholarships and currently supports 20
young adults who are in college or tech school. They hope
to build a school for children but also teach adult literacy
and trade classes. First we feed the children and keep
them alive, then school, Father Gerard would say. They
eventually hope to build a medical clinic and library as
well. After the earthquake, it took five days for What If
to get food from the Dominican Republic. A long time to
go without food, but significantly less than the five weeks
reported by other agencies. They are now serving 3000
meals a day and partnering with other nonprofits to bring
roving medical aid to the community.
Margaret hopes the global attention Haiti has received
since the earthquake will help it rebuild and achieve sustainability. She believes this can be achieved by collaborating with the Haitians, not coming in and doing something
without their involvement. The What If Foundation is
a resource partnering with the Haitian people to follow
their vision.
Since her initial visit to Haiti, Margaret has remarried
and feels lucky to have been given the gift of two lives
and two loves. She encourages other two-time brides to
forgo gifts if they dont need them, and instead celebrate
life and loving by sharing their joy. In lieu of gifts, guests
can donate money directly to an organization, or couples
can donate unneeded gifts they receive. To not do anything or to think that it is too big or too complicated or
that your little bit doesnt matter, thats where the danger
is. Silence or inaction is dangerous. Taking action in some
way, however small, is important. Thats what they taught
me. Piti Piti Na Rive. Little by little we will arrive.

Donations in Lieu of Favors

Many charities, like The American Cancer Society (www.cancer.
org), St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), and the
ASPCA (www.aspca.org) offer wedding scrolls and cards. Given to
guests instead of favors, these personalized scrolls let guests know
youve given a gift to charity rather than purchase favors. Your purchase of the scrolls benefits the charity.
Personalized Donation Cards, (available at www.elizafig.com) offer
custom printed donation cards which are printed with "as our Wedding Guest" at the top, then up to five lines of personalization for
your charity information, followed by your names and event date.
The JustGive (www.JustGive.org) gift card is a special way to
thank your family and friends for their participation in your wedding.
It allows them to choose the charity they would like to support. With
the gift card, they can donate the funds to any of the 1.5 million
charities in JustGives database.
Give While Receiving
Traditionally, a wedding is the time to create your fantasy wish list
for expensive flatwear and champagne flutes through bridal regis-

tries. It may not be practical for you to request that 100% of your
gifts are towards charities in lieu of traditional gifts. However, there
are a few unique ways that you can blend receiving needed gifts while
also donating to charities.
At idofoundation.org, up to 10% of guests' gift purchases from
partner stores on your registry will be donated to your selected
charity at no extra cost to your guest. This is a great way to
still obtain gifts, while providing a percentage to your charity.
However, if you are not looking for gifts, and would rather have
your guests donate to a charity, try inlieuofagift.com, where you
can create and send specialized invitations with a link to the donation page of your chosen charity. With each donation made, they
immediately provide guests with a thank you and tax receipt for
their convenience.
With such high need for support in Haiti and other parts of the
world, your may feel helpless. Fortunately, as these three women
have expressed, even a small donation or gesture makes a huge difference and can even save a life. However you wish to celebrate your
wedding day, remember that there are many simple ways to share
your love and success with the world.

Eleven years ago, in a small town in Wisconsin, Margaret

Troust was living the American dream; she had a flourishing
career, a loving husband, and a beautiful son. It took just five
minutes as her husband struggled for breath, dying before her
eyes from a sudden asthma attack, for that dream to come to
an end. When someone you love dies like that, it is like part
of you is snuffed out. A year later, she was in Haiti, holding
the hand of a dying mother.
The daughter of a minister, Margaret knew the healing power
of giving. So when the opportunity arose to volunteer at a hospice in Haiti, she signed up. A sad wreck and newly single mom,
she prayed, Help me find a new future, help me find a new way
to get excited about my life. She wanted to help others who were
suffering and hoped to heal herself in the process.
Despite previously visiting under resourced areas of Mexico
and Nicaragua, Margaret was unprepared for the level of
poverty she saw in Haiti. It was difficult to believe, in the year
2000, that people were dying from lack of basic medications.
There was little or no access to education, transportation, or
jobs. Children were starving. Upon hearing Father Gerard

More Ideas:
Donate your bridesmaids dresses to an organization like the Prin

Bay Bella treated the women, who

are always thinking about others, to a
day of glamour for their photo shoot
at Dress, Luxury Attire on Loan.
Photos by Crobinson Photography
Stylist: Sophia Spencer
Gowns provided by Dress, Luxury Attire on Loan

cess Project (www.princessproject.org), which provides free prom

dresses and accessories to high school girls who cannot afford them.
Donate your flowers to the elderly, sick, or terminally ill. Brighten
their day by giving them flowers from a new beginning.
Rent gowns for your bridesmaids! Dress, Luxury Attire on Loan
(www.dress-sf.com) is a perfect place for bridesmaid or Mother of the
Bride gown rentals, or if you need to rent a cocktail dress for one of
the many events associated with your wedding. Go green while also
having glamour and couture at a fraction of the cost!
Brides Against Breast Cancer (www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org)
is a nationwide wedding gown sale benefiting the Making Memories
Breast Cancer Foundation. Designers, manufacturers, bridal shops
and individuals donate bridal gowns and they are sold all across the
country. Brides can get up 75% off designer gowns and the money
goes to a good cause. Check out their website for upcoming events in
the Bay Area and beyond!
Need help assembling favors or friends to help you move into your
marital home? Register for all this and more at Alternative Gift
Registry (www.alternativegiftregistry.org). The registry options
encourage and legitimize asking for help from friends and sharing
time together.
Brilliant Earth (www.brilliantearth.com) is a socially responsible
jeweler offering conflict-free, fair trade, and eco-friendly recycled
diamond, gold, and platinum jewelry. Brilliant Earth donates 5%
of its profits to benefit local African communities harmed by the
diamond industry.

>>What If Foundation
Photo by Crobinson Photography

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Other ways to give...

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