A Color (and Collaboration) for a Cause: DS x Bundles of Joy

As longtime Bundles of Joy supporters, we're donating 20 percent of proceeds from our Bundles of Joy Green collection—a color you'll love to wear, well into Spring.

This inspiring organization was founded by local mom Adrienne Harper, who set out to bridge the enormous wealth gap in Westchester, NY communities. The organization provides basic essentials—clothing, diapers, everyday care items & more—to meet the needs of children, moms & families.

To celebrate our collaboration for a cause, our co-founder Lauren sat down with Adrienne on the new podcast, "Sisters in Business," to hear more about Bundles of Joy's ongoing impact.

Find the full interview on Apple or Spotify.
Find more about Bundles of Joy and how you can help here.

Lauren: We're so happy to have you here. I remember meeting you in 2018 at our Westchester Mall trunk show and being so inspired by your story. Will you share it?

Adrienne: Of course, and we met that day because I was already a fan of your fleece and had to come and introduce myself!

Our story starts just after I got a Master's degree in Public Administration, when I worked in NYC for the country's largest Welfare to Work program. Folks came in for job search assistance, and I would place them in jobs. All I could think was, these moms and dads get to go home today and say, "I got a job." It was life-changing.

Then I moved to Boston with my husband, and volunteered at an organization called Cradles to Crayons. I was pregnant with my first baby and looking at the things that families asked for—the most basic items that you and I wouldn't think about needing, like socks, baby wash, a warm coat. It was heartbreaking, thinking about my fully appointed nursery back at home.

Fast forward, I have my baby and I am so humbled by motherhood, how hard it is. And I have all the resources. I thought, if I can't do it, how are these families who don't know where their next diaper is coming from do it? I was like, I have to do something. By then we knew we were moving to Westchester so I took the idea there.

Those early days, it was a mom friend and I gathering donations—she'd drive her car up and down the West Side Highway taking the gear New York City families no longer needed. We'd go through everything and then call organizations and find people who needed it.

Lauren: Incredible. And you've clearly come a long way since. How does it work now? Where do the donations go?

Adrienne: We get donations from individuals and organizations like Dudley Stephens who donate items like your clothing and blankets. We review everything—quality is dignity, and we don't take anything we wouldn't use with our own children.

We get them to families in two ways. One, direct donation, where individuals walk into our storefront and "shop" what they need. We're the only organization that will take in someone in desperate need of something, and give it to them on the spot. We also work with partner organizations like shelters, domestic violence shelters and social service agencies.

Lauren: Was there any moment in building Bundles of Joy that sticks with you—when you felt you were making the biggest impact?

Adrienne: So many! This past year we served over 10,000 children in Westchester and New York City—which is a lot. But it's really the direct, individual impact that we feel the most, those relationships we build with families. That's why we will never stray from the model of letting individuals come in versus solely giving to a shelter to distribute donations. Getting to know families connects me to the mission and fulfills me.

Lauren: I think people love to help, too, but sometimes we don't know where to go and like who to trust, which is why it's so nice to support Bundles of Joy, mom to mom.

Adrienne: Absolutely, there is such power in seeing the people we're giving to. And Instagram has really helped people connect with our mission by seeing those direct-support visuals, too.

Lauren: I'm so excited for our collab collection. I think these fleece turtlenecks in the beautiful Bundles of Joy Green are not only going to do some good, they're just the color we'll all need come January.

Adrienne: This has been a dream of mine! I love seeing our Bundles of Joy green on these pieces and can't wait to see someone wearing it so I can say, "good choice, thank you!"