As part of the ongoing celebrations around Kendra Scott's 20-year milestone, the brand is celebrating in true Kendra Scott fashion — by giving back. While the brand itself hosted several Kendra Cares events around the country over the past week, Scott herself personally attended an event right here in Austin at Dell Children's Hospital on December 7.
Inviting pediatric patients and their caregivers to enjoy some some festive fun, Kendra Cares is a creative arts program that has expanded into over 45 pediatric hospitals across the country. Volunteers are on hand to guide attendees through the process of making their very own free custom piece of jewelry at the Color Bar, and the events have served over 1,700 patients and caregivers this year alone.
Last week's attendees at Dell Children's also had the chance to interact with some special visitors: Elsa, Spiderman, and student athletes from the University of Texas were all on hand — including legendary Longhorn running back Bijan Robinson.
True to its core values of "fashion, family, and philanthropy," the Kendra Scott company hosts countless similar events throughout the year, but this particular event is close to Scott's heart, as the hospital has supported her own family in the past. As such, the company has partnered with Dell for these events since 2015, working closely with the hospital in support of its mission to make life better for every child.
Kendra Cares events bring the Color Bar to patients in pediatric hospitals around the country.Courtesy of Kendra Scott
Kendra Scott CEO Tom Nolan was part of the local team volunteering in the day's activities, sharing that the events are his favorite part of the job.
"I ultimately joined the company because of these Kendra Cares events," he shared with CultureMap. "I was already on the board and Kendra was trying to convince me to move to Texas, and I saw how we created a really happy environment in what can be an unhappy place, and it's changed my life. Most companies don't get to interact on a one-to-one basis with families like this."
And the team really does get to interact closely with the families: Patients and caregivers can move around the room to various stations, making crafts with student athletes from the University of Texas, meeting Elsa or Spiderman, and collecting books or cookies from other stations. For patients who couldn't attend, Scott also made room visits, delivering jewelry and treats directly to their rooms.
“I’ve always been proud of our Kendra Cares program and the joy and connection we’ve been able to bring to pediatric hospitals over the years,” says Scott. “The holidays can be an especially challenging time for patients and caregivers, so we wanted to turn up the volume and celebrate the last Dell Children’s Kendra Cares of the year in a big way. If we can bring even 10 minutes of light to these families, we feel like the event is a success."
