Did you know there's a way to turn your unused jewelry into a source of hope? The Women’s Shelter Jewelry Project accepts gently used jewelry donations, giving those pieces a second life with women in need throughout Washington State. Your donation of a necklace, ring, or bracelet could provide a special gift for a woman escaping hardship or rebuilding her life.

The Heart Behind the Project

Founded in 1998 by Seattle jeweler Micki Lippe, the Women’s Shelter Jewelry Project began with a simple desire to use her skills for good. Micki realized the potential impact of unused jewelry sitting in jewelry boxes. Her passion project evolved into a volunteer-powered program that now supports over 25 organizations throughout Washington State.

How the Project Works

• Donations Welcome: They accept all types of jewelry, whether it's costume pieces, fine jewelry, or pieces in need of minor repair.

  What they don’t accept is jewelry that can contain unknown and possibly toxic metals, including fast fashion (Claire's, Paparazzi, etc.) and discolored costume jewelry.

• Spreading Joy: Donated jewelry is cleaned, sorted, and given to women in shelters for birthdays, job interviews, or simply to provide a moment of dignity and joy.

• Further Impact: Higher-value jewelry is sold to raise funds, allowing the project to provide grants to support women in rebuilding their lives.

How You Can Help

Decluttering your jewelry box this spring is a great opportunity to support this amazing cause!

If decluttering a jewelry box feels tricky! Here are some tips, that I also find useful when I go through my jewelry collection:

• Be realistic: Do you actually wear each piece? If not, it might be a candidate for donation.

• Check for damage: Broken clasps, tarnished metal, and missing stones all make a piece less likely to be worn.

• Style evolution: Did you love bold statement necklaces five years ago but now prefer dainty chains? It's okay to pass those pieces along!

Visit the Women's Shelter Jewelry Project website, click HERE to learn more about donating and how your contribution makes a difference.

FAQ:

• You can send your email through mail or drop them off in eleven different locations in the Seattle area, click HERE to learn more.

• It is a non profit organisation so all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

• They also have an Etsy store where you can find donated jewelry in excellent condition, explore more HERE.

This spring, clear out clutter and support a great cause!

PS: I wanted to mention that this blog post isn't sponsored or affiliated with the Women's Shelter Jewelry Project in any way.

I simply believe in the work they do and wanted to share this with you.

We all have busy lives, and sometimes it's helpful to have those little reminders about good causes we can support even in small ways!