Personal Note from Donna Karan
Thank you for your support
Dear Jeffrey,
As this year draws to a close, I want to share my gratitude for your support and commitment to the Urban Zen Foundation. To help us continue our work in 2016, we hope you will consider making a year-end gift to support the following initiatives.
D.O.T
This past June, we launched the Design, Organization, Training Center (D.O.T) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in partnership with Parsons School of Design and Haitian artisan and businesswoman Paula Coles. The D.O.T's mission is to help bridge Haiti's traditional artisan techniques with the modernity and design innovation needed to succeed in today's global marketplace.
To date, we have:
Built and outfitted a 5,000 square foot training and design facility in Port-Au-Prince Haiti with machinery and over 200 new tools for improved production
Provided scholarships for 4 Parsons graduates and 3 Parsons teachers who worked with Haitian artisans and taught 6 technique workshops in 7 different disciplines
Impacted over 350 local Haitian artisans
UZIT
The mission of the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program (UZIT) is to treat the patient and not just the disease. Through our partnerships, we are transforming patient care in hospitals, healthcare education in nursing schools, and emergency relief in disasters.
In 2015, we:
Trained 50 more practitioners at UCLA, bringing the total of UCLA staff UZITs to 200
Partnered with CareRite Centers to bring UZITs into premier rehab and skilled nursing centers in 4 states
Sponsored yoga in 7 Haitian schools and orphanages through partners like Sow-A-Seed, Haiti Yoga and Lole
Soulful Economy
The Urban Zen Soulful Economy Marketplace is a model for my commitment to philanthropy and commerce, not only dressing the consumer but also addressing them. Our Marketplace is a cultural destination in New York City representing over 20 countries.
The need for our programs and initiatives are growing, please join me this holiday season in giving back to our community.
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday filled with love and light,
Donna Karan
If you have any questions or would like any more information, please contact Marni Lewis by phone: 212.840.8555 or by email: Marni@urbanzen.com