This summer, I was able to use the grant money that I received to donate beauty and hygiene kits from my nonprofit, Foundation Beauty, to three different nonprofit organizations that are not in my local community.
Starting with Uganda in June, I brought six large suitcases of products, and applied makeup to students in the rural town of Bukeka from the nonprofit Global Hands of Hope (https://www.ghoh.org/) , giving them the materials that I used on them, to keep. Global Hands of Hope runs a community school and a medical clinic for the residents of Bukeka. I re-witnessed the transformative power of makeup in the many students to which I applied the cosmetics. This is the core of why I started Foundation Beauty. I still can remember my first makeup experience, a bright red Mac lipstick, which I would apply for any and every occasion I could. They now felt themselves as beautiful as they truly are, and had their own lipstick among other products to enjoy. Their vibrancy strengthened and renewed my resolve to serve.
In July, I flew to Texas for a donation to Poetic (https://www.iampoetic.org/) , and was able to ship 16 large boxes of the products needed and make beauty and hygiene kits for 75 of the students they serve. Poetic provides aftercare to girls from the juvenile justice system who have been exploited and trafficked, and promotes a world where all children are equally valued. While there, I interacted with the girls of Poetic, shade matching their Fenty Beauty foundations to their skin tone, and connecting over a shared interest in beauty, teen to teen. I also held a discussion with the girls about my experiences with starting a nonprofit, and the lessons that I have learned throughout, during their weekly career panel.
Finally, I shipped 4 boxes containing 75 kits, to Hamptons Community Outreach (https://www.hamptonscommunityoutreach.org/) , for a youth event this coming Saturday, August 27th. Stella Fierro ‘23 introduced me to this nonprofit, that helps underserved families across the Bridgehampton area, supplying them with food, activities, home repair, hygienic products, and more. My CSGC grant has allowed me to expand my nonprofit to organizations that would not have otherwise been able to receive these special gifts.
Thank you Cost family, and Deerfield CSGC, the grant you awarded helped to make many youth around the world feel beautiful and confident this summer.
-Isabelle Schwartz ’24
