The Nature of Giving
“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”
It is an extraordinary moment in life when it dawns on you that every individual on this earth has the capability to change the world around them. For some this moment occurs early on, for others it may happen much later in their life. You are alive because another being gave you life. Each of us is so deeply interconnected, each of our delicate lives gently intertwined continuously moving, changing, and growing. It is an undeniable truth that there is an unfathomable injustice in the world. And at times it can seem a daunting task to bring equality and justice to the forefront. And then you stumble upon people like Courtney and Bill. People who consciously came up with a way to start a company that not only takes care of them, but takes care of people and animals. Hand in Hand Soap is a company of love. There is truly no other way to describe it. Absolutely no corner is cut, all of their products are palm oil free made with fair trade and organic ingredients, and packaged with ecofriendly materials. MIND BLOWN. I am not exaggerating when I say I have found the company of my dreams. Hand in Hand has their original line, the Clean Water Collection which provides bars of soap and clean water to those who need it most in Haiti. They also just launched two fantastic lines, The Rainforest Collection and The Espere Collection. Espere is the Haitian Creole word for “hope”. This collection provides essential small business loans to entrepreneurs in Haiti to create jobs and strengthen their communities. The Rainforest Collection is incredible. Every single product purchased saves 100 square feet of rainforest to preserve the natural habitat of the worlds great apes. The artwork for this collection was painted by Sarah, Henry and Grandma; three rescued chimpanzees at the Chimp Haven Sanctuary who regularly paint for their own enrichment. My heart is full just talking about Hand in Hand Soap. Seeing companies like this rise, gives me so much hope for the future. It makes me feel as if the thin strings that connect each of us to one another are growing stronger. All companies should be GIVING companies!
Thank you Hand in Hand Soap for being a light in this beautiful world.
Below are photos of some of the amazing chimpanzees creating artwork at The Chimp Haven Sanctuary. When you purchase from The Rainforest Collection, every single product saves 100 square feet of rainforest to preserve the natural habitat of the worlds great apes.
“When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face of a beloved person, you know that a man can have no vocation but to awaken that light on the faces surrounding him. In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”