2006 in Houston,Texas, at the Starbucks on Spring
Cypress…I was sitting with my husband Don and friend, Deb. We had been going
through some Groupzines put out by Catalyst. Inspired and convicted…wanting to
make a change in our spending, our wheels were turning! It was almost Christmas
and with 9 nieces and nephews to buy gifts for, the thought of “wasting” money
on a $20 gift of “something” for each … that they would enjoy for just a few
moments seemed… silly. Then there were our co-workers, about 15 of them, our 20
volunteer staff…and our numerous friends. What could we do? Research began on
causes who offer items in exchange for “donations”. We loved the idea. That
year, we purchased some chickens, goats and pigs for a village in the name of
the people above. We made cookies and packaged them in a neat little tin and
tied a plastic animal on top with a note saying, “A donation was made in YOUR
name – providing livestock for a village in India.”
It felt good.
And that is how it started. Our purchase had an
effect – a purchase with a purpose!
with a Purpose – That was going to be our business name. The
dreams came and we did nothing. In 2007 I shared my dream with others… they too
had a dream same, same but different. And yet, nothing happened! I waited and
waited. The more I traveled as a missionary, leading trips every other month
around the world – the more I knew – I. Had. To. Do. Something!
I love to shop. To decorate. To create. So
collecting items from my travels…was something I did with great plans for them.
At the time I didn’t know I would sell them, but I did. I took that money and
bought more on the next trip. Sold that and took that money…(you get it?) and
THAT, my friends is how it started. Each time I would tell the stories, because
It’s. Not. About. The. Item. It’s about the story, about the people, about the
cause. About the Effect! Bringing awareness.
In 2011, while leading a team of 70 in Costa
Rica…sitting with Kristen in a bus heading to see a volcano, I wrote up
dreams, thoughts, and plans. How fun it was. Kristen was committed to walking,
running, and tripping along with me in this journey, this cause…
only an eye for pretty things – I
went to buy the domain name…Purchase with a Purpose. Guess what!? It had been
bought. Taking a week, several days laying by a pool with my Business for
Dummies manual, it came. Purchase Effect! I liked it! No, I loved it!
some business men at Adventures… and the cheering section of family and many others – February 11, 2012 we became a
LLC. Pretty excited about the big
news, I recall running around Adventures…with my official big binder.
give back. That is the Purchase Effect! I leave the end of this month to take a small team to Antigua, Guatemala, where we will spend time in a area village learning more about the women who make the jewelry we sell. Not only do we buy fair trade from them, but a portion of the proceeds will be sent to a national friend who works in the slums and an orphanage in Guatemala.
All I can say is AWESOME! So awesome!
Kathy! You are awesome. Because of prayers and individuals like you…this is happening!
What an awesome story! I am excited to see what God does this year for PE ! You both are amazing women of God! I am looking so forward to getting to know you both more! I am praying about the trip with you.
come back to spring cypress & starbucks. i need you and your sparkiness in my life. while walking out of the swim store yesterday, i saw a tall blonde talking to a kid and the conversation I heard and the fun blond…I almost ran over to her to give her a hug. she was your doppelganger. and i miss you guys. love you.
Awww…Alpal, I miss you too! You just never know when and where I will show up. You are loved and missed around here.
i have room for you to sleep and rooms to imagine with me.
and room enough for laughter. lots of laughing to be done.
and belching.