When Utah residents Alisa Broadbent and her 19-year-old daughter Sarah learned about needs in Ukraine, they knew they couldn’t just sit back and watch. Instead, they made a plan to use their experience selling jewelry—and have so far raised $2,200 to benefit Ukraine.
Here’s what Broadbent had to say when we asked her to explain more and to provide insights about how others can make a difference.
MERIDIAN: Tell us more about your project and how you decided to actively support Ukraine.
BROADBENT: After hearing about the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, our family was stunned and overwhelmingly saddened. We also had feelings of helplessness. What could we do while living thousands of miles away from this war? My daughter, Sarah, and I decided to start raising money for the Ukrainians through her jewelry business, SBro Jewelry. This was one thing we could do that might help. A generous jewelry designer donated hundreds of jewelry pieces to be sold through SBro Jewelry. We were then directed to a magazine article on Meridian Magazine that highlighted a nonprofit organization called To Ukraine With Love, and we knew that would be a great place to support Ukraine! We have been inspired by the amazing support of people who have bought jewelry to support Ukraine. Exceeding our goal, we earned a total of $2,200. Now when someone wears a piece of the jewelry sold, they can remember the brave people of Ukraine.
MERIDIAN: What types of jewelry do you offer, and what do the items cost?
BROADBENT: We sell earrings, rings and pendants. Many feature stones set in silver, gold and other metals. Most prices range for $17 – $28. We have a google form on Sarah’s SBro Jewelry Instagram page that shows all the styles and sizes available.
MERIDIAN: What percentage of proceeds go to help Ukraine?
BROADBENT: 100%. Because all the jewelry was donated to us, we have zero dollars in production costs and zero overhead.
MERIDIAN: What advice do you have for others who want to create their own fundraisers for Ukraine?
BROADBENT: Sending money to Ukraine through a reputable organization seems the most effective. We chose ToUkraineWithLove.org. I’ve heard that donating items doesn’t help too much with the needs they have over there. Getting involved has helped us to feel like we’re helping to make a difference to the people of Ukraine.
MERIDIAN: Where do people go if they want to support Ukraine by purchasing jewelry through you?
BROADBENT: Just search Instagram @sbrojewelry. From there you can click on pictures of items available and then link to a form in Sarah’s Instagram bio to make purchases via Venmo.
