Mother's Day 2022: PoP for Mom Giving Event

Gratitude Results in Giving

At Air Plant Shop we are grateful for surviving the recent world challenges. We still get to work with beautiful air plants alongside friends and family. It brings about our innate need to contribute to the world around us. Some people give in the form of something seemingly small like being there for a friend in need or something major like contributing financially to a worthwhile cause. We understand the importance of giving back to those in need. Our mother taught us that. 

Inspired to Give by Mom 

The Air Plant Shop family was inspired by our mom, Judy James. As a poor child in the Carolinas, she realized that education was the key to escape her own poverty and so many other hardships that could be avoided with money. After high school, she found the courage to approach a rich mill owner and ask for a loan to go to college. He was impressed with her determination. When it came time to begin payments on her loan, he said instead to "pay it forward and help others in need”. Mom spent the next 30 years in service.  

Judy started the first county-wide school volunteer program in St. Lucie County, Florida. Later, she lobbied the county for a small sales-tax increase, and the funds were used to spear-head the first Children’s Services Council of Florida. It raised millions of dollars annually for underprivileged school children, local orphans, and assisting sick and poor children. These programs changed the life-direction of so many and inspired other Florida counties to follow her lead, thus improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.  

Our Biggest Commitment Ever to Give Back

Following mom’s example, Air Plant Shop has proudly contributed $1.00 of every purchase to Pencils of Promise since 2016. PoP is a non-profit that gives 100% of contributions to building schools in Laos, Ghana, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Our team and customers have already made a difference by funding the construction of a fully functional school for children in rural Quiche, Guatemala, which is located 10 miles from the nearest road. A second school is being built today. Guatemala has a special place in our hearts because a majority of our air plants are grown and imported from Guatemala.

In honor of our mom, Judy James, and all mothers, Air Plant Shop is pledging $15,000 to Pencils of Promise's Teacher Appreciation Fund. ALL proceeds from orders made from Friday, April 29th to Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022 will be donated to reach this fundraising goal. All of these orders will also arrive for Mother's Day on Sunday, May 8th.