Carissa Designs It All

My friend and fellow American University alum, Carissa, really does design it all. You might remember Carissa’s designs from the post “A Save the Date to Save the World.” She designed my oh-so-cute Lovely Love Story dinosaur inspired save-the-dates. Not only did she shop around for recyclable soy based inks, she also found a printer who used recycled paper. To top it off - half of her design fee went to UNICEF Japan to aid the children who had been impacted by the earthquake and the subsequent other disasters.

Now, just when I was thinking that all hope was lost (being dramatic), Carissa swooped in and helped me to design the perfect invite- one that is both environmentally friendly and socially conscious.

The invitations will be printed on eco-friendly, recycled paper- and even better, the RSVPs will be done 100% via phone or email, which will reduce waste because no RSVP card or envelope will be included. This time, Carissa’s invitations will benefit another cause that is important to her, Saving Promise, whose goal is to elevate the issue of Domestic Violence to become a national priority. 

Current statistics show a steady rise in the incidence of domestic violence. In fact, domestic violence has joined heart disease and breast cancer as the leading issues affecting women in the United States. In fact, domestic violence is the leading cause of death for women between the ages of 15 and 44. Saving Promise wants to elevate awareness of the proliferation of the domestic violence issue.

Founded by award-winning author and former corporate executive L.Y. Marlow, who was also a victim of domestic violence herself, Saving Promise brings a powerful new perspective to the age-old problem of domestic violence. Ms. Marlow not only survived and overcome an abusive relationship, but she came from a family where mothers and daughters suffered more than sixty years of domestic violence.  The organization was founded when Ms. Marlow discovered that her 22 year old daughter was in an abusive relationship in which the abuser not only threatened her daughter’s life, but the life of her granddaughter named Promise, as well.

Ms. Marlow wants and action and she questions why domestic violence remains in the shadows despite its prevalence, saying “Heart disease and breast cancer organizations get us thinking about those two issues every time we see the color pink or red—they remain at the forefront of the American consciousness. But what about domestic violence?”
Saving Promise encourages people to get involved and raise awareness in whatever way possible. You can start in your own community by signing their OneVoice petition, joining their online “community” of people who are talking about domestic violence, planning a ‘Gotta Talk About It’ event in your community at a church, social club, workplace, or even in your home.  You can also look for an official Saving Promise event in your community and if there are none in your area, Saving Promise asks that you invite them to come to your community. Of course, you can also always make a donation to Saving Promises.

The lovely Mr. & Mrs. Nee at their own wedding.

For Carissa and her husband Kevin, who are happily married – giving back to Saving Promises is a way of helping others who are not so lucky. After all, you don’t have to be a victim of domestic violence to recognize the seriousness of this issue. Carissa’s generosity and her eagerness to help people who are in such great need is truly commendable. It’s still amazing for me- even after all these months to see others using their talents for a cause! Stay tuned in a few weeks for a full pic of the invite- for now you'll just have to settle for the sneak peek below...