We could not do what we do (and all that we plan to do) without our community of partners, advisors and supporters. We are grateful for all the ways that they walk beside us to make the vision for Prosperity Candle a reality. Success is achievable when there is a sense of shared purpose and a commitment to building enduring relationships in support of the company’s mission.

Our vision for partnering with women entrepreneurs through a model of shared prosperity has received an enthusiastic response from many individuals and organizations, and we wish to thank everyone who has lent an ear, hand and voice in support. Given the numerous challenges we face at every step, your advice and encouragement are deeply appreciated.

If your organization is interested in partnering with Prosperity Candle, or you know of an organization you think we should talk to, please send us a message at Contact Us.

Nonprofit Partners

Companies

Institutions

Individuals

Non-Profit Partners

The support of our in-country nonprofit partners is absolutely critical to our work.

Our first strategic partner is Women for Women International, an inspiring organization founded by Zainab Salbi that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives in Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. Women for Women plays a pivotal role in providing training for entrepreneurs and oversight for the pilot in Iraq. We work closely with their country directors and field personnel, as well as the U.S. office in Washington, DC. We are honored to partner with this exceptional organization and are excited to move forward in partnership to support women’s prosperity through entrepreneurship in some of the toughest places to work throughout the world.

Thank you to Jon and Laura in DC, and to Ibtesam, George and the entire Baghdad staff who have made the pilot  in Iraq possible. It is a joy working with you!

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Companies

New Leaf Legal – We are very fortunate to have legal counsel from Jessica, Shannon and Steven. Finding a dynamic, enthusiastic team that knows their legal stuff inside and out and truly gets our mission is no small feat. Thank you for keeping us on track!

Work Opportunity Center – The Work Opportunity Center provides vocational training, work experiences and employment to developmentally disabled individuals. They help us prepare candle-making kits and supplies for shipping to Iraq, and will provide warehousing and order fulfillment when the candles arrive. Visiting the center is always a heartening experience.

Component Design Northwest – CDN makes the ideal thermometer for our needs… long stem with adjustable clip, easy-to-read dial, durable construction, available in Celcius… we tested many other products, but quickly recognized the value of CDN’s thermometers. When the company learned of our project, they offered to donate 70 thermometers for the pilot. We are grateful for their support.

Concord Shop – In developing our guide we have prioritized safety, understanding that many of the women will start their enterprises in kitchens where family members gather and other activities may draw attention away from candle-making. An important component of our kits is a stand that turns any pot into a double-boiler, thus limiting the temperature of melted wax to that of boiling water. The Concord Shop has generously donated 70 stands for the pilot project, and we are grateful for its support.

Staples - All of our kit components are chosen for their function and durability so that the women entrepreneurs have exactly what they need to build their enterprises. Even when it comes to binders for the guide and rulers to measure the wicks, we select carefully and test everything. We are grateful to Staples for offering these supplies at cost in support of the Prosperity Candle pilot project.

eSafety Supplies – Exam gloves may seem an odd component for a candle-making kit, but we have found that they help protect the finish when the candles are packaged for shipping. To ensure they are reusable many times over, we select a durable brand in size extra-large. eSafety has supported Prosperity Candle by offering these gloves at a generous discount, which we greatly appreciate.

Ignite Marketing Strategies – Thank you to Jeff and Allen at Ignite Marketing who helped with the development of the Prosperity Candle website. Your love of our mission and eagerness is helping us under tight deadlines is much appreciated. Thanks to you, our website will be ready for the Mother’s Day launch – enabling us to sell the first shipment of candles from Iraq!

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Institutions

Babson College – Our team has received an incredible amount of support from Babson College in a variety of capacities. We are thankful to Lisa DiCarlo, Jan Schubert, Cheryl Kiser, Victoria Sassine and Diane Mulcahy for their advice and support. The Lewis Initiative in Social Entrepreneurship and the Center for Women’s Leadership continue to connect us to resources and spark new ideas.

The Heller School for Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University – Siiri’s alma mater continues to provide support and guidance in many ways. We look forward to working with student interns and appreciate the continued support of the faculty and administration of the school.

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Individuals

Terry – We are fortunate to have the support and expertise of one of the pioneers of social business models. Terry Mollner is co-founder of Calvert Social Investment Forum and a Ben & Jerry’s Board member. Terry’s enthusiasm and honest words of wisdom have benefited our team in very important ways.

Jonathan – We are lucky to have had the ear of the co-founder of Equal Exchange and Oke Banana, Jonathan Rosenthal, as we launch our model. Jonathan’s “big picture” perspective and openness to sharing wisdom has been much appreciated.

CA, Deana & Teresa – CA Webb, Deana Becker and Teresa Bonner are three talented and energetic women whose expertise span marketing, public relations, branding, fair trade and supply chain logistics. All three have been incredibly generous with their time and advice. Our brainstorming meetings have been inspirational and informative – helping us take the next critical steps in moving forward and solving challenging problems. Thank you!

Raj – Early on, we met with Raj Melville, a social entrepreneur and supporter of social entrepreneurs in the Boston area. We are excited to stay engaged with his work and network, as he has much to offer our team. Thank you for the invitation to speak to other like-minded folks at your February 2010 event!

Marie, Carl & Noreen – In our early days of learning to make candles and building customized kits for the women entrepreneurs, these three expert candle-makers gave their time and support to patiently answer questions and provide guidance. Their contributions were instrumental in preparing to launch the Prosperity Candle and conducting our first training of Iraqi and Afghan trainers. Thank you!

Cindy, Candle & Supplies - Not only is Cindy’s company our key source of components for equipment and supplies, but Cindy has been incredibly supportive of our efforts to fine-tune our customized kits, guide and wax. She continues to provide expert advice on various technical challenges, and has spent many hours testing dye & fragrance recipes to meet the unique needs of this project. We very much appreciate her extra time and assistance on behalf of this initiative.

Mostafa & Abdellah – Having spent countless hours developing our detailed Entrepreneur’s Guide for making Prosperity Candles,we needed help proof-reading the initial translation. Without hesitation, our friend Mostafa volunteered to work on it, then roped in his older brother Abdellah in Morocco. As a result, the Arabic version is as clear and inspiring as the original. Thank you Mostafa and Abdellah!

Intrepid Guppy – Ivan the Great, as we refer to our graphic designer in Toronto whom we’ve never met, created the new Prosperity Candle logo that we’re just beginning to put to use.  We love our new logo, and we love Ivan!

Caitlyn – In April 2009 as we prepared to conduct the first training in Turkey, we needed to quickly prepare wax for making Prosperity Candles. This required melting down large slabs, adding dye, and forming customized 21-ounce bricks. Caitlyn volunteered her time, enabling us to finish this task in time for the training. Thanks, Caitlyn!

Friends & family - In March 2010, we distributed  a survey to help us evaluate a number of logo options. Thank you to the hundreds of you that participated and gave us such valuable feedback. We are humbled by your participation. Your support means so much to us!

Please join us! If your organization is interested in partnering with Prosperity Candle, or you know of an organization you think we should talk to, please send us a message at Contact Us.

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