“You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.”
That quote is often mistakenly attributed to Winston Churchill, but that error doesn’t make its message any less true.
A decade ago, San Diego, California-based interior designer Susan Wintersteen learned that while her work providing build, design and furnishing services through her Savvy Interiors firm was lucrative and gratifying, it was her philanthropic efforts helping children facing medical crises that provided some of the most meaningful moments of her professional life.
Now, 10 years after launching Savvy Giving by Design, the philanthropic arm of Savvy Interiors, she and her team are rolling out a new national initiative, the Savvy Giving Design Coalition, for interior designers, architects and brands.
The idea, the Savvy Giving team says, is to create “a powerful network dedicated to making a real difference in children’s lives across the country through the transformative power of design.”
The Savvy Giving Design Coalition is set up as a subscription-based network, with members making a three-year commitment and paying $200 annually. The organization will then pool those contributions to provide monthly room makeovers across the country.
“By participating in our crowdsourced renovations, you will help ensure dozens more children every year experience the transformative power of a beautifully designed space, providing hope and healing where it’s needed most,” the team says.
Organizers have a goal of recruiting 500 annual members and raising $100,000 for the first year.
But the Savvy Giving Design Coalition team also wants to tap into the “collective creativity” of its members: “Joining the Savvy Giving Design Coalition comes with numerous benefits that extend beyond just giving back,” the team says. “As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded designers, directly contribute to life-changing projects and be part of a supportive network.”
The kids
The children — and families — that Savvy Giving by Design helps are dealing with major medical conditions like cancer or significant injuries from accidents that impact their daily lives, often by restricting their activities and travels. And because of that, the comfort, functionality and appearance of their bedrooms are even more important to them.
“When you’re home and stuck there (in your room) day after day, you get bored really fast,” Wintersteen told Design News Now last year. “These kids can’t go to swim parties. They can’t go to sleepovers or restaurants or movie theaters if they were recently paralyzed or diagnosed with a brain tumor. … Their room becomes their sanctuary.”
The organization focuses on installing finishes and other room elements that keep kids healthy and make it easy for parents and others to care for them, but the teams also incorporate fun themes and details tailored to each child.
The bedroom makeovers are done quickly, usually over the course of a week, with a big TV-style reveal at the end.
“We try to make it fun. We put the ‘Caution’ tape across the door so that when they open door, they get that ‘Wow’ moment,” Wintersteen said.
Go to Your Room Box
The Savvy Giving Design Coalition is the second expansion of Savvy Giving by Design’s efforts this year. Earlier, it launched the Go to Your Room Box, an initiative that delivers “soothing, supportive and uplifting design-related comfort items to children facing medical crises.” That program, which partners with industry-leading brands like Serena & Lily, Boll & Branch, Ruggable, Hulken, Piglet in Bed and Erin Condren, operates nationwide.
Members of the home furnishings industry can get involved in the Go to Your Room Box program by becoming a sponsor and donating products to the boxes, or by donating funds. You can also nominate children in your community who might benefit from such boxes, which are delivered directly to the kids.
