Charity Spotlight Yearup

In the centuries-old game of chess, the knight is the only piece able to leap over the others. Best noted for its tactful intuition, the knight demonstratesempowerment, proving that anything is possible. Set your sights high and believe in yourself. You too can overcome life’s obstacles with grace.

ALEX AND ANI will donate 20% of the purchase price from each The Knight Charm sold, with a minimum donation of $25,000 between January 2016 and December 2016, to Year Up, whose mission offers economic access and opportunity to young adults as they move from poverty to a professional career in one year.

Year Up was founded in Boston, MA in 2000 after a recent college graduate, Gerald Chertavian, was introduced to his 10-year-old “Little Brother,” David Heredia. David’s situation and the friendship that developed between them inspired Gerald to establish Year Up, with the goal of empowering low-income young adults to go from poverty to professional careers in a single year. The vision of the company is that in the future, every urban young adult will have access to the education, experiences, and guidance required to realize his or her true potential.

Values
Year Up’s six core values guide all aspects of their work:

• Respect and value others
• Build trust, be honest
• Be accountable
• Engage and embrace diversity
• Strive to learn
• Work hard and have fun

Mission

Year Up’s mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. They achieve this mission through a high support, high expectation model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships and college credits. Their holistic approach focuses on students’ professional and personal development to place these young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency.

As of 2015, after celebrating 15 years of operation, Year Up has served a total of 10,000 students. To find out more information, please visit www.yearup.org.