It's been a great Dressember

Dressember has come to an end. For the past 31 days, I wore dresses wherever I went. For Chicago, that can be a challenge (especially with the blizzard we are currently experiencing.) Some days were harder, like days when I just wanted to wear a hoodie and jeans, or the new pair of jeans sitting in my drawer I bought on November 30. But comparatively, it is really nothing at all, compared to the struggle of millions throughout the world who are victims of modern day slavery. 

It is bigger than a dress though. Because I constantly wore dresses for 31 days and was excited about the project, I was eager to share about the cause. I had SO many conversations with people who were so supportive and wanted to learn more. A large part of this has been just using the dresses as a platform to speak to the larger issue of modern day slavery and what IJM is doing to end slavery.

The second part was fundraising. My goal was to raise $310 in 31 days, that is a dollar for each day. There was a few weeks I felt very discouraged, I was certain I set my goal to high. One day, when I was thinking of lowering my target goal, I received two anonymous donations that brought me to my halfway point. WOW, talk about God's timing. I'd like to thank the two anonymous donors, Lydia, The Cox Family, Sam & Kyle Crawford, Jason, Jino, Brittany and Terry for their donations towards my campaign and for the greater goal of the Dressember campaign. As of January 1, I have raised $380. That is more than my target goal. THANK YOU for your support! As a total campaign, all Dressember participants have raised over $100,000 with almost 700 participants worldwide. All money goes directly to International Justice Mission.

The campaign will be active until January 3, please consider donating, you can reach my page here: https://www.ijmfreedommaker.org/campaign/1866/Dressember-for-IJM/

Finally I ask that you please continue to PRAY and SHARE about this issue of modern day slavery. The more people know and join together, the more it will end.

Now, the last week of dresses:

Dressember 24- Happy Christmas Eve!

Dressember 25- Merry Christmas from the Crawfords!

Dressember 26- A bad cold does not leave me exempt from Dressember, and as we all know, Ice Cream is the only cure for the common cold.

Dressember 27- Still sick. Still DRESSED up.

Dressember 28- Fellow Dressember-er and I at a friends wedding, check out Rachels posts on this blog too!

Dressember 29- Celebrating Christmas with some of my Family at Grandma's house!

Dressember 29

Dressember 31- I really wanted to end Dressember with something big, I wanted to wear the most beautiful dress I owned for my final picture. After perusing through many different floral patterns- I knew the most beautiful dress I owned was still sitting in my closet, hidden, and waiting to be dry cleaned (still.)
I've been looking for ways to re-use my wedding dress, and using it in this campaign was the best way I could think of. Thanks for following me and supporting this month-long Dressember adventure.

Not pictured: The dress I wore actually out on New Years Eve- Floral of course.

The Beginning of the End

Just 3 days left of December! Thank you all for your support over the past 28 days! I hope this blog and the mission of Dressember has increased your knowledge and awareness of trafficking. I'm just $10 short of my goal... To help International Justice Mission fight trafficking and bring freedom to people around the world, donate here! Thanks a BUNCH!

- Kelly

And.... voila the dresses!

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Καλά Χριστούγεννα!

Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

There is hope for freedom. Today as I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I am overwhelmed by the hope that his life, death, and resurrection bring. I am praying that you would know and experience this freedom just as I am praying that those suffering oppression and trafficking will one day have freedom. 

Just 6 days left to donate to this campaign here. I am only $10 short of my goal, please consider donating to help International Justice Mission end trafficking. Thank you for your love and support. 

Day 22 - Ohio for Christmas

Day 23 - I'm a tree.

Day 24 - Christmas Eve

Day 25 - Merry Christmas in my family jammies!

Merry Christmas,
Kelly

Dressembering for the Holidays

I am amazed by the amount of support I have received through this entire month... THANK YOU for your kind words and donations towards this cause. As of today, I am $25 away from my goal of $310! WOW! A big thanks to Brittany, Jino and the Cox family for their donations recently!

I'll be honest, In the beginning I was worried that I had set too high of a goal, especially during the holiday season. But YOU have shown me that this really is bigger than a dress. It is about the collective movement to work to end slavery here and around the world. Wearing dresses this month, while challenging for me, has been a small thing. However, the reactions of the people who have gotten involved I know are having a big impact.

With families gathering soon, please make this an opportunity to share with others about Dressember and the impact it is having. Continue to pray about helping me reach the last of my goal, you can donate here and help me reach (and maybe even surpass) my $310 goal.

And now... the dresses...

Dressember 17

Dressember 18- Ready to fly to New Jersey for the Holidays!

Dressember 19- Taking time to explore and bring dressember to New York City! 

Dressember 20- Wearing a dress around the Strand #NYC

Dressember 21- Hanging at the Crawfords

Dressember 22- Warm enough to wear a dress while wandering around the Beach! My husband even joined me in today's photo!

Dressember 23- Lounging around on a lazy day still means I get all DRESSED up!

Dressemeber is flying by!!!

I can't believe it is already December 22, just 9 more days of dresses to go! That also means only 9 more days to support International Justice Mission through my freedom maker campaign! Please consider donating to support this amazing agency as they work to end human trafficking around the world.

Day 9 

Day 10 

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

This month of dresses has led to some great conversations about the realities of trafficking around the world and close to home. Thanks for your support!

- Kelly

If you could see it...

If you could see it, would you end it?

http://www.faithit.com/sex-trafficking-major-sporting-events-shocking/




We're a little more than halfway through dressember. Would you consider donating to IJM, an organization that FIGHTS these injustices?

Please consider donating.

https://www.ijmfreedommaker.org/campaign/1912/Dressember-for-IJM/

It's Mid-Dressember

Hi Friends!

Thanks again for following along. So many of you have come up to me and mentioned this campaign, it really is amazing!

I'm very anti-selfie. So the encouragement from you is really awesome, especially when I feel goofy or discouraged. Thanks for sharing with me and your friends what has been happening this Dressmber. The idea is not only about raising funds, but really sharing with others, the realities of slavery.

Thanks again to two anonymous donors who generously brought my total raised to $190!! That is halfway to my goal of $310! Please consider giving in the next two weeks to help me reach my goal by Jan 1! You can donate here: https://www.ijmfreedommaker.org/campaign/1866/Dressember-for-IJM/

And now, the dresses.

Dressember 8- This is my friend Sara, and she is super excited about supporting Dressember! We ran into eachother at Cermak Produce (obviously) and she just made my day!

Dressember 9- Due to a work event, I had to wear dress pants, however, as soon as I got home, I changed into this cozy dress option!

Dressember 10- Worked from home and felt like putting on one of my favorite floral dresses!

Dressember 11- Wore this pretty dress given to me by my friend Roya! AND got to represent Dressember at the Moth gradSLAM :)

Dressember 12-  Dressembering at my Dad's Firefighter Awards ceremony, so proud of him for what he does!

Dressember 13- It is SO cold outside. My first repeat dress layered with a flannel to keep warm!