Giving Back
When you Google “philanthropy”, you get many different definitions and meanings. One that holds true to our beliefs at Inside Stories is defined below.
“Philanthropy refers to charitable acts or other good works that help others or society as a whole. Philanthropy can include donating money to a worthy cause or volunteering time, effort, or other forms of altruism.”
It is with this spirit that we make sure that we always allow time for our team members to participate in meaningful acts of charity or “giving back” as we affectionately call it.
From the day of our inception, Inside Stories has sought creative ways for our team to do our part in giving back. Our mission statement speaks to the belief that all people deserve to live and function in beautifully designed spaces, hence our formation; to offer customizable and affordable design service options to all clientele. Most importantly, we would not be holding true to our mission if we did not find a way to offer our services to those in need.
A few years back, the most amazing man walked into our design studio looking to network with our company. He was there to talk “kitchen cabinets”. His family owns and operates a local cabinet company called Caruso Kitchen Designs, and it was during this networking chat that we discovered our shared passion for giving back through charitable acts. Over the past couple of years, we have been honored to be active participants in the continued dedication that Caruso Family Charities has towards assisting families who have a child, adolescent, or young adult who is being treated in Colorado for a life-threatening disease or life-altering event. Their mission is to relieve some of the financial pressures through their Funding Families program so the families in need may focus on caring for their sick child.
Caruso Family Charities typically hear about families in need through different social workers throughout Colorado. More recently, they were contacted by a doctor from the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder at Children’s Hospital Colorado about the Blinci family. Once the Caruso’s learned about this family in need, they jumped in to see how they could help. The Blinci family’s daughter, Jenna, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at the age of 13. A year after her diagnosis, her prognosis was determined to be terminal. During Jenna’s two-year battle, her father, Dan, suffered from a heart attached pulling him out of work for some time, putting them in a difficult financial position. After meeting with the family, the Caruso team committed to helping them pay some of their mounting bills to ease the family’s stress. It was during that visit that the Caruso team asked Jenna’s younger brother, Nathan, if he needed anything, knowing that it is common that the needs of healthy siblings are sometimes overlooked because the family is focused on their sick child. Nathan’s mother revealed that he had been struggling with his only sibling’s diagnosis. She mentioned that he would enjoy a room makeover to create a space of his own where he could spend time with his friends and distract himself from the sadness he has been dealing with. The Caruso team knew just who to call to get this done for sweet Nathan. Jerry reached out to our owner, Miranda Cullen, and asked if the Inside Stories team would spearhead this heartfelt project. And of course, we said “yes”!
Inside Stories had previously partnered with Caruso Family Charities on a home makeover so we were thrilled when they reached out about the opportunity to assist with this project. Our team immediately went to work on creating a special space just for Nathan. After learning more about this 10-year-old’s likes and interests, we assembled a team to create the perfect bedroom to escape to. After months of planning and coordinating, and with the support of many of our fabulous trade partners, we were finally ready to pull it all together with a special reveal just for Nathan. With sparkling cider and Crumbl Cookies in hand, our team spent a rewarding afternoon transforming Nathan’s space and getting his new room ready for his big reveal. Nathan’s reaction told us everything we needed to know; we had nailed it! We were able to give this little boy, and his family, something to be excited about and we were touched to have been a part of it. While Caruso Family Charity does not traditionally makeover spaces for families, this was a unique opportunity that made a huge difference for this family. In true Inside Stories form, through listening, we were able to give Nathan a space that is uniquely his. Our hope is that we have given Nathan and the Blinci family something to smile about for years to come.
Thank you, Blinci family, for allowing us to help create something special for your family. We hope Nathan can grow into this space and find comfort here. We wish your family all the best.
xo- Your Inside Stories Family
Special thanks to all those who came together to complete Nathan’s new space.
For more information on the the Caruso Family Charities and to see how you can help, please CLICK HERE to find out more about more about their incredible organization.
Or use this QR code to donate now.
