GIFT CONNECT’S U.S. TOUR RECAP
June was a very exciting time for the GIFT CONNECT team as we welcomed our Global Ambassador, Stellar Mengele, for a visit all the way from Kenya!
We kicked off Stellar’s visit with an intimate gathering, hosted at the home of Sam’s long-time friends Ed and Lorna Goodman’s, celebrating the success of our Global Edutainment Pilot Program in Kenya.
Over the next three days, Gift Connect team members Ty Mathis, Liz Gibbs, Stellar Mengele and Sam Beard attended the Carnegie Hall International Lullaby convening. Our Delaware team is in their second year of partnership with the program while our Kenya program just became the Lullaby Project’s first partner in Africa this year!
Our final stop in NYC was for lunch with the amazing Leigh Blake, founder of Fame Currency brainstorming exciting opportunities to increase awareness of birth to three through music.
The Delaware portion of Stellar’s visit started with an event at the Limen House, Wilmington’s leading treatment and recovery center, connecting with leaders in early childhood development from Delaware, including talks from Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Logan Herring from WRK Group, John Fisher-Klein from United Way and The Honorable Lisa Blunt Rochester.
Our next event was the Music Fest at the Wilmington Public Library, where Stellar was joined by Augi Parodi, Ty Mathis, Jea Street, Jahiti, John Faye, and GDash Jones to share songs on the Six Loving Habits with parents, caregivers, and children of the Wilmington community.
Stellar rounded out her Wilmington visit with a performance at the Stubbs Early Education Center, where she was welcomed by the students who had all made personalized flags of Kenya!
Stellar was welcomed to L.A. with a seaside dinner at the home of Advisory and Advocacy Council member Kathy Eldon, who brought together a group of global citizens passionate about the power of music to help amplify the importance of birth to three.
Stellar’s visit ended on a high note at a gathering put on by Gift Connect team member Rupert Hitzig, in collaboration with Tahdi Blackstone and Lynn Crandall, highlighting our Birth to Three program.
