Lauren Bush’s FEED Bag for Charity

Lauren Bush Launches New FEED Bag for Kenya 
 
Any fashion fanatic may find a sense of accomplishment upon getting herself a well-crafted, functional bag. But it just gets so much better when the purchase of one goes to a worthy cause.

Combining fashion and the passion for giving back to the needy, designer and model Lauren Bush takes the role of activist a step further. An Honorary Spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Program, Lauren is now promoting a new design for her FEED Projects bag initiative. With the mission of coming up with creations that help supply food to those in need from different parts of the world, FEED has geared its new effort towards Kenya, where 10 million people are at risk of starvation due to a food crisis. Together with FEED Projects Director Ellen Gustafson, Lauren recently appeared at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City to launch the FEED 2 Kenya bag. 

This is an exclusive release that will benefit UN World Food Program’s School Feeding operations located in Kenya. A two-time visitor, Lauren has been quoted to say she finds Kenya “inspirational” and strives to mirror the African nation’s culture in her latest design for the program. She has also visited a number of WFP’s food aid operations around the globe.

A purchase of the FEED 2 Kenya bag will not only provide nutrition to school children, but will also support women and deaf bag makers and skilled workers of the African country. The FEED 2 Kenya bag is fully handmade by these artisans. The functional, eco-friendly tote bag features the initiative’s logo rendered in colorful beads. Each piece is beaded by hand, implementing traditional techniques. Kenyan Masai tribal fabric is used together with natural burlap for the creation of this reversible bag, while leather shoulder strap and handles add to this bag a feel of luxury that sets it apart from previous designs released under the initiative. Like the rest of the lineup, the Kenya bag can be a multi-purpose one—for grocery shopping, carrying books to school, or as a beach bag.

FEED 2 Kenya bags will be sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman until September of this year. Priced at $195, each bag sold will forward a $100 donation to the UN feeding operation. Every one-hundred-dollar donation will be used to provide nutritious meals to two Kenyan school kids for an entire year. FEED’s current goal is to raise $100,000 to feed two thousand Kenyan children.

While the Kenya bag will only be sold at Bergdorf Goodman stores, other FEED bags are available at other store locations and online via the FEED Projects site, so more fashion-loving ladies can share the love. Since Lauren started the program in 2006, FEED Projects have raised almost $3 million for the World Food Program. The initiative has gained support from various Hollywood celebrities, including Marcia Cross, Drew Barrymore and Elizabeth Berkley, who have been seen sporting the eco-friendly totes. Thanks to compassionate designers like Lauren, giving back will always be in fashion.