(NORWALK, Conn.) – The JCK Industry Fund Committee is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of its annual JCK Industry Fund grants totaling $340,000. Since 1997, the fund has awarded over $7 million toward program grants to benefit the jewelry industry at large. The mission of the JCK Industry Fund is to support the jewelry industry’s long-term health, success and growth by providing grant funding to organizations with the vision and programming to drive sustainable improvements across the industry.
“For over 25 years, we have proudly supported the initiatives and important missions of esteemed organizations whose work benefits our industry, addressing commerce, development, diversity, equity and inclusions, sustainability, and more” states Sarin Bachmann, Group Vice President, RX Jewelry Group, and JCK Industry Fund Committee Chair. “We are deeply grateful to the JCK community that contributed to the Fund to grow the $250K JCK donates into a larger sum once again this year and congratulate the well-deserved 2023 grant recipients. We are all in this together.”
The 2023 grant recipients are comprised of 9 organizations that received grant monies in the first quarter of 2023 to advance specific projects and initiatives in key areas.
2023 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients:
Black in Jewelry Coalition was provided the JCK grant to increase diversity in the jewelry industry through subsidizing an increased presence of emerging black designers and BIJC board members at events and trade shows, including JCK in Las Vegas.
Diamonds Do Good towards consumer-confidence content and media distribution. The grant will support consumer-confidence focused paid social media, you tube and partner posts.
Gem Legacy to create diverse and inclusive opportunities for the children of small-scale artisanal colored gem mining communities. The grant will fund building an additional Kitarini Primary School classroom (attended by children of miners) including desks, chairs and electricity.
Jewelers of America for their collaboration with Black in Jewelry Coalition towards the development and launch of a new initiative to support the next generation of diverse business entrepreneurs in the jewelry industry. The Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) will provide a group of diverse emerging jewelry business entrepreneurs with the tools they need to launch/advance their business including a continued support network throughout their business journey.
Jewelers Security Alliance for their initiative to introduce a digital edition of their Manual of Jewelry Security which not only broadens the availability of the Manual but promotes a future of sustainability. Jewelers Security Alliance’s grant will also help fund a training video implementation on loss prevention.
Jewelers Vigilance Committee for their focus on transparency and sustainability in the jewelry industry. This grant will fund JVCs plans to unite the industry around the revisions to the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides with the goal of making it a truly useful and pertinent tool to encourage consumer confidence in purchasing jewelry. The JCK Industry Fund Grant will also aid in JVC’s updating of the Consumer-Facing “Buying Gemstones and Jewels with Confidence” guide, while moving forward its updated placement on the FTC’s website.
MJSA to fund a “Why I Make Jewelry” promotional campaign with the goal of generating greater interest among aspiring bench jewelers – both students and those seeking second careers. A special effort will be made to cast a wide net to reach those traditionally under-represented in the industry. By offering new jewelry career paths to those who may have been unaware of them previously, the campaign – part of the MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program – hopes to build a pool of prospective jewelers that will help the industry to advance and thrive.
Mercury Free Mining in continuing to support its commitment to the eradication of mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) through expanding its research and testing program, deploying safe, efficient processors, and by supporting the jewelry industry movement dedicated to enabling responsible, mercury-free gold mining.
Women’s Jewelry Association, to fund awareness around disability inclusion in the jewelry and watch industry. The grant will support WJA’s second annual Generating Community Impact in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Breakfast event during JCK. The breakfast will feature a renowned keynote speaker covering topics such as designing, selling and marketing jewelry and timepieces for people with disabilities, the business opportunities that exist with adaptive jewelry, best practices for hiring people with disabilities and how a simple mindset shift can help shape your business and its DE&I strategy.
The recipients are selected due to their synergy with the core goals of the fund, as determined by a committee comprised of the following jewelry industry leaders: Sarin Bachmann, Group Vice President, RX Jewelry Portfolio; John Green, President & CEO, Lux Bond & Green; Michael Lerche, President, Goldstar Jewellery LLC; Eddie LeVian, CEO, Le Vian; and Sam Sandberg, Chairman, A.Jaffe.
The grants are funded primarily by JCK with additional support from the industry through donations JCK exhibitor and attendee donations. Donations are collected year-round and allocated annually.
For more information and to donate, visit https://lasvegas.jckonline.com/en-us/landing-pages/jck-industry-fund.html.
