Announces 2019 grant recipients
(NORWALK, Conn.) – JCK has opened submissions for the 2020 JCK Industry Fund application process. Since 1997, the fund has awarded over $6 million to date towards program grants to benefit the jewelry industry at large.
In 2019, JCK Industry Fund was pleased to award a grand total of $265,500 in grants to five deserving recipients: Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA), Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF), Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA), Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA). Each of these five organizations received grant monies in the first quarter of 2019 to advance specific projects that will benefit the industry as a whole.
The JCK Industry Fund Committee chooses recipients based upon their synergy with the overall core goals of the Fund. Goals include: improving commerce and the image within the jewelry industry in the eyes of the consumer, aiding in addressing serious problems faced within the jewelry industry and assisting in developing educational content that can make a profound impact on addressing jewelry industry and consumer concerns.
The JCK Industry Fund Committee consists of Yancy Weinrich (Senior Vice President, Reed Jewelry Group), Joel Schechter (CEO, Honora), John Green (President & CEO, Lux Bond & Green), Eddie Levian (CEO, Le Vian) and Michael Lerche (President, Goldstar Jewellery LLC).
Donations are collected year round and allocated annually. More recently, JCK engaged the industry at-large to support the Fund’s mission by accepting donations from JCK customers. For the past two years, JCK exhibitors have contributed while attending customers have had the opportunity to donate when registering for the show.
“As global leaders in the jewelry industry, JCK strongly believes that it is an essential element and part of our corporate responsibility to give back and continue to nurture an industry that has given so much to so many,” states Yancy Weinrich, Senior Vice President, Reed Jewelry Group. “As the fund increases in size and scope, monies are directed to where they are needed the most, and where significant impacts can be achieved. The 2019 recipients embody our mission of giving back to the community with relevant and important causes for the health of our industry and we look forward to reviewing submissions for 2020.”
Submissions for the 2020 JCK Industry Fund application process are now open. The submission deadline is November 22, 2019. For additional information on the JCK Industry Fund, and to submit your 2020 application, please visit www.jckonline.com/industryfund or contact jckindustryfund@reedexpo.com.
