Just in time for Mother’s Day, Bloomingdale’s has teamed up with Joyful Heart to join us in saying NO MORE—our collective movement centered around the simple message that together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault. Available both in stores and online during the month of May, 10% from each sale of Bloomingdale’s exclusive Aqua charm bracelet and heart pendant will be donated to Joyful Heart in honor of Mother’s Day.

Plus, Mariska Hargitay and Bloomingdale’s have the ultimate gift for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fans—tickets to an exclusive luncheon with Mariska in June at Bloomingdale’s famed Le Train Bleu Restaurant. The first 20 people to email bloomingdales@joyfulheartfoundation.org at 12 pm EST on Friday, May 3, 2013 with a bid of $1,500 will receive two tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime luncheon where 100% of the proceeds benefit Joyful Heart.

Our Heartshop’s additional gifts that give back include a selection of special items to help you find the perfect memento to say thank you.

Michael Stars

By popular demand, Michael Stars has created a brand new Joyful Heart tee, which features the empowering words “Joy,” “Heal” and “Heart” on the back of an ultra-soft supima cotton short sleeve tee. This relaxed fit top is available in both navy and grey with 25% of each sale benefiting Joyful Heart. $68

Me&Ro

Me&Ro’s Fearlessness Tag Pendant brings a graceful twist and a smaller size the classic dog tag design. It is engraved with the word “Fearlessness” to remind us that embracing fearlessness inspires one to approach life with an open heart and to be strong in the face of life’s adversities. The tag pendant is available with a silver or gold slate on chain or with a silver slate on cotton cord and 100% of net proceeds benefit Joyful Heart. $130 – $1,030

Tiny Pine Press

A handwritten note is always a cherished way to express your appreciation and thoughts. Gratitude Cards from Tiny Pine Press are beautifully crafted with a delicate Swarovski crystal on the front and 100% of proceeds are donated to Joyful Heart. $24

Fran’s Chocolates

Fran’s Chocolates’ “Box of Joy” is the perfect gift for those with a sweet tooth. This delicious assortment of Gray Salt Caramels in dark chocolate, Smoked Salt Caramels in milk chocolate and Dark Chocolate Hearts is wrapped in a beautiful brown linen box and 50% of net proceeds are donated to Joyful Heart. $50

You can also make a contribution to Joyful Heart in honor of that special person as a way to express gratitude from the bottom of your joyful heart.

This holiday season, celebrate your loved ones with special gifts of joy from our Heartshop.

Just in time for the holidays, Me&Ro has created the new Fearlessness Tag Pendant, which is available for both women and men. The tag pendant brings a graceful twist and a smaller size to the classic dog tag design. It is engraved with “Fearlessness” as a reminder that embracing fearlessness inspires one to approach life with an open heart and to be strong in the face of life’s adversities. The unisex tag pendant is available with a silver or gold slate on chain or with a silver slate on cotton cord. Prices range from $130 – $1,030 and with 100% of the net proceeds benefiting Joyful Heart, the Fearlessness Tag Pendant is sure to be a heart-warming memento.

With additional inspiring and one-of-a-kind Heartshop products ranging from accessories to gourmet treats, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for anyone on your list.

Fran’s Chocolates’ “Box of Joy” is the sweetest way to celebrate the holidays. The delicious assortment of Gray Salt Caramels in dark chocolate, Smoked Salt Caramels in milk chocolate and Dark Chocolate Hearts is wrapped in a beautiful brown linen box and 50% of net proceeds are donated to Joyful Heart. $50

The Me&Ro Fearlessness Tube Bracelet is the perfect gift for the men in your life this holiday season. As the first product designed specifically for an in support of men since the launch of the Me&Ro and Joyful Heart partnership, this tube bracelet honors the important men in our lives as well as the men who are a part of the movement to end violence and abuse against women and children. 100% of the net proceeds benefit Joyful Heart. $100

Michael Stars has brought back the ever-popular, limited edition Joyful Heart tee, which features a metallic heart made up of empowering words such as Love, Heal and Survival. For every tee purchased, Michael Stars will donate another tee to a survivor of violence or abuse and will contribute $5 to Joyful Heart. $64

A handwritten card is always a treasured keepsake and a thoughtful way to express your gratitude for gifts you received during the holiday season. Tiny Pine Press cards are a beautifully crafted way to spread the message of gratitude with a delicate Swarovski crystal on the front. All proceeds from each sale benefit Joyful Heart’s programming and the survivors we serve. $24

Are you particularly thankful to someone this year? Honor that special person through a gift to the Joyful Heart Foundation. A contribution in a friend’s name is the perfect way to say “I’m grateful from the bottom of my joyful heart.”

For even more joyful gift ideas, visit the Heartshop.

As we’re getting ready to celebrate all the fathers, grandfathers, father-figures, uncles, brothers and partners in our lives this Father’s Day, we wanted to take a moment and recognize the men who are fearlessly joining the movement to end violence and abuse. The parents and caregivers who are, every day, doing their part to instill love and respect for one another in their children’s hearts. The brothers, sons and partners who rise up to intervene, to prevent and to say no more to violence. The advocates and survivors who let others—men and women alike—know that they are not alone on their healing journeys, that there are resources and support and that sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse are issues that affect all of us.

We often refer to what we do as being part of the movement to end violence against women and children. But it’s bigger than that. Because while women and children represent the majority of victims of sexual and domestic violence, we know that men are affected as well. Men and boys are sexually and physically assaulted. They are witnesses and bystanders to violence. And sometimes, they’re the perpetrators. Engaging men is a crucial part of the movement to address, prevent and—one day—end sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

As you might know, Joyful Heart turned towards engaging men in a big way this year, starting with an education and awareness campaign that launched around the second episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit back in September. It was an episode about a coach, respected and trusted as a mentor in his community, who is accused of sexually abusing the young players on his team for decades. Little did we know that it would air for the first time just weeks before the tragedies at Penn State, Syracuse and Poly Prep in Brooklyn were brought to light. The powerful episode—which re-aired with a PSA from our Founder & President, Mariska Hargitay, in January—reached over 11 million households.

This year, tens of thousands of new visitors have found our website, where they have learned about these issues, found ways to get involved and connected to resources, information and life-saving help. Mariska used her powerful voice to engage in a national dialogue on the issue of sexual assault of men and boys. And we’ve partnered with our friends at 1in6, an incredible resource to the 1 in 6 men—19 million American males—who are survivors of an unwanted or abusive sexual experience in childhood, to bring stories of healing from survivors, resources for them and their partners and families and awareness to this issue here on the Joyful Heart Blog and to make resources available in print and online to those who need them.

So now, as we take a moment to reflect on all of this, we also take a moment to reflect on all those who give us cause to be grateful, to celebrate, this Father’s Day. We thank you—no matter who you are or where in the world you’re reading this email from—for being a part of our efforts, for being fearless.

We ask that you consider sharing your gratitude by sharing this post with them. And if you would like to give the gift of fearlessness to a father or important man in your life, we invite you to shop Me&Ro’s Joyful Heart collection. In honor of Joyful Heart’s Engaging Men initiative and in time for Father’s Day, Me&Ro has added another inspiring piece to their Joyful Heart collection, the Men’s Fearlessness Tube Bracelet. It’s Me&Ro’s first piece made exclusively for and in support of men. The message of fearlessness means so much, and we are so privileged to be able to now share it with men, without whom a world free of violence and abuse will not be possible.

With March officially here and springtime only weeks away, we wanted to help keep you prepared for the changing temperatures. It’s why we’d like to remind you about one of the latest—and possibly softest yet—additions to our Heartshop, the White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap!

…and you thought a cozy wrap was just for winter.

Spring forward in style and for a joyful cause with the White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap.

The White + Warren Travel Wrap is the ultimate all-weather accessory. It comes in a deep purple and is perfect for cool evenings, great for travel and can be worn in countless ways: as a shawl, scarf or even a blanket, to name just a few! From Hawai‘i to New York and beyond, this wrap can be toted in style and comfort well beyond the winter months. And one of our favorite parts of this gorgeous wrap is that each one also comes with a special awareness tag that has information and resources about the issues of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

To top it off, White + Warren is generously donating 50% of all net proceeds from each sale to support Joyful Heart’s work, making this accessory one that not only warms our bodies, but our hearts as well.

White + Warren has long supported causes affecting women and women’s health. We’re so grateful for White + Warren’s partnership with Joyful Heart and their latest effort to raise awareness about the issues of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

So please visit www.whiteandwarren.com to purchase a limited-edition White + Warren Travel Wrap to benefit Joyful Heart and support our mission to heal and empower survivors of violence and abuse in style. We’re sure you’ll fall just as in love with your Travel Wrap as we have!

With gratitude,

Jessica

Alanna Zabel, Founder of AZIAM. Photography courtesy of Alanna Zabel.

Joyful Heart Foundation: Thank you so much for taking the time to share a bit about yourself and AZIAM with us! Tell us, what inspired you to start the AZIAM line?
Alanna Zabel: AZIAM began in 2003, as my one-page website listing my yoga classes and retreats. It stood for “Alanna Zabel I AM”. In 2007, consultants for Ashtanga Yoga guru, Pattabhi Jois, asked me to create a sample active wear line for an upcoming new studio they were planning in Key West. Having been a dedicated Ashtanga practitioner, I set out to create the most amazing sample collection as my gift to Pattabhi Jois. His system of Yoga had such a positive effect on my life; his was my way of saying “thank you.” The pieces that I presented were well received and the plan was to call the line “PJ’s.” I felt my job was done and I was pleased. But Pattahbi Jois—in his early 90s—grew ill shortly afterwards. The Key West studio plans was placed on hold. He passed away within a year afterwards. I was left with the gift I intended for my “guru,” and it became one of the greatest gifts I could ever receive.

JHF: How did your involvement with the Joyful Heart Foundation first begin?
AZ: I was teaching yoga to Heather Mnuchin, a board member of the Joyful Heart Foundation. She felt the AZIAM Wife Lover was a perfect fit with Joyful Heart and made an introduction. The social intention of our Wife Lover is to assist and empower women who have been victims of abusers, or Wife Beaters, to use the negative apparel slang. The Joyful Heart Foundation couldn’t be a more perfectly fitting partner—I am continuously amazed at what a phenomenal, heart-centered and significantly helpful organization the Joyful Heart Foundation is.

JHF: What does Joyful Heart’s cause mean to you?
AZ: The Joyful Heart Foundation impresses me on so many levels, particularly in their focus on healing and empowering victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. I have been a victim of domestic violence and I know that it is a difficult, elusive struggle that most people do not understand. There is no set formula or protocol that will heal every victim and many victims are left feeling unheard and unloved as a result, thus perpetuating the abuse cycle. The Joyful Heart Foundation exemplifies and proves to me every time that it is present-moment kindness, attentive understanding, true compassion, out-of-the-box healing techniques and raw education that will not only help a higher percentage of victims to move on to living a healthier, happier life, but will also continue making a global difference in violence prevention.

JHF: The Wife Lover tank, which as you said, was AZIAM’s first product to support Joyful Heart, says “I AM PURE JOY” across the side. What is pure joy to you?
AZ: To me, Pure Joy, is our natural state of existence. Our world has skewed away from its pure, honest, void-of-motive origin. I try my best not to be saddened by the state of the world, but instead hold in my heart how I know we are meant to live—sharing, loving, creating—without fear. That essence of Pure Joy is my personal dream and hope for a more organic, non-violent world.

The new, aptly-named AZIAM Victory Short.

JHF: AZIAM is launching a new item that is also be benefiting the Joyful Heart Foundation! Can you tell us about it?
AZ: AZIAM is thrilled to launch our new Victory Short! This is truly the most perfect fitting, flattering short. It has a wide, double layer V-waistband that offers support and style of equal measure. I’m not typically a “shorts” person, but I can’t stop wearing these! Because the fit is so strong and confident, I decided to name it Victory. This goes hand-in-hand with the Joyful Heart Foundation’s mission—offering hope for the journey of a survivor of violence. It’s also the perfect compliment to the Wife Lover tank.

JHF: At Joyful Heart, we encourage ourselves and our supporters to practice self-care. Is yoga your daily practice of self-care?
AZ: Yoga is definitely one of the many ways I practice self-care. I have been teaching yoga for fifteen years and the benefits are truly as holistic as any other fitness modality I have yet to come across. The body is a web and when we bring positive awareness and proper alignment to one or more areas of our selves, the impact is exponential throughout our physical, mental and emotional systems.

JHF: With your busy schedule, how do you find the time in the day take to take care of yourself?
AZ: There was a day when I was the yoga instructor who sipped tea and coconut water with my friends in between yoga classes and massages. Now my days are filled with activities of an apparel designer, manufacturer, social activist, writer and brand manager—while still teaching, leading workshops and retreats. What I find helps my busy schedule is minimizing. Adding more “doings” can still be stressful because it is still an activity that needs to be completed. My lifestyle is incredibly clean and yogic already, but by maintaining a life that is void of chaos and toxicity, I find that I am have more capacity to get more accomplished. I do not eat processed foods, drink alcohol or smoke and I stay clear of toxic relationships—all of these can be incredibly draining and therefore require more self-care to counter their effects.

Personally, I find it is most about balance.

Be sure to visit the Heartshop to pick up your new AZIAM Victory Shorts today. Be sure to match it with an “I AM PURE JOY” Wife Lover tank, too! A generous 10% of all net proceeds from each sale of these items are donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation.

I hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving holiday, filled with gratitude and appreciation.

Here on the Joyful Heart Heartshop front, we’re keeping very busy with new products launching just in time for holiday shopping.  I’m sure many of you have seen that Michael Stars has re-launched its Joyful Heart Tee (brought back by popular demand–thanks to your voices) and over the next few weeks, we’ll be keeping you posted with new products that are being added to our growing Heartshop collection.

Today, I’m excited and proud to announce a brand new Joyful Heart partnership. Recently, we teamed up with the extraordinary Susan White, President of White + Warren, a New York-based cashmere company. A woman-run company, White + Warren has long supported causes that affect women and women’s health. In our partnership together, White + Warren is offering exclusive editions of their signature Cashmere Travel Wrap and Cashmere Fingerless Gloves. The products, both in a beautiful deep purple, exude comfort and style, reminding all of us to share warmth and compassion for each other during our healing journeys.

What’s more? White + Warren is generously donating 50% of all net proceeds from each sale to support Joyful Heart’s programs!

Our corporate partners are among the many things we have to be thankful for this holiday season. It is in part because of their support that we can continue to provide the programs that we do–and that we can offer our wonderful community of supporters these beautiful and inspiring products every few months.

I hope that you’ll join me in gifting a new White + Warren product to a loved one this holiday season. Please be sure to visit the Joyful Heart blog over the next few weeks. Something tells me that we’re not quite done with these joyful announcements!

With gratitude,

Joanna

Mariska Hargitay, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston in their Michael Stars Joyful Heart Tees. Support JHF by puchasing yours at michaelstars.com.

Today we have a guest post from Devon Branam of Michael Stars. What could this mean? You guessed it. The Michael Stars Joyful Heart Tees are back!

If you want to help heal a heart, wear a heart. Because of the incredible support Michael Stars customers showed for our collaboration with the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2010, we at Michael Stars are holding a Joyful Heart Revival! Beginning this week, we have re-launched our limited-edition Joyful Heart Tee to benefit Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation. With each Joyful Heart Tee purchased, we will give a tee to a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence. We will also be donating $5 per purchase to the Joyful Heart Foundation.

Aside from owning a beautiful black crew neck long sleeve top with a powerful joyful heart graphic on the back, your donation will be used to help empower and heal survivors of violence, as well as educate communities on how to end the cycle of violence and abuse. Join celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Maria Bello, Courteney Cox, and Mariska Hargitay and show your support by purchasing a tee for yourself (and friends!) exclusively at Michaelstars.com for a limited time. They’re on sale now and until supplies run out.

To support Mariska’s efforts in providing healing to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse or learn more about the Joyful Heart Foundation, visit:

www.joyfulheartfoundation.org.

If you send in a picture of yourself wearing your favorite Me&Ro jewelry piece you are entered to win a beautiful silver leaf cord bracelet, pictured below. Be sure to become a fan of Me&Ro on Facebook first–click this link and hit the LIKE button.

Exciting news, Joyful Hearts!

A few weeks ago, we teased that there were new Heartshop items being designed. And today, we’re thrilled to announce that Me&Ro is continuing its support of the Joyful Heart Foundation by offering a limited edition Lotus Mandala Pendant. The beautiful and symbolic lotus serves as a reminder that from darkness comes light and that we all have the ability to rise above life’s difficulties.

Available in three options–sterling silver on a natural cord, sterling silver on a silver chain or in 18K gold–the mandala is engraved with a lotus flower motif, inspired by an old hand-dyed lotus flower print.

Each pendant measures ½ inch in diameter, and “Joyful Heart 2011″ is engraved on the back. 100% of the net proceeds of the sale of the Lotus Mandala Pendant go directly to the Joyful Heart Foundation.

Additionally, many of you have been asking what happened to the Fearlessness necklace that Mariska’s character regularly wears on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Well, I was wondering the same thing, so I asked our fearless leader where it went. Here’s what she had to say:

“If you watch closely in Episode 8, I give my Fearlessness necklace to the character portrayed by my dear friend, Marcia Gay Harden. Marcia Gay plays an FBI agent named Dana Lewis who is assaulted while undercover and then she has to confront her rapist in court. Even though you don’t see Benson give the necklace to Dana, we thought it would be incredibly symbolic to show her wearing it at the end of the episode.”

Mystery solved! And for those of you who are missing the Fearlessness necklace, word on the street is that it’ll be making its return soon. In the meantime, check out the three new Lotus Mandala Pendant options in our Heartshop and place an order for one today.

On Saturday, I posted about taking a break for meditation between events in Los Angeles and hinted that we’d have some exciting new updates this week. Here’s the first!

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with AZIAM. The company’s philsophy is to create “a modern lifestyle brand inspired by the ancient practice of Yoga.” AZIAM has created unique products and services that guide your personal Yoga journey (including DVDs, books, juice fasts and supplements), as well as hosting a worldwide community to share your experiences.

On Friday, January 21, at an event honoring Joyful Heart’s work in Los Angeles and to celebrate Mariska Hargitay’s birthday, AZIAM launched the “I Am Pure Joy” wife-lover tank. The item features a pro-woman twist on the classic “wife beater.” Custom made specifically for the Joyful Heart Foundation, this tank reads, “I Am Pure Joy” – a bold message of courage, hope and empowerment.

Each baby rib tank is custom cut, hand made and features gold thread stitching and a one of kind graphic about living, loving and BEING! The tanks are made of an organic supima cotton slub and lycra blend to assure a fashionable, sexy and comfortable fit. This tank features a gold mandala design on the right seam.

Ten percent of every sale is donated directly to Joyful Heart. Click here to purchase AZIAM’s “I Am Pure Joy” tank.

What do you think of the design and the message? Comment below to share you thoughts.