Mission Statement:

 KQWST SHOP will be a local artisan boutique that will give a portion of its proceeds to The MLK Humanity Project in Vallejo, California. If the business succeeds will most likely branch off into other fundraising projects for other organizations that focus on helping the hungry and those impacted by America's increasing poverty.

 KQWST SHOP believes that no person should be without the proper nutrition it takes to thrive. Easy access to healthy food is the first step towards living your best life. 

KQWST SHOP SELLS:

*Obama & Kamala Coffee Blends from Moschetti Artisan Roaster in Vallejo, Ca.

*Coffee Cups

*Art / Mixed Media / Collage / Prints / Photographs (some embellished)

*For starters. Eventually, adding more products that fit with the brand

KQWST FASHION: KQWST SHOP will also feature a photo opportunity to be on its fashion blog / instagram / tik tok social media platforms documenting local and Bay Area fashion scenes

My Goal:

 It is to reach $2000.00 to jump-start my business.

I was striving to have at least $2000.00 in my account to start running after initial expenses. Unfortunately, I'm off track because of life challenges and certain obstacles, i.e., a costly tooth implant. The good news is that I will not go into business in debt but will start with the bare minimum. For that, I am thankful, but in hindsight, it feels like I should have delayed the opening until 2024. But the ball is rolling, and certain things are being put in place, making it impossible to change my mind.

As I get closer to my opening day of January 14th, 2023, my 44th birthday, I keep thinking of things I would like to make my shop work and be even more spectacular. A few extra bucks would help. So I humbly ask you for help.

My Story:

Growing up in Siskiyou and Shasta Counties, I vividly remember my mother struggling to put food on the table and being so hungry that I almost got something out of a garbage can. Luckily my mother had enough sense to see me and scolded me pretty hard. But the pain of hunger as a child was real. I will never forget when she took me to break into an empty house to use a working kitchen, struggling to do the right thing.

She was a single mother of five children struggling with addiction; we never had a perminate home. Always in-between places. We lived from filthy hotel rooms to friendly apartments, from pleasant to dilapidated houses to living in various vehicles and back to hotel rooms. And twice we lived at The Good News Rescue Mission in Redding for short spells. We ate at their soup kitchen all along until we finally entered the foster care system.

 My childhood experiences and a lot of therapy led me to volunteer work at the Haight Ashbury Food Progam in San Francisco, where I lived during my 20s and 30s. The first fundraising project I successfully executed for Bay Positives was in 2007.

 In 2013 I was economically "pushed out" of San Francisco because of the ever-increasing living costs. It was devastating and embarrassing as I felt like I had failed my family. Subsequently, I ended up homeless. It was terrible! By the grace of all that is positive in the Universe, my family found out and saved me from having to endure any more hunger and homelessness. I went home, totally malnourished, and my brother and his girlfriend cared for me for six months. They fed, clothed, and helped me get back on my feet with love, patience, no judgment, and pure understanding.

And me being the kind of person I am, I immediately volunteered for those six months at "The Mission," considering it to be an honor and even worked on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, I was saddened to see the children still there and surprised to see my reflection in their eyes. But the experiences made me grateful to know that, thanks to unknown volunteers in my youth, some in recovery striving to better their own lives through the program run out of The Good News Rescue Mission, I may have been without food on such important days. Being back in Shasta & Siskiyou Counties brought everything home for me. I knew I would never give up on my quest, too, always to give back. 

 So here I am. Thanks to the special people in my life today and the beautiful community I live in, I have found myself with everything I need to explore this incredible entrepreneurial opportunity. A space to run my business at The Studios on Georgia in partnership with The Vintage Vagabond Gallery & Flea, vagabond94590.com and two fantastic products to sell; freshly roasted coffee beans from Fabrice Moschetti, The Obama and Kamala Blends. moschetti.com

 Trial run of KQWST SHOP:

When looking at the company's finances in one year, I will see if this will be sustainable. I will also be working part-time at the cafe for 2023. If all goes right, there is a good possibility that I could transition to be at KQWST SHOP full-time come 2024.

I promise you this, though, no matter what happens. If this business fails, and I have to start over and do something different, it will always include giving back and trying to help those in need due to poverty and hunger.

 The Rewards of Giving: 

 The person who donates the most will receive a 30"x40" original mixed media art piece by "Yours Truly." It is an embellished portrait of Holly Golightly & Cat from Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audry Hepburn, who later became a Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF after receiving aid from them as a child. It is a manufactured piece inspired by the original movie poster, which Robert E. McGinnis designed, bought at Ross Dress for Less and abandoned on the roadside. I took it home, cleaned it up, fixed the scratches and scuffs, and brightened every detail with fingernail polish, embellishing it with various stickers, butterflies, and costume jewelry. I know it's from Ross because the price tag is still on the back.

 Also, for every thousand dollars raised in this campaign, The MLK Humanity Project will receive $100.00. If the campaign reaches $6000.00, TMLKHP will receive $1000.00. All funds after the $6000.00 raised will go to The MLK Humanity Project: www.mlkhumanityproject.com, and hopefully, that is something that would feel very good to you!

 The Rules to Win Art Piece "20,625":

Suppose two or more people contribute the exact amount; in that case, they will be contacted individually to see about making an extra donation, and whoever donates the most will then be the winner. You will have a combined total if you make more than one donation. Whoever presented the most at the end of the campaign will be the winner. The winner will be chosen when this campaign ends on March 14th, 2023.

The art will be showcased until February 2023 at Cafe Moschetti at 925 Marin Street, Vallejo, Ca. Then at The Vintage Vagabond Gallery & Flea at 310 Georgia Street, Vallejo, Ca. until April 1st, 2023. Showcasing for a total of four months. At this point, you can either pick up your art or I will have it shipped with free shipping and handling.

Thank you to all who participate. Even if that means you just shared and forwarded the information to others. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it. I'm very excited about this new year and all it brings. Despite my worries about stepping into unknown territory, I've had many positive affirmations thus far. I think I sense that we will make something magical happen. I feel it.

Recap:

This is a GoFundMe campaign to jump-start KQWST SHOP, a for-profit, independently-owned business that gives back to those who help those in need. From the get-go and for always. Mainly focusing on the plight of hunger and poverty in local communities in The Bay Area and Northern California.

https://soundcloud.com/kqwstdj/kqwstshopping?si=f1e4275dbdc346e5aa21c93122acad7c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing