The Respect Team

Welcome back to almondcakesvt blog! We’re happy you’ve decided to join us. If you’ve been following along you know we usually use this space to highlight our partnership from the previous month. Here we educate our readers on the mission of whatever nonprofit we worked with the last month, reporting on the outcome. However, this month we’ve decided to jump ahead and talk about the organization we’re working with right now, The Respect Team.

First off, here are some fun facts to share. Did you know that August is “Admit You’re Happy Month”? We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk about some of the reasons we, here at almondcakesvt, have to be happy:

We say it every month, but starting almondcakesvt has been a wonderful way to connect with groups and individuals who strive to make their community a better place. Not only do we get to meet and talk to these changemakers, we get to help support their mission. We also have a bright and optimistic outlook for the future of our brand. All of that makes us happy.

What are some of the things that make you happy? They say the best way to improve your mood and make yourself feel better is to perform an act of kindness for someone else. So, if you are struggling to answer the question of what makes you happy, we hope you’ll feel inspired by the spirit of almondcakesvt, and turn things around with an act of charity or giving.

This week is also “Be Kind to Humankind” week so this month’s partner is the perfect match to embody the spirit of “Be Kind to Humankind” week. The Respect Team is a wonderful organization that is doing their part to empower teens, as well as encourage and promote a mentality of kindness and respect.

The Respect Team Message

The Respect Team Is an organization based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2015, motivational speakers Scott Haddix and Amy Hanna started the non-profit speaking organization. Their mission being to promote healthy relationships, as well as respect for oneself and others, among teenagers.

In a time when mental health was taboo, Co-Founder/Director Amy Hanna struggled with depression and contemplated ending her own life. It was in overcoming this difficult time that the inspiration for the Respect Team took root.

“Yes, we talk about how to resolve conflict, and how to have healthy friendships and healthy relationships, but really the biggest message that we want students to hear is, ‘You are valuable and your life matters. And because you are valuable and your life matters, so do the lives of others.’ If we can teach our youth how to respect themselves and respect others, we start at the source of all of the problems that our youth face and we start changing the statistics that attack them too.”

Programs and Initiatives

The Respect Team travels to public and private schools in the greater Fort Wayne area, providing presentations for students at no cost to the school. The non-profit also hosts events for teenagers, as well as provides dozens of online resources for students, parents, and educators.

The organization started in 2015 with just three speakers, and virtually no funding. Today the Respect Team is in 42 schools, speaking to almost 9,000 students with a budget of a little over $100,000 each year. The community has been wildly supportive, and their contribution to the lives of these young students has been well-received and highly sought after.

Witnessing the changes in the students in the program and seeing the effects on the community confirms this organization is making a powerful impact. Presentations include discussions on topics such as dating violence, domestic violence, suicide/self-harm, grief, eating disorders, sexual assault, abuse, and pregnancy.

Starting with seventh grade, the Respect Team works with middle schoolers in order to promote self-respect. Students learn S.E.L.F.-respect by focusing on their Skills, Experiences, Likes, and Foundation. They will also learn about how to avoid different hindrances in life that could threaten the health of their S.E.L.F.

Moving into eighth grade, the program turns to mutual respect. Students are taught to think through what it means to know who they are, who they will become and how to set limits in life to make sure their future goals can happen.

Finally, the program designed for high school students explores respect in relationships. It focuses on the subjects of respecting yourself by learning your personality style and communication style and respecting others by learning how differences can be respected and understood. Students also learn that setting boundaries in relationships can not only help with self-respect but also with respect of others.

Success and Outlook

In the Respect Team’s short tenure, they have been nominated for the Athena Awards, the Vitality Awards, and the Champions of Change Awards. Each year they’ve held an event called the 360AWARDS where they honor local high school students who are making a positive difference in their home, school, and community. After this year’s awards in September, they will have given 92 awards to our local teens and $16,000 in scholarships.

In order to continue to raise money to fund these valuable programs, as well as to provide these scholarships and awards, the Respect Team relies on the contributions of others. That’s why we at almondcakesvt was so excited to be approached for the opportunity to partner.

In addition to donating 6% of August’s profits to the Respect Team, almondcakesvt also had the privilege of designing two new products with them in mind. 50% of the proceeds from the purchases of these shirts goes directly to the Respect Team.

Our hope is that customers will post a picture of themselves on social media wearing their purchase with the hashtag #Repthe6th. Together with the Respect Team, almondcakesvt would love to see the message of respect go viral and spread beyond Indiana and spread around the nation and around the world.

In addition to buying and wearing a shirt to support the Respect Team you can also donate directly here. You can also contact them directly to inquire about hosting one of their educational programs in your school or facility.

In Conclusion

We hope you take time to celebrate “Admit You’re Happy Month” and more specifically “Be Kind to Humankind Week.” We also hope you’ll check out the Cause Collection on our website for new merchandise that supports the nonprofit of the month partnerships! There is still time to order your Respect Team apparel! Purchases of these items give us the opportunity to give more, as well as raise awareness and spread the message.

As you know, we’re always excited to learn about your favorite organization, about individuals who are making a difference! We want to know about any and all potential causes that almondcakesvt can support in the future, and help to amplify their message.

Thank each and every one of you, again, for your continued support, and for being a part of The 6th fam.

One Team. Together. One Tribe!