Jewelers that Care Awards

Donna Distefano Honored by Jewelers That Care at JCK

On Saturday June 4^th, at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Donna Distefano was honored by Jewelers That Care, a non profit  organization that celebrates jewelry industry contributions to developing world and local communities. The event took place at JCK Las Vegas, the jewelry industry's premiere trade show, where the jewelry industry comes together each year. 

Also honored with Distefano at the Jewelers That Care Awards ceremony, were Jeff Corey of Days Jewelers in Maine, Lisa Linhardt of Linhardt Designs in New York, and Alfredo J. Molina of Molina Fine Jewelers in Arizona, all who have proven themselves as leaders in the jewelry industry for giving back to the global and local communities. 

Jewelers That Care, founded by Alethe Clemetson, honors members of the jewelry industry whose personal and professional visions align with their mission to work with and respect the world’s most precious resource: People. 

Donna Distefano's commitment to ethical sourcing began in 1994 when she first introduced recycled precious metal into her eponymous jewelry line. Described by National Jeweler as "the Manhattan-based jewelry design company known for its commitment to environmentally sensitive sourcing," Donna Distefano was named "Best of New York" by New York Magazine for 2010. Since 2008, she has expanded her use of fair trade gemstones and published full disclosure protocols about gemstone sourcing on her website.

She began incorporating charitable donations as a core value of her business back in 1996 by designing and marketing a rosary called "Truth" for God's Love We Deliver, an organization dedicated to providing meals for clients with life-altering illnesses. Over the past five years, Distefano has increased the reach of her "Giving Back" program by hosting events for Women for Women International, the Environmental Defense Fund, and most recently, OneKid OneWorld. By donating jewelry for fundraisers, hosting events in her New York City atelier, and pledging a percentage of profits from the sale of dedicated designs, Distefano has raised awareness and aid for those who need it most. Among the many charities she has supported are Sanctuary for Families, Music Cares, the American Italian Cancer Foundation, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Her understanding and willingness to inform others on fair trade issues has taken Donna Distefano to some exciting arenas. In 2010, she hosted a group of political science graduate students from Rutgers University to discuss the implications of global trade. Students were enlightened to learn the significant differences between rubies mined in Malawi compared with rubies mined in Burma. So similar in appearance, different gemstones mined under different conditions either fuel human rights violations, or a present new economic hope for an impoverished region.

Always looking for new avenues to convey her message about the importance of fair trade, in 2011, Distefano turned to an unlikely audience: the online gaming community. By donating a 90-carat garnet drusy mined by hand from the Ural Mountains for a give-away in conjunction with the launch of a new action heroine, Distefano aligned herself with one of the first Latina gaming characters and gained access to an audience of millions of young people who will be the jewelry consumers of tomorrow. The "Aluna" necklace is significant for its rarity and because it is the source of power for the fictional heroine who wears it currently in comic books and video games. With popularity and promise, Aluna has the potential to bring fair trade to the front of future discussions about jewelry.

Donna Distefano's ongoing generosity and talent has prominent personalities taking notice. As an advisory board member of the international outreach charity OneKid OneWorld, actress Stephanie March (Law & Order: SVU) has this to say about Donna Distefano: "How many things in the world are as good for people as they are beautiful? Donna Distefano creates beauty, glamour, AND safety in each precious piece."

Honored and awed by this recognition from Jewelers That Care, Donna Distefano will continue expanding her fair trade offerings and giving back programs with the hope that other jewelers will follow. Together, we can change the way America buys jewelry.