Learn more about Kendra Scott’s dedication to literacy and libraries.
Public Libraries have long been a cornerstone of literacy, community, and connection, offering vital resources to people of all ages and backgrounds. That’s why the Kendra Scott Southport team is excited to partner with the Chicago Public Library Foundation for a special giveback event on June 28! 20% of proceeds from purchases that day will be donated to the Foundation, supporting its mission to provide lifelong learning resources – from free programming, technology, and safe spaces to the Chicago community.
We sat down with Tessa Belongia, Events and Marketing Manager from the Kendra Scott Southport team to learn more about their commitment to giving back, their passion for education, and why libraries hold a special place in their hearts.
Read on to discover what inspired this partnership and how you can take part in supporting the Chicago Public Library Foundation!
Can you tell us a bit more about your Kendra Scott store and the community that you serve?
We are the Kendra Scott Southport, Chicago location. I’d say we stay local to the Southport area. We love to serve the schools, the elementary, middle, and high schools in the neighborhood, offering support for their silent auctions. We also work with a lot of nonprofits across the city from the American Lung Foundation to the American Cancer Society.
We have the space to host giveback events for nonprofits.
What inspired you and, and your team to partner with the Library Foundation for this fundraiser?
I was looking up nonprofits and organizations in the city trying to figure out where I felt like Kendra’s mission and values were really aligned. The Kendra Scott Foundation is the nonprofit foundation that Kendra created to specifically to help women and children get access to educational resources. We donate multilingual books to Title I elementary schools, educational scholarships and Kendra started opening yellow libraries across the country. Because of our focus on education, I reached out to the Chicago Public Library Foundation to see how we could get some funds for the library. Libraries have many books but need financial support, especially during this political landscape that we’re in right now.
Can you share more about that? Why do you believe that supporting public libraries is important?
Chicago is a big city and there is a lack of access to educational resources. In addition to books, I know libraries have computers and other resources or programs for people to learn. They truly do so much for the community. The library is an essential organization that supports not just children but adults who are learning and want to grow and continue their education. I think it’s just important for the community to support each other.
What kind of impact are you hoping that this giveback event will have on the community and on the Library Foundation?
Our goal is to always raise awareness for whatever nonprofit we work with. I would love to have a million people come in the store and make purchases and give back, and I would love to have the biggest give back amount possible, but also if people leave with a little bit more knowledge than what they came into the store with about the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and then tell their friends and go to the library and get involved with the Foundation, that’s a win, too.
I don’t want it to just be a two to three hour in-store commitment where people come in and they feel like they did one good thing and then they walk away. I want them to get involved with libraries and understand their impact.
Do you have a personal memory or connection to libraries that also made this a meaningful cause to you?
I’m from North Carolina and I was briefly home schooled with my older sister. The library would host our homeschooling classes with other homeschool students and it was one of the first times I got to hang out with other kids my age. And this was back in the floppy disc era—we were learning to use technology and connecting with one another. And I felt like I had this community just around the corner from my house.
Let’s end with a fun this-or- that game. eBook or hardcover book?
Hardcover for sure. I cannot do eBooks. I need paperback or the hardcover, and then I like to keep it and put it in my home library.
Fiction or nonfiction?
I like nonfiction more, but my fiancé really likes fiction, so, we’ll do a bit of both.
Alphabetizing your bookshelf or just stacking them? ‘
Whatever looks best. I go by color, so we have the pinks, purples, and blues shelf, and the greens and reds and black.
Last question, what is your favorite book at the moment?
I just read The Women by Kristin Hannah, and I felt like that was a really good read.
But my favorite book from childhood is a book called Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It’s a dystopian novel about twins being separated. It was my older sister’s copy, and I stole it from her library as a kid.
Thank you to Kendra Scott for their support of our city’s libraries. Join us in store on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 3246 N. Southport Avenue to shop and learn more about the Library Foundation. Can’t make it in? Shop online using promo code: GIVEBACK-JAJMB.
