ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (September 26, 2020) — Sarah Stevens, founder of The Beautifull Project, has been awarded a $10,000 Nation of NeighborsSM grant by Royal Neighbors of America, one of the first and largest women-led insurers in the US. Stevens will use the funds to expand her work as an online curator and author of content that encourages women of all ages, ethnicities, and body types to embrace their bodies and to live more confidently, freely, and fully in them.
After spending a decade as a health-care executive, Stevens decided to depart her high-stress career and follow a path defined by her passion for supporting other women through mentoring. Two years ago, she was inspired to begin developing The Beautifull Project (TBP). In a short time, TBP has grown into a multimedia platform that showcases the stories of women who navigate the world in diverse bodies, through diverse life circumstances, with diverse world views. Many of these women are faced with the challenge that the world often expects them to shrink in order to fit in. TBP encourages them to take up space instead.
"This gift is truly transformational for a project of this size, making possible things that were impossible just a few short weeks ago. I am both honored, and still a little shocked,” Stevens said. “When I started talking to women about their relationship with their bodies, I never imagined we would be in a position to expand. This gift will allow me to give any woman who wants to come along for the journey the tools to find her way back to believing in herself. That is powerful, and I am so deeply grateful,” she adds. “It will help us create a world where every BODY belongs.”
Julie Robinson, Director of Member Development and Public Relations at Royal Neighbors, will lead the virtual award presentation. “We are honored to be able to support Stevens and The Beautifull Project. So many women struggle with similar issues around body image and it holds them back, kills their confidence. Stevens’ work enables a dialog around topics which, while not always comfortable, are pervasive and incredibly important to helping women succeed in whatever they pursue. For more than 125 years, Royal Neighbors has sought to empower women to make a positive impact in their communities. And being able to provide financial support to Stevens and her project aligns perfectly with that mission,” says Ms Robinson.
Nation of Neighbors is a Royal Neighbors of America philanthropy program that provides financial assistance to individuals who have a plan to start or expand a business, organization, program, or non-profit that helps women and/or girls in their community. To date, more than $2 million has been awarded nationwide.
About Royal Neighbors of America
Royal Neighbors of America is a unique provider of life insurance and annuities whose mission is to protect women financially and empower them to improve their lives, families, and communities. In 1895, Royal Neighbors was founded as a membership organization by nine pioneering women who recognized the need to insure the lives of women and children and the importance of localized philanthropy. Headquartered in Rock Island, Illinois, with an operation in Mesa, Arizona, Royal Neighbors serves more than 215,000 members.
