The Giving Keys

The Giving Key1 The Giving Key

The Giving Keys
June 28, 2014

I was watching ABC World News and saw a story about The Giving Keys. I was immediately drawn to the concept and wanted to participate too! For those of you who have never heard of the company, it is based out of Los Angeles, CA and employs the homeless and low-income individuals.

Caitlin Crosby is the founder of The Giving Keys and would create them herself and sell them at music festivals. She came up with the idea to engrave old, used keys with inspirational words. Crosby believes that we are all like keys–“unique, flawed, scarred and at risk of being discarded.” She eventually decided that she wanted to add some sort of charitable dimension to the project and that came to fruition when she met a couple named Rob and Cera on Hollywood Boulevard. The couple was sitting under an umbrella and holding a sign that read, “Ugly, Broke & Hungry.” Caitlin decided to employ them–the first two employees–after learning that Cera made jewelry. Since then, additional employees have been added to the company (there’s roughly a total of 13).

Crosby hopes that key holders will pay it forward and once you meet someone that could use your help, you pass the key on to them. You can purchase the keys at retailers like Anthropologie and Kitson but you can also buy them directly through The Giving Keys website HERE. There are several different options available like bracelets, rings and necklaces and you can even choose the finish of the chain (either antique gold, oxidized brass, stainless silver, brass ball, gold ball, or thick copper). The keys are all hand stamped with inspirational words, but you are also able to have a custom word added for an additional fee. The list of words include: believe, breathe, courage, dream, faith, fearless, grace, grateful, hope, inspire, let go, love, peace and strength.

After you give your key away, there’s a place on the Giving Keys website where you can let them know about your story.

The key that I purchased was the Classic Pendant and it came to about $40 after shipping. The word inscribed on my key is “courage” and it has an oxidized brass chain.

“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.” – Tom Krause

I love quotes. I’ve always wanted the word courage tattooed on me because I think that’s been the one weapon that I feel I’ve needed the most so I hold on to it the tightest. Not only is that because I’ve been through crazy situations and needed the courage to keep moving, but because I’ve also needed the courage to get up and try again each time I’ve gotten knocked down from being unsuccessful. I believe that courage is the building block to strength, dreams, believing in yourself and inspiration. If you lack courage then no matter what qualities you think you have they will cease to exist without positive energy behind them.

I wish to put lots of good vibes into my key so when I come across someone who needs some courage, that positivity will help them. Then hopefully they will put lots of good thoughts into the key and find someone else who needs it and continue to pay it forward and continue to renew the life of the key.

Anyway, I wanted to share this with you because I think it’s a really great thing to do. If you wind up getting a key, please let me know what word that you got and why! I’d love to hear your story since you’ve read mine :o)