Location: Home of Nicole and James Lassiter

Over the past five months, non-profits have taken some significant hits due to COVID-19. The pandemic has halted in-person gatherings and fundraising events which make-up a large portion of a charity’s revenue stream. The Arthritis Foundation, the nation’s largest non-profit dedicated to conquering America’s #1 cause of disability, continues to serve the Houston arthritis community even with limited resources during these trying times. The organization has been fortunate to have volunteers and supporters that have found creative ways to giveback and raise funds during the pandemic.

On Friday, August 14, 2020, James and Nicole Lassiter hosted a small gathering at their home to help support the Foundation. The luxury jewelry line Stéfère, sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, showcased their absolutely stunning designs and provided a 10% giveback to the Arthritis Foundation from all of the purchases. Over the past couple of years, Stéfère has accumulated an impressive celebrity following which includes Beyonce, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.

In addition to breathtaking jewelry, the private gathering featured handbags and hats from Creations by Niki Lassiter. Nicole “Niki” Lassiter started creating unique bags to about a year ago as a way to channel her energy when she was homebound. Diagnosed with multiple forms of arthritis, Niki quickly learned that this invisible disease can truly keep a person from living a “normal” daily life and crafting has proven to be extremely therapeutic. Since this time, Niki has been creating dozens of handbags each week and donating proceeds directly to the Arthritis Foundation. Since April 2020, Niki has raised over $13,000 for the Arthritis Foundation through the namesake “Crafting for a Cure”.

To learn more about the Arthritis Foundation and their services, please visit www.arthritis.org or contact Executive Director Jen Torres at [email protected].

Photos/Assistance by Hailey Lassiter