Throughout the holiday season, we heard it over and over: “It’s better to give than receive.”
Then we went back to opening our presents.
Laura Loffredo lives that mantra every day of the year.
On Tuesday she launched The Give Collective. It’s a curated selection of boutique-style gifts — women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories, household items, face and body, and kids’ — with a twist.
10% of every purchase goes to non-profits that “are making the world a better place.”
Loffredo is no newcomer to the give-back-to-others concept. Nearly a decade ago she formed The Adoption Hope Foundation.
It was a labor of love.
Loffredo is a child of Westport. Her father was the hard-working, generous owner-operator of Belta’s Farm on Bayberry Lane. Her mother helped out there too.
From childhood on she wanted to have kids, and be a mom like her own mother.
Loffredo first babysat at 14. She continued until graduating from Staples in 1995, then earned a BA in psychology at the University of Connecticut and a master’s in community counseling from the University of Bridgeport.
She worked as a mental health counselor and case manager, then went back to school for a 6th-year degree in education. She was a teacher, and volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Laura Loffredo
As a youngster, Loffredo cried at TV commercials showing starving children in Africa. At 14, her parents helped her sponsor a little boy overseas. She still recalls his name: Saul Hormiga Donu.
When she got married, she and her husband John expected to have children right away. Instead they endured a 6-year struggle that included thousands of dollars spent on 8 failed fertility treatments, and a miscarriage.
“I prayed every night for a baby. The longing inside my heart was unbearable,” Loffredo says.
“I didn’t understand why God was denying me the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world. I was angry, bitter and heartbroken. I couldn’t breathe.” She calls this “the darkest time of my life.”
Laura and John Loffredo, with their daughter.
When the couple finally made the decision to adopt, it was “like a light in the darkness.” For the first time, she felt hope.
The first time she held her minutes-old daughter in her arms, Loffredo was overcome with emotion. All the pain washed away.
“At that moment, I understood the reason for everything,” she says. “This little girl was always meant to be ours. It just took her a while to come to us.”
But she agonized over all the people who did not have $40,000 to adopt a baby. The thought of not being a mother was overwhelmingly painful.
So Loffredo adopted a new cause: adoption advocate. She began forming ideas for what is now the Adoption Hope Foundation. Its mission is to provide grants to people who hope to build families through adoption.
Since 2016, they’ve awarded over $350,000 in grants to help families in 13 states complete their adoptions.
John and Laura Loffredo, with their family.
Loffredo continues to fundraise for her foundation. But she also wanted to do more, for other worthy non-profits.
The Gift Collective will do that.
Every other month, the Adoption Hope Foundation will receive 10% of every purchase. Six other organizations have been selected, for the 6 months of the coming year.
They are the Joshua Hermsen Heart Fund, Kevin’s Afterglow, The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, Greenfield Hill Congregational Church Shalom Ministry, St. Paul Christian School, and The Cancer Couch Foundation.
The Give Collective website went live earlier this week. Products are sourced from Faire.com, an online wholesaler with over 100,000 brands.
Many are small businesses supplying other small businesses.
“Our collection is thoughtfully put together,” Loffredo says. “The items really ae beautiful and fun..”
She has already begun shipping orders. The Give Collective also offers pick-up in Fairfield, and plans trunk shows and pop-up markets.
Click here to shop — and give back. For more information, email thegivecollective@gmail.com.
I’m guessing here, but I know Connie Belta and she has I think two brothers, one of them is named Greg. I’m thinking Laura is the daughter of one of the Belta boys, who probably are in their 70s. I think the whole family are really giving and thoughtful and kind. Kindness runs in the Belta family! It is painful to watch what’s going on in the world today! In too many places, children are suffering.
She’s Greg’s daughter. The Belta family are wonderful people!
This woman and her concept of giving are a true treasure. And the items are as well! Thank you for sharing this story, Dan. I’m sure I’ll be purchasing.