The Giving Keys' Stylish Founder On Opening A Shop in DTLA and Employees Who Inspire Her

Before billboards calling out LA's homelessness popped up all over town, local accessory label The Giving Keys was already tackling the issue and making it fashionable to wear philanthropy. Founded by musician (and new mama!) Caitlin Crosby, the socially-conscious brand is celebrating a decade of helping those in need with its first-ever boutique, which officially opens tomorrow in Downtown's Arts District.

Located on Traction Avenue, the shop stocks TGK's signature key necklaces and keychains engraved with inspiring words (like "believe," "love," and "strength," to name a few) and more jewelry from its Inspiration Beads, Symbols, Color Story, and Mini collections, among others, plus its limited-edition market bags created in collaboration with like-minded conscious LA company Apolis. Of course, each purchase supports the label's mission to help end homelessness by providing jobs to people transitioning into permanent homes.

That's not all: The brand is throwing a grand opening bash tomorrow, Thursday, September 13 from 5:30 to 7:30pm — and you're invited. In addition to shopping the mindful label's do-gooder accoutrements, partygoers will enjoy a jewelry personalization station, free ear piercings, essential oil testing, and custom tees from good hYouman. If that's not enough, the party's host committee is equally impressive: award-winning journalist Lisa Ling, Create & Cultivate founder Jaclyn Johnson, Kind Campaign co-founders Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson, and Nine Zero One salon co-founders/celebrity hairstylists Riawna Capri and Nikki Lee will all be in the house, while Jane the Virgin actor Justin Baldoni will also be honored during the soirée.

Wanna get on the list? RSVP here, then read on below to learn about what inspired The Giving Keys' founder to open her first-ever storefront, how she hopes to continue move others through example, and one of the latest employees to inspire her.

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A post shared by The Giving Keys (@thegivingkeys) on Sep 4, 2018 at 10:30am PDT

How did you find the space, and what inspired you to open in that particular location in the Arts District?

So many people just drive by people experiencing homelessness near Skid Row to go to their favorite restaurants Downtown, but we wanted to create a beautiful space for people to come shop and actually invest in the community and issue. Our HQ has been there for a couple years, so we knocked down walls and built a brand-new glass storefront for everyone to come experience this hub of inspiration.

Helping the homeless has been TGK's mission since it began. Now that the issue is (finally!) making major headlines, how do you hope to inspire others?

We know this can be a real sustainable way to end homelessness by using fashion and business. We now know this isn't just a trend. I think people want to feel like they're a part of something special. People want to feel like they are giving back with their purchases. We know this is a new, important way to do business and hope to inspire other fashion lines and businesses to do the same!

We know that TGK has helped countless of people transition out of homelessness — are there any recent stories that have been particularly inspiring?

One of our employees who has transitioned out of homelessness, Eric, will be working in our retail store. He's been inspired to start his own business selling women's clothes, so we just helped him go through a program at Pepperdine University to help make his dreams happen! Come visit him in our store, ask him about his story and you will be inspired!

The Giving Keys, 836 Traction Ave., L.A., 90013; Sunday through Thursday from 12 to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m.