The sun doesn’t ask for permission to shine and neither should you!

February is the month for LOVE and Classy Living Society is taking advantage of this time to celebrate!  The focus is on loving ourselves…and what better way to celebrate our best selves than to get glammed up and step out to dinner!  On Wednesday, February 9, the sisters of CLS did just that, proclaiming “We don’t have to wait until the weekend to go out!”  More importantly, “We don’t need a reason to get dolled up!”  

The fabulous fly ladies of CLS each pulled out that ultra fantastic outfit – you know that one in the back of the closet saved for a special occasion. The occasion is now!  The ladies gathered in small intimate groups and enjoyed a dressed up dinner out on the town!  Don’t make dinner, make reservations!  At the end of the evening, each group shared photos of their group all glammed up!  Oh là là !!  What a fabulous evening, right smack dab in the middle of the week!  

This amazing event was just a part of a month of celebrating and loving ourselves by doing the things that make us feel our best!  

Classy Living Society is so excited about all the plans in progress for our fabulous 7th Annual Red Dress Gala on April 24, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia! The Red Dress Gala is the most highly anticipated and biggest fundraiser of the year for CLS! This year’s theme is “If I Were a Girl”, and as we endeavor to uplift girls and young women through inspiration, education, and promotion, we would love to spotlight your business! Take advantage of our Virtual Sponsorship opportunity and become a catalyst for change in the lives of our girls and young women. It’s a win-win opportunity! #IfIWereAGirl

What is a virtual sponsorship?
It is a VIRTUAL ONLINE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY that represents a great way to put your best foot forward as a business that gives back to the community!

What are the requirements?
You do not have to conduct business in Atlanta, Georgia, or make a personal appearance at the Gala to benefit from the awesome exposure that this opportunity offers.

What are the advantages for my business?

By becoming a virtual sponsor for the Gala, your business will receive:

• A listing in the printed Red Dress Chronicles – a take-home keepsake that will be distributed at the Gala to all 200+ Gala attendees.
• Advertisement on Red Dress Gala emails
• Company listing on the event website
• Maximum exposure to Gala attendees, our subscribers, supporters, and partners across our virtual platforms.

Who will see my advertisement?

Your business will enjoy maximum exposure in sponsoring this worthwhile initiative!

To date, Classy Living Society has organized over 400 volunteer efforts and worked with over 240+ community partners. We were honored to receive the 2016 Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama for volunteering over 300,000+ hours in the communities that we serve. We proudly support communities in the U.S., and we reach over 200,000 subscribers throughout our many media platforms.

This sounds like a great opportunity! How do I become a virtual sponsor?
Please visit cls-reddress.org for more information on becoming a virtual sponsor for ONLY $100! Get in on this awesome opportunity to be counted among those who are making a difference in the lives of our girls!

The DEADLINE TO PURCHASE is March 20, 2022!

#ClassyLivingSociety#RDG2022#RedDressGala#CLSRedDressGala2022

Please contact sponsors@cls-volunteer.org for more information.

Two Saturdays before Christmas Day, Classy Living Society hosted a Pancakes and PJs soiree at the Saint Germain French Bakery & Cafe in Atlanta’s trendy Westside! Taking a break from the Hallmark holiday movies, holiday decorating and frantic Christmas gift shopping, the ladies of CLS donned their most festive pajamas and met to “Mingle & Jingle” the morning away! The Mingle Jingle is CLS’s most anticipated annual holiday event and the best way to celebrate the holidays.

Bon appétit! The Saint Germain French Bakery and Cafe pulled out all the stops and gave CLS a little taste of France in Atlanta. The ladies spent the morning all comfy in their PJs enjoying a menu of petite omelette française (french omelet with hollandaise sauce, diced red peppers, cheddar & tomatoes), delicious fluffy pancakes with syrup and fruit salad, with a side of bacon and rosemary crispy potatoes! Yum! Biscuits and french baguettes with butter and a variety of jam and honeys were also served. Don’t forget the mimosas! What festive soiree breakfast is complete without the bubbly?

Founded by husband and wife team Heather and Mathieu Jourdan-Gassin, Saint Germain French Cafe & Bakery opened in Old Fourth Ward’s historic Ponce City Market in 2016. In 2021, Saint Germain opened new locations in Atlanta’s Westside at the Interlock and in the Buckhead Village District. Both Southerners at heart – Mathieu is from the French Riviera and Heather is from Decatur, GA – the duo share a passion for bringing a little slice of Paris (with a dash of Southern hospitality!) to Atlanta. And, wow, the hospitality! Heather and Mathieu were the most gracious hosts and did all they could to make sure everyone had a great time!

A great time it was! Sistergirl talk, hugs, and love were all over the place! There was singing and dancing and celebrating the great tidings of the holiday, which also included the extraordinary Comedian Lady Q as the Mistress of Ceremonies. The fun also included games with fabulous prizes, including a first prize winner table in a competition to see which team/table would be the first to construct a puzzle made out of photographs of CLS sisters taken at past amazing events.

CLS also took the opportunity to celebrate the winner of a previously held contest to design CLS’s next great t-shirt logo. Congratulations to Jacquetta Nicole Goode who created the tagline “Fine Fabulous Philanthropist”! Each CLS sister who attended the Mingle Jingle received a beautiful clear glass mug emblazoned with this classy new tagline.

The ladies also took turns posing in front of the festively decorated grass wall backdrop and taking photos and selfies while holding signs that read “Naughty…Nice…Somewhere in Between” and “Hey Santa… I’ve Been Inspiring, Socializing & Volunteering”.

The special giveback mission of the day was a heartwarming one – a mound of coats surrounding the Christmas tree were for the women served by Woman 2 Woman & Associates, a non-profit organization that assists women in crisis from domestic violence, substance abuse, and homelessness. Minister April Laland, who founded Woman 2 Woman in 2009, was on hand to speak with the ladies and receive the coats for the women she assists through her organization. Minister April recounted several stories of the women her organization assists, as well as shared her own personal story as a victim of domestic violence. “I am, myself, a two-time champion survivor of domestic violence,” she recounted. Grateful to receive the donation of coats, Minister April told the CLS ladies, “What you did today is you let the women like me know that somebody cares. You have given them a step up.”

The Classy Living Society ladies love to have a good time, and sisterhood bonding, inspiration, and togetherness is an important element of the organization. However, at the heart of CLS is giving and lending a hand to those who need assistance and who are less fortunate. What a blessing it is to be able to give to those in need, especially at Christmastime. The 2021 CLS Mingle Jingle – Pancakes & PJs was a big hit for many reasons. Ringing in the Christmas holidays, with celebration, joy, love, and giving each other… and those sisters out there in the community who need it…a step up. Happy Holidays!

The Georgia Festival of Trees is a special five-day holiday event for all ages.  Held at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the festival includes a beautiful forest of dazzling holiday trees, holiday wreaths, unique gift shops, local treat vendors and more!  It is fun for the entire family!

Classy Living Society was present at this year’s festival on Saturday, December 4 in great numbers!  CLS members were charged with the task of running one of the most fun parts of the festival – the Reindeer Games!  The Reindeer games consisted of activities for the kiddies, including a giant bubble machine, a Plinko game, bowling game which featured huge inflatable pins and bowling ball, plus tons of arts and crafts projects.  CLS members served as the games crew for a few hours, cheering the kids on and handing out prizes to the winners.  The face painting was a big hit and the Santa letter writing table gave the children a chance to write a letter that would be delivered directly to Santa!  Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to tell Santa whether you’re naughty or nice?

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Speaking of Santa…ole jolly Saint Nick was there too!  He greeted and took pictures with the children on a huge red sleigh.  Those in attendance also enjoyed the live entertainment, featuring amazing local talent.  

Of course, the highlight of this magical holiday event were the Christmas trees and holiday wreaths!  Donated by various organizations and individuals, these beautifully decorated trees and wreaths were sold via silent auction.  (Read on in this edition about Classy Living Society’s donated holiday tree, The Eternal Princess!).  All proceeds from sales from the silent auction were to benefit the community service efforts of the Atlanta, Georgia based nonprofit organization, Wellspring Living.    

Founded in 2001, Wellspring Living provides domestic sex trafficking victims and those at risk with specialized recovery services through residential and community-based programs. The programs provide transformative care through therapeutic services, education, life skills, and personal and professional development. The focus for each participant is on developing the courage to move forward and confidence to succeed.  Their programs are statistically proven to provide restorative services that yield positive, life-changing results. 

Wellspring Living’s vision is to live in a world where every victim of sexual exploitation has access to transformative care. Wellspring Living is a leader in the nation for residential care and through the Wellspring Living Institute is able to educate, train and mentor organizations around the world. 

The Christmas season is a time of warmth and celebration for many.  Yet, for the thousands of individuals affected by human and sex trafficking, the idea of a safe holiday season filled with cheer is far from reality.  Each CLS member who volunteered at the Festival wore a yellow Santa hat – you couldn’t miss them in the place!  For CLS, wearing yellow demonstrates the organization’s stand in the battle to root out human and sex trafficking in our society.  The yellow Santa hats also demonstrated our solidarity with the Georgia Festival of Trees and Wellspring Living in helping to transform the lives of those who are at risk, or who have been victimized by human trafficking.  What better way than to engage in giving than through the holiday spirit!