Inspired by the Bible verse Romans 8:28 and an eye-opening trip to Africa in 2014, local interior designer Karen Boyd founded the nonprofit organization Project 828 to raise funds for orphans, at-risk children and children with cancer.
Through three different programs—Play With Purpose, Restoration Initiative and MOD 29—Project 828 works to bring healing to those who are facing adverse situations.
“[My son and I] went to Africa, and it was really the first time we had been exposed to extreme poverty,” Boyd said. “You can hear about it and see it on television, but when you see it firsthand, it changes your heart, and I feel that if you want to make a difference somewhere, start at home.”
The nonprofit formed in 2014, and over the past year, it has raised more than $35,000 for its partnership with Coreluv, which has orphanages in Haiti, Hondorus and India.
Play With Purpose combines Boyd’s son’s love of basketball with philanthropy by enlisting basketball players from The Woodlands to garner sponsorships for their statistics.
The organization partners with select basketball leagues and through the Play With Purpose Basketball App, parents can keep track of their athlete’s points, assists, blocks, steals and rebounds during a game.
The app is available for $2.99 on Google Play and Apple’s iTunes store.
“It’s really become a movement of youth helping youth that are less fortunate,” Boyd said.
Project 828 also donates a percentage of proceeds back to the basketball organizations it partners with, funding scholarships to keep at-risk athletes in the program.
The organization has plans to expand PWP to other sports with the hope of reaching 500 athletes. Boyd said she also wants to develop an ambassador program and scholarship fund for PWP athletes.
As the founder of KB Design Firm, Boyd said many of her clients get rid of perfectly good furniture pieces and home appliances during remodels. To put these items to better use, Boyd began Restoration Initiative.
“It’s sort of like the saying, ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’” she said. “We take items that are donated, and we bless others with them by doing a room or home makeover for those who are less fortunate.”
Last summer, Project 828 used donated items to completely furnish a local discipleship home for men who struggle with addiction. The organization plans to do similar projects in the future for orphanages and homes for at-risk youth.
MOD 29, Project 828’s newest initiative, strives to empower young women.
“The goal of MOD 29 is to help bring value to young women and help them to realize their value through God’s eyes and not society’s,” Boyd said.
Although MOD 29 is still in the preliminary stages, Boyd said she is confident Project 828 could help strengthen younger generations.
“Children are a third of the population, but they’re all of our future,” Boyd said. “We’re in a society that’s all about ‘me’, and I feel if we don’t teach our children to look past themselves and be aware of others and their difficulties, then the future will be sad.”
