Jeffrey Mosher speaks with Vickie Bennett, of Lavender Life Company which was founded in 2017 when they simply couldn’t contain their love of lavender any longer. Their lavender farm is located in Caledonia, Michigan, and features plants that they use to design, grow, and create all-natural and organic USDA ingredients. The farm offers products from culinary to spa essentials, baby care to stuffed animals, and everything in between.
The conversation goes on to cover Xander Bunny and Xander Dog which are great therapeutic gifts year-round, but certainly quite special as Easter basket gifts.
Hear Vickie discuss the latest products with Jeffrey in the podcast shared below
From the interview above, these questions were covered;
Explain to us a little bit about your business?
What led you to your goal of reaching 400,000 Kids in Foster Care in the U.S.?
Can you explain Xander bunny?
What is the mission of Lavender Life Company?
With Easter coming up Xander Bunny or Dog is the perfect gift to add to your baskets. Where can folks find Lavender Life and Xander?
● You can visit our website at https://lavender-life.com/ to learn more and purchase a Xander for yourself or someone you love!
Lavender Life Company also shared the following release for additional information on the topic.
Michigan-Based Company Focused on Reaching the Over 400,000 Kids in Foster Care in the U.S.
Lavender Life Co. Partners with Organizations in Michigan, Arkansas, Iowa, Georgia, Florida and beyond to provide therapeutic stuffed animals to children in foster care
Lavender Life Company, a Michigan-based 30-acre lavender farm and retailer is on a mission to provide a therapeutic stuffed Xander Bunny or Dog to every child in the United States foster care system. The company partners with nonprofit organizations and foster care agencies across the country and have donated over 35,000 stuffed Xander Friends to children in need throughout 17 states.
As Leigh Ann Luttrell of Christ's Church, Jacksonville, Florida reports, "These bunnies are so much more than a philanthropic gesture - they are bringing hope, peace and collaboration to an entire system that is broken and in despair."
Children in foster care endure immense trauma; they suffer PTSD twice the rate of veterans of the Iraq War, for example. In addition, according to childrensrights.org many of America’s child welfare systems are completely broken; leading children to suffer serious harm as a result. Some will be separated from their siblings. Others will be bounced from one foster care placement to another, never knowing exactly when or where their lives will be uprooted to next. Too many of these children will be further abused in the systems that are supposed to protect them. Instead of being safely reunified with their families — or moved quickly into adoptive homes — many will languish for years in foster homes or institutions. It is expected that over 18,000 will age out of the system this year without a home.
“We recently delivered 1,800 Xander Friends to a group that oversees 41 remote counties in northeast Georgia,” said Vic Bennett, co-owner of Lavender Life Company. “The director wept when we explained that the glow in the dark heart on the bottom of the Xander’s foot is to remind them that they are loved and not alone. We have again been reminded of the level of upheaval these children go through.”
The Xander Bunny was named in honor of Bennett's grandson, Xander, who was adopted out of foster care and is now a full-time member of their family. The Xander Bunny is a soft, warmable animal filled with fresh Lavender flowers, grown on the Bennett family farm. The Xander Bunny also contains soothing Michigan cherry pits for an elevated level of comfort for those who hold it close.
There are currently over 420,000 children in the foster care system in the United States. It’s Lavender Life Company’s mission to provide a Xander Bunny or Dog to each and every one of those children.
“I saw the great work that Lavender Life Company was doing to support foster children across the country,” said Tami Gillmore, the Chief Operating Officer of Four Oaks Family and Children Services. “I took a chance and called Vic. As our conversation flowed, we are now able to supply foster kids across the state of Iowa with Xander bunnies and dogs.”
Since January 1, 2020, Lavender Life Company has aligned with 59 unique community partnerships that support their values and seek to “adopt” the Xander Project. Partners are now represented in 17 states. There is a growing awareness of the crisis from child abuse, of the prevalence of human trafficking & the great need for good foster and adopting parents - all because of this furry, therapeutic idea.
Alongside the Xander Bunny and Xander Dog, Lavender Life Company offers a diverse range of products including culinary, apothecary, and skincare products. Visit https://lavender-life.com/ to learn more about their product offerings and the Friends of the Bunny project.
About Lavender Life Company
Lavender Life Company was founded by Vic and Vickie Bennett in 2017 when they simply couldn’t contain their love of lavender any longer. The farm is located in Caledonia, Michigan, and features plants that the company uses to design, grow, and create all-natural and organic, USDA ingredients. The farm offers products from culinary to spa, baby care to stuffed animals, and everything in between. Visit their website at https://lavender-life.com/ to learn more.
