FEBRUARY 2018 32 | A petite figure with a sweet voice said to the audience, “I’ll be right back. There’s something wrong with my shoe.” Moments later, the diminutive artist returned. A hush fell over the usually boisterous Childhelp Drive the Dream Gala crowd. And unlike previous years, everyone took their seats. Jewel and her guitar went to center stage and a mesmerizing acoustic set followed. The energy of this Grammy-nominated artist was palpable as she paused from her set to share an intimate memory of her own childhood struggles. Jewel spoke about her experience with delinquency and nearly shoplifting an item in her youth. When she saw herself in the mirror making this mistake, she wondered “Is this me?” It’s a question she’s been asking since girlhood. Jewel’s mother left her family when Jewel was just 8. Her father suffered from PTSD from the Vietnam War. Today, circumstances like these give the star unique perspective about the challenges that the children benefiting from Childhelp face. Homeless at 18, Jewel attributes her resilience to the good people who “helped her rise above.” The other saving grace that helped her through hard times was her voice. Jewel’s life experiences make her an ideal advocate for the work being done by Childhelp because her mission is to help children growing up in tough circumstances. What’s more, Jewel is taking her mission one step further by giving struggling kids the tools they need to take charge of their lives. This special moment at the 2018 event came about because of a coincidental meeting between Jewel and Joseph Ciolli, Grimaldi's Pizzeria CEO and presenting sponsor of the event. They met at the SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) conference and Jewel immediately felt a connection to Childhelp’s mission. As Ciolli shared details about the GIVING IN STYLE {fashion in the philanthropy lane} Charms Phoenix at the Childhelp Gala JEWEL Tyler Butler | FASHION WRITER

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