Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Adams.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Paper for Water began on November 3rd, 2011, and was founded by my oldest daughters, Isabelle and Katherine Adams. They wanted to help girls like themselves go to school rather than walk for water or get sick from unsafe water. It was originally a one-month project that grew organically into a volunteer-driven non-profit. Paper for Water uses the art of origami and meaningful volunteer opportunities to raise awareness and funds to help families and communities impacted by the world water crisis. This November, Paper for Water celebrated 14 years of pursuing its mission.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The most significant challenges we have faced include navigating COVID. We had over 100 volunteers gather monthly to help in creating origami for several projects, like lobby and home Christmas trees, and public installations. COVID brought a full stop to these large public volunteer gatherings as well as almost all of our public installations and trees. We had just drafted our budget and finished our planning for the year. We tore that all up and brainstormed how we could survive in this new reality. Thankfully, we were able to quickly pivot to virtual events. There was a high demand for corporate virtual volunteer opportunities, and we ended up having two very successful years of donation revenue from these events. We engaged employees of large and small companies and kept odd hours, speaking to corporate teams around the globe. We provided a mailing service for employees who were working from home around the country, creating kits of origami and supplies sent straight to their homes. We are especially thankful to Veritas and Global Payments for their incredible generosity and team members. In order to engage students and young people, our volunteers created many holiday-themed videos and even a series of how-to videos for a 30-day origami challenge. We were encouraged to hear that teachers were using these videos with their students, and even had a teacher working in Cyprus send us photos of origami made by her students during the 30 days. We are also grateful to North Park Center for supporting us by inviting us to be part of their virtual Christmas activities, as well as decorating the Christmas Tree in the Neiman Marcus courtyard.
Another challenge we faced was having the pipes break in our building during the Texas ice storm. Our office was flooded, and we lost a large part of our inventory and supplies. We also had to quickly remove everything from the office before the mold set in, and so the sheet rock and flooring could be repaired. An army of volunteers arrived to help, and our church stepped up and stored everything for the three months while repairs were made. The Container Store was a huge help in getting our office back into shape, and everything ended up looking and being better organized than before. Of course, the challenges continue and are many, but we are grateful for the thousands of people who have stepped up and helped with every challenge and opportunity we have faced.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Paper for Water is a unique non-profit because it is driven by creative and entrepreneurial elements. This keeps the daily grind fun and challenging. We are constantly dreaming, innovating, stepping out of our comfort zone, and trying something new. We believe in fast fail and allow our youth volunteers to try out new ideas, ditching what doesn’t work while keeping and improving upon what does. After-action reviews are part of our monthly meetings and brainstorming ways to improve. We are thankful that we are able to create community while creating beautiful art. Product-wise, I am most proud of Paper for Water’s Christmas Tree being a Neiman Marcus Fantasy gift, as well as our large-scale installations over the Galleria Ice Rink, and the gorgeously decorated trees we provide each year to a local charity. However, seeing our youth volunteers mature, gain confidence, and find joy in serving others is deeply fulfilling, as well as seeing communities we serve flourish and move closer to reaching their potential. For me, this is a demonstration of God’s love and being a channel for His goodness. I am grateful as a mom that my children have had so many meaningful experiences, been exposed to the joy of volunteering, and have been able to truly impact the world. Their gift to me was starting something bigger than all of us, inspiring me to dream big and give more, and giving me the opportunity to step up and continue the meaningful work they started now that they are in college.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Personally – Perseverance, Scrapiness, and Faith
Paper for Water’s core values are altruism, community, innovation, and perseverance.
Pricing:
- Origami gifts begin at $10
- Installations begin at $1,000
- Christmas Trees begin at $5,000
- Honorarium and Corporate Events begin at $500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paperforwater.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperforwater
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperForWater
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaperForWater
Image Credits
The first two photos on page 8 were taken by April Barnes
