Sometimes it takes one blouse and a woman with a will of iron to make an extraordinary difference.
Some time ago, Gretchen Scott began supporting Elizabeth’s Hope in honor of her young neighbor and family friend, Elizabeth Minter, who had been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor.
Gretchen designed two special cotton blouses for the cause, ultimately selling thousands and donating 100% of the proceeds to support pediatric brain tumor research.
What began as an effort to help one child and her family grew into something much larger. Elizabeth’s Hope helped build support for the pediatric brain tumor research program at Weill Cornell Medicine and later became the Children’s Brain Tumor Project Foundation, continuing its mission to advance research and treatment for children with rare and difficult-to-treat brain tumors.
In recognition of her longstanding support, Gretchen will be honored by the Children’s Brain Tumor Project Foundation at its annual No Laughing Matter Gala at the New York Athletic Club.
The River Community Clinic was created to provide free healthcare to uninsured adults throughout the Thousand Islands region; a place Gretchen considers deeply personal.
This is her land, her people, and her community.
Gretchen helped establish the clinic in memory of her father, Dr. George Sturtz, a pediatrician who dedicated his life to caring for others. In partnership with River Hospital, the clinic provides primary and preventive care, chronic disease management, vaccinations, care coordination, and assistance connecting patients with longer-term healthcare resources.
For Gretchen, it is about caring for the people who call this place home and making sure access to basic medical care is never out of reach.
Hibiscus Children’s Center provides a safe home and critical support for children and teens who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Hibiscus Village is made up of eight homes surrounding a central courtyard, creating a close-knit environment where young people receive mental health care, educational support, life-skills training and career preparation designed to help them build stable, independent futures.
Gretchen Scott Designs has continued to support Hibiscus through its annual Blue Ribbon Luncheon & Fashion Show, where Gretchen has served as a featured keynote speaker and returned year after year in support of the organization’s mission. Most recently, she joined the grand finale of the fashion show, closing the runway alongside the final model, dressed as the bride.
Georgie’s Scholars was created in honor of Gretchen’s father, George Sturtz, an accomplished physician, scientist and scholar who devoted much of his life to caring for children throughout Northern New York. He founded the North Country Children’s Clinic, reflecting a lifelong commitment to service, education and his community.
Gretchen continued that legacy at St. Lawrence University, her alma mater, by creating a scholarship for students from the North Country. Georgie’s Scholars provides financial support to students pursuing their education at St. Lawrence and helps make opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach possible.
To fund the program, Gretchen created an athletic collection inspired by St. Lawrence, with 100% of proceeds from designated pieces supporting Georgie’s Scholars. The collection included the Jock Girl print, inspired by the stained glass of the university’s historic Herring-Cole Hall.
Through Georgie’s Scholars, her father’s legacy continues through the community he served and the students building their futures there.
This October, our in-store Think Pink Campaign raised nearly $10,000 for the American Cancer Society in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For Gretchen, the cause is deeply personal. As a two-time cancer survivor, she knows firsthand how important research, treatment and support can be for patients and their families.
Funds raised through Think Pink help support cancer research, transportation to treatment, lodging for patients who must travel for care and other resources provided by the American Cancer Society.
Danielle, Senior Development Manager at the American Cancer Society, later visited to recognize the campaign and share how these contributions reach real people facing cancer.
Think Pink is our way of turning a personal fight into something larger, using our stores, our customers and our community to help support others in theirs.
Gretchen’s commitment began during a visit to a Maasai village in Kenya, where she learned that educational opportunities were often prioritized for boys while girls were left behind. Determined to help change that, she began sponsoring the education of Maasai girls through boarding school, with the goal of supporting them through college and, where possible, graduate school.
Working closely with her safari guide, Jackson, who oversees the program locally, Gretchen has been able to follow the girls’ progress firsthand. They are thriving academically and looking toward futures in nursing, aviation, journalism and beyond. One student, Happiness, finished in the top 5% of her class at a nationally ranked high school.
What began with a few students has become a long-term commitment to giving young women greater access to education, opportunity and independence.
The Janeda L. Batchelor Foundation for Children supports vulnerable children and families in Tanzania through education, housing, healthcare and community development. Its 65-acre campus on the shores of Lake Victoria provides a safe home for girls who have experienced abandonment, abuse or other difficult circumstances.
The campus also serves the surrounding community through a co-ed vocational school attended by hundreds of local students, a medical clinic and a working farm that provides both food and employment. Together, these programs help create greater stability, opportunity and independence for the children and families they serve.
