In order to make an impact in the community, you need the catalyst to break through. In this episode, Shelaine Maxfield of the Younique Foundation, an organization that educates and empowers parents and caregivers to protect children from sexual abuse through community and online resources, shares some ways they have been able to make a lasting impact on people’s lives.
Listen and subscribe now!
In this podcast excerpt, Shelaine Maxfield, founder of the Younique Foundation, shares how the organization was founded and how they have helped more than 3,000 women heal from trauma and sexual abuse.
SM: It was actually Derek’s idea to do a retreat for survivors of sexual abuse. And I’m like, “Yeah, we can pluck them out of their circumstances and teach them about self love and self worth and help them understand that healing is possible and teach them different ways to heal. That will be good for them as individuals.” So, we got this grant idea together, and I said, “That’s really nice, but how are we going to pay for that?” Derek started the Younique company and co-founded it with his sister, Melanie, in order to fund the Younique Foundation so that we could help adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse find hope and healing.
KS: So you started the company with the foundation in mind?
SM: The foundation came first.
KS: Tell the listeners about Younique the company.
SM: Younique is a direct sales company. We have cosmetics and skincare.
AN: Up to this point, roughly how many women have you been able to help through your retreats and your healing process with them?
SM: About 3,600 women have come through our retreat so far.
KS: That’s amazing that you were sitting in the car, having a conversation with Derek and saying, “Oh, if we could just help one. And here you are six, seven years later and you’ve been able to help 3,600.
SM: Like that story of the starfish on the beach and the little girl is throwing them back into the ocean. And the guy’s like, “You can’t help them all. And she said, “I can make a difference for this one,” and she puts it back in the water. That’s how I feel about it.
AN: Would you mind sharing a couple of stories of some of the women who have helped?
SM: One that always comes to mind is one that lost over a hundred pounds. She quit drinking, and her relationships with her family improved significantly because she was applying all these things that we taught her about overcoming the trauma of sexual abuse into other aspects of her life. And she’s doing great. She’s one of our best volunteers. She’s amazing, and I smile every time I see her.
