Jewelry Store Recognized for Charitable Work

Devon Fine Jewelry's charitable efforts overseas has earned it an award from a nonprofit organization.

The Wyckoff shop's Devon Foundation helped earn store founder and owner Nancy Schuring one of the first awards given by Jewelers That Care, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting development projects in rural African villages. Schuring received the award recently at a Jewelers That Care trade show in Las Vegas.

In 2008, Schuring was so inspired by a "gem tourism" trip to Madagascar that she established the Devon Foundation, which is dedicated to training residents of developing countries and educating jewelers in the United States about ways that working with local nonprofits can improve their communities and bottom lines. The foundation funds scholarships for locals to attend the Institute of Gemology of Madagascar.

"Devon Fine Jewelry has done a remarkable job in creating the Devon Foundation, a nonprofit that wonderfully captures the romance and energy of the jewelry world, while helping people in need at the same time," said Alethe Clementson, Jewelers That Cares' executive director.

Tuition for training to work with gems and precious stones costs about $500. But that can be twice the annual income of someone who lives in the developing world. Successful completion of training can dramatically increase a person's income, as the difference between the value of rough gems taken straight out of the ground and cut stones can vary by a factor of 10 or more.

"Our goal is to help people in nations with mineral resources take greater advantage of the gems they find," Schuring said.

The nonprofit Devon Foundation also is dedicated to helping jewelers in the United States become more effective resources for their communities. 

"They say doing good is the best way to do well, and we've certainly found that to be the case," Schuring said. In the last two years, Devon has worked with 15 community organizations, from women's clubs to Scouts to the PBA. Schuring also has worked with 27 schools and a variety of national nonprofits, from March of Dimes to the Red Cross. Local nonprofits she works closely with include the Ramapo Bergen Animal Refuge and Shelter Our Sisters.

Jewelers That Care's citation focused on the scope of the store's activities.

However, not all of Devon's charitable efforts are focused on the nonprofit sector. Schuring said she plans to again stage the "Finders Keepers" promotion, where bags of fine jewelry are placed throughout the community for lucky recipients to find.