**This post was originally written at Sprouting Off and then moved here. If you are not new to Life of Elle then move along to the voting part.**
This is a little out of my comfort zone. I’m used to readers knowing all about this. Let me give you a little background.
My husband and I (and a group of awesome volunteers) started a non-profit foundation. This organization has been around for 6 years, but in 2012 we officially became a bona fide non-profit. That’s not part of the story, but it’s a BIG deal so I have to put it out there.
So non-profit.
This little foundation exists to make the lives of orphaned children better. The organization is called Sweet Hope. You can read more about it here.
Right now we raise money and send it to an orphanage in Far East Russia. We have supported 3 different orphanages over the years. Hopefully this year (like last) we will be sending our funds to a facility in the Village of Khor, Russia. The facility is a rehabilitation center for children who are left temporarily without parents. In 2011, Khor cared for about 200 children and about 80% of them were returned to their parents.
In the past Sweet Hope has purchased needed supplies like a refrigerator, carpets, paint for the walls, chairs, stethoscopes, oxygen machines and we’ve provided the resources for children to have Christmas and birthdays. We have also developed a partnership with an organization called the Slavyanka Women’s Society. It is a group of professional business women who have now taken patronage over the orphanage Sweet Hope supports.
Sweet Hope has an annual fundraiser. The fundraiser raises the money that we send to the orphanage. In addition, Sweet Hope also gives need based grants to families adopting. The money for those come from this fundraiser too.
So what is this fundraiser? Why chocolate and caramels of course! You thought it would be vegetables didn’t you. Wrong! This is way better.
Sweet Hope needs your help. In years past I have given people a say in what flavors Sweet Hope makes. We make 7 different flavors of chocolate truffles (and by make I mean I make them all by hand, in my kitchen). We also make 5 flavors of caramels (but you don’t get to vote on those). In the 7 flavors of truffles there are 3 that are constant. We always make plain chocolate, candy cane and caramel sea-salt. The remaining 4 are chosen by our customers.
In years past we have taken nominations for new flavors. Our customers have become very creative over the years. This year we decided to take a simpler approach to this. I made a list of the flavors (besides chocolate and candy cane) that we’ve done in the past. We are taking the top 8 best sellers and putting them to a vote. Those 8 will be narrowed down to 4 and we will make those 4.
This week is vote week. You have until Friday, October 5th to cast your vote. You are able to vote more than once. The poll is located in the sidebar ——>. I’m encouraging, no… begging you to please vote. Here are the descriptions of the flavors available for voting:
Apricot Sage – Cream and butter are infused with fresh sage then combined with Dark chocolate and apricot brandy to make the ganache. Truffles are coated in Dark Chocolate and topped with candied apricot
Mocha – Dark chocolate centers infused with locally roasted Valhalla coffee, coated in dark chocolate and topped with a coffee bean
Spicy Jamaican – Chocolate ganache combined with Bacardi rum, vanilla syrup and chili powder, coated in Dark Chocolate and finished with freshly grated nutmeg.
Hazelnut – Chocolate ganache mixed with Nutella spread, coated in dark chocolate and rolled in toasted hazelnuts
Orange Ginger – milk chocolate centers with a hint of fresh orange zest coated in milk chocolate and dusted with ginger powdered sugar
Raspberry – Raspberry milk chocolate centers covered in Milk chocolate sprinkled with shaved Dagoba Roseberry Chocolate
Pumpkin Spice – Milk chocolate centers mixed with Pumpkin Butter and spiced coated in Dark Chocolate and topped with candied orange peel or dusted with nutmeg.
Chili: Dark chocolate centers kicked up a notch with ground red pepper flake and coated in dark chocolate topped with chili chocolate shavings
Ok, Please vote.