Shedding Light on Frequently Asked Questions

A. (L.A..A.F. Team) "Our founder, Katie, is a passionate community builder and an inspiring figure. Finding amazing guidence via #copilot A.I. tool to help with building all of the content and providing a great soundboard to bring this dream to life. The need was there, wanting to start a non-profit and keep the costs minimal, the help and support of A.I. tools have made it all possible. As the majority of the content within this website has been evolved utilizing it. It's a wonderful tool.

She has always been drawn to the idea of helping others and making a difference. This led her to establish our foundation, a social enterprise that not only offers services and sells homemade products made from primarily repurposed, locally sourced, and eco-friendly items, but also uses the profits to support various community cause

Katie’s journey wasn’t always smooth. There were times when she felt alone and let down by the very resources that were supposed to provide solace and help. But instead of succumbing to despair, she used these experiences as fuel to empower others who might be going through similar situations. She believes in the power of community and the ripple effect of kindness. Her faith in the ‘Pay it Forward’ theory is unwavering - she knows that one person can start a chain reaction of positive influence.

Despite the financial challenges, Katie is committed to showing compassion and empathy, and inspiring others to do the same. She firmly believes that the world can change for the better if each person touches just two other lives. It’s not about ‘What’s in it for me’, but about how we can lift each other up.

Our foundation’s mission is to make a positive impact on the world through the power of positive influence, selflessness, and awareness. Regardless of the success of sales, Katie will never stop her mission. The more support we receive, the more help and influence we can provide. We deeply appreciate every purchase and all feedback from our like-minded friends.

Thank you for supporting our foundation and Katie’s vision! Together, we can make a difference."

A. "Yes, you can donate to the foundation directly. We accept donations of items that are within the listed needs of the organizations and facilities that we support. You can find the list of needs and the donation locations, dates, and times on our [donation page]. We also accept monetary donations of check, virtual, credit, or cash. You can make a secure online donation using one of the options on our [donation page] or mail us a check to our address. We will send you a tax receipt for your donation. We are grateful for your generosity and your contribution to our foundation’s mission. "

A. (Owner) "Yes, we do. Our foundation is committed to helping anyone we can, within our power. We believe everyone deserves a chance to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals. If you know of anyone in need, please complete the form below and let us know what kind of help they may be in need of. We will do our best to provide them with the appropriate support and resources.

For example, we can help a single parent who is struggling to make ends meet yet makes too much money to get government support. We can offer them support, counseling, mentoring, or referrals to other organizations that we feel can help them." 

A. (Owner) "I want to clarify that our endorsements are not for sale. We don’t accept any form of payment, incentives, or discounts from the businesses we endorse. Our mission is to support local businesses purely based on the quality of their work and their commitment to excellence. We believe in their mission and we stand behind each one of them. Our endorsements are a result of our personal experiences with these businesses and our belief in their offerings. We’re dedicated to fostering a thriving local economy and community, and we believe this can be achieved by supporting businesses that share our values of honesty, integrity, and passion. So, in essence, the only ‘cost’ for our endorsement is the consistent delivery of high-quality products or services and a commitment to our shared values." 

LaPlante Apothecarial Art Foundation is an organization that utilizes it's profits towards efforts aimed at supporting local communities and promote artistic expression. The foundation was founded by Katie "Kate" Wieland, a former salon owner and entrepreneur who has a passion for helping others and creating beauty.

Kate’s journey began in 2020, when she decided to buy and re-brand the Plantsville, CT salon, ‘Blonde and Beyonde the hair Salon’ into 'Blonde & Beyond, LLC'. She wanted to make her salon more than just a place for hair and beauty services. Building a platform for showcasing and supporting local businesses and causes. She manifested and launched two programs: ‘Keep it Local’, which featured local businesses and their products & services in her salon and on social media. As well as ‘Beyond Giving Back’, which partnered with various organizations to collect donations and volunteer for those in need.

Kate’s vision was to become a beacon of hope and inspiration for others, especially during the challenging times of the pandemic. She believes life is about perspective, and that one can either feel buried or planted by the darkness. She chose to see herself as planted, ready to grow and reach the light.

However, 2023 brought great obstacles and setbacks for Kate and her salon. Faced with health issues, location difficulties and little support from those responsible, resulted in ultimately the closure of her physical business. But with the unwaivoring guidence and support from those invested in her ideals (Zach, Toni, Lisa, John&Donna, Kim, Craig&Lydia, all of her amazing guests, Ashley and Julia), Kate did not give up on her dreams and passions. She decided to evolve and adapt, using her creativity and resilience to start a new venture: LaPlante Apothecarial Art Foundation Inc.

The foundation bears the name of the man who gifted her with the inspiration to always prevail, who stood with her through every storm, Zachary Craig LaPlante.  Along with a quote that saw her through the darkest of times from her father-in-law, Craig LaPlante. He taught her that greatness begins with great sacrifice, and that one should only focus on what one can control. "If it was easy, everyone would do it." -Poppa Craig. 

Finding great healing & inspiration in apothecarian art, which blends nature, beauty, and expression, inspiring the full name. Through this, she found fulfilment and appreciation for re-purposing and re-furbishing. Finding passion in the connection of re-imagining what others discard into something new.

LaPlante Apothecarial Art Foundation Inc. is currently under review for local permitting as of August 28th, 2023. The foundation’s mission is to continue the work that Kate started in her salon: helping communities, businesses, and causes through various programs and initiatives. The foundation also aims to foster creativity and innovation by providing opportunities for artists, entrepreneurs, and learners to showcase their talents, skills, and ideas.

With the devotion of extraordinary supporters and Kate at the helm, LaPlante Apothecarial Art Foundation Inc. is ready to grow and inspire positive impacts in the world.

It's our hope that we can collaborate to configure a wonderful ideal with other small businesses whom hold the same beliefs and selfless purpose. We want to share what we've learned along the way, we believe knowledge sharred is true power maximized. "For the many, not the one." Business doesn't always form from a place of monitary focus. It's our hope to change 'Business' to have more of supportive definition with finiancial gain remaining where it belongs, at the bottom of the goal lines!

Contact us for information on how you can join our mission. Any one person can make the difference to inspire a new presentence.