Testimonial 11
"Orly pulls at your heartstrings. She's authentic, relatable, and funny to boot! She's artfully woven together her real life personal experiences to pave the way for how people can turn everyday instances into magical moments that make the world a kinder place."
Michele Landa, NY
Testimonial 10
"Orly Wahba portrays what true kindness is all about. Orly has a unique way of speaking and connecting with her audience. Orly is full of positive energy, and has dedicated herself to a life full of kindness. She is truly an inspiration!"
Allison Bardavid, Hesed Coordinator - Barkai
Testimonial 9
"Orly Wahba demonstrates the unique skill and courage of being self reflective and sharing her process with those around her. She is a gifted public speaker who moves those who attend her presentations with personal anecdotes, poems and videos to do that more one kindness that creates the future we all desire."
Rabbi Moses Haber, Rav Yeshivah - Barkai
Testimonial 8
“Orly Wahba spoke at Pacific Hospitality Group's Annual Conference about the power of kindness and the impact it can have on others. During her speech, Orly shared her personal journey with kindness and how even the smallest gesture can result in powerful connections. Her speech resonated with our employees and moved many of them to tears. I highly recommend Orly for speaking engagements. Your team and/or employees will not be disappointed!”
Pacific Hospitality Group
Testimonial 7
“Orly came and spoke at our company wide sales meeting last month. She was absolutely wonderful. It was the first time that I had seen all of our sales staff put down their phones and actually listen and engage in what she was saying. She is an amazing speaker and I would highly recommend her to anyone!”
Kristen Beeman, Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Testimonial 6
“Orly Wahba is an fantastic speaker with a message the world needs. Her combination of humor and personal reflection kept our audience both engaged and entertained, and her warmth and kind heart shone through. Orly doesn’t just talk - she walks the walk. Our parents were thrilled with her presentation and we’ve had many requests to bring her back to speak to our students as well and we are looking forward to making that happen”
Andrea Steinkamp, Co-President, PTA of PS 199
Testimonial 5
“Orly delivered a powerful message of Kindness to our team as the keynote speaker for our annual leadership conference. Veteran leadership team members with more than 15-20 years of tenure shared with me that Orly was perhaps the most inspiring guest speaker that they have seen in our conference history. Orly is an incredibly genuine person, and radiates such positive energy with her every interaction and especially in front of large groups. She is an exemplary model of everything that she is trying to impact in the world. I know that her story and key messages have inspired our team to lead our campers with building their muscles of character. I highly recommend Orly and LVI to any organization looking to make a positive cultural change and/or make an impact in shifting the trajectory of our planet with Kindness.”
Pauline Dowling, Director of Learning and Leadership Development, ESF Camps
Testimonial 4
“Orly did not just speak to a group of conference attendees, she spoke to me. Though the audience was large, her words individually pierced my conscience. Her story is one that should be heard and absorbed. I walked away from the talk with an increased appreciation of people around me, those I know, and even those I don't. This can be applied to personal, business, and community.”
Ed Blumenthal, Executive Vice President, Wealth Management at Janney Montgomery Scott
Testimonial 3
“Orly just recently spoke to our attendees which was a mix of employees and their spouses (with some teenagers in the crowd) and her message completely resonated with everyone. She is an amazing storyteller the way she shares herself and her experiences. What binds us in this crazy world is our humanity and everyone in the crowd of 200+ left feeling happy and inspired due to Orly's passion and compassion.”
Jamie Fungard, CMP - Asst. VP, Event Planner, Janney Montgomery Scott.
Testimonial 2
“We secured Orly to be our keynote speaker at ESF's 2017 Team Leadership Conference this year and it was the best decision I could have made! As we roll out to our entire organization ESF's character education initiative, Orly was the perfect person to help us introduce this initiative. Her message to the audience was compelling, impactful, sincere and authentic. She has the unique ability to “dazzle” audience members with her powerful message with her incredible enthusiasm, dedication, and energy. She communicated and interacted with my staff with a solid display of professionalism. Her capacity for interpersonal relations and concern for others are very strong qualities she has. I give Orly the highest recommendation and endorse that you secure her soon before she becomes “world famous” one day!”
Michael Rouse, President/Executive Director, ESF Camps
Testimonial 1
“I had the privilege of hearing Orly speak at a conference I attended with Janney Montgomery Scott in Orlando. Not only was her message of kindness timely but her entire presentation was extremely motivating and inspiring. Her dedication and passion are contagious. I look forward to sharing her message. She is an incredible speaker and I would recommend her to everyone.”
Joe Martinez, Financial Advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott
Testimonial 22
“Orly Wahba gave us a fantastic keynote on the importance and power of kindness as a healing force in the world. The room was packed and the audience was enthralled in Orly's beautiful and meaningful stories about how we can help one another create a more caring world. I recommend her highly.”
Scott Mesh, PhD CEO, Los Niños Services
Orly Wahba honored by the NY Knicks at MSG!
Orly’s day on the court
NY Knicks Honor Orly Wahba
On Sunday April 14th, 2013 Orly Wahba, founder of Life Vest Inside was honored at Madison Square Garden by the New York Knicks at center court and awarded the Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award. Each month the Knicks reward an outstanding member of the community with the Knicks Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award in honor of Nat Sweetwater Clifton, the first African American to play for the Knicks who remained a stellar figure in the community until his death in 1990. This award recognizes those who have gone above and beyond and have made a difference in the lives of others in a significant way.
Orly was called to center court during the 2nd quarter of the game and was joined by NY Knicks legend, John Starks, who presented her with the award. Orly was honored for all that she has done and continues to do through Life Vest Inside, a non-profit she built from the ground up. Life Vest Inside is dedicated to spreading kindness, empowering people, and building self-esteem and self-value.
Orly received the award with great humility and said, “I’m honored to be given the privilege of waking up each day knowing that the organization is making a difference in the lives of others. It’s one of the most rewarding experiences.”
As for the purpose of the organization, Orly said “It’s all about showing people just how amazing they are and the potential they have to affect real and positive change in the world through simple yet powerful acts of kindness. When we are involved in acts of kindness, we realize how unbelievably amazing we are and that our value isn’t reliant on the amount of followers we have on instagram or Facebook, by the clothes we wear, or by how wealthy we are, but more importantly by the lives we touch, the impact and mark we leave on the lives of others.”
When asked about how it felt to receive such an honor from the Knicks, Orly commented, “I am so thankful to the Knicks for their amazing love and support. I don’t do what I do for recognition but at the same time a thank you can go a long way. It’s the thank you emails, posts, and tweets that people send me each day that keep me going, keep me giving, and most importantly keep me believing that change is possible and that kindness is the way to get there.”
Walt "Clyde" Frazier, NY Knicks legend and commentator was touched by Orly’s commitment to Life Vest Inside and commented, “It’s so great to see someone like that…so young and so concerned about our youth.”
The Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award couldn’t have gone to a better candidate; Orly truly is an inspirational community hero.
To learn more about Life Vest Inside or to contribute to this amazing cause visit: www.lifevestinside.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram: (@lifevestinside)
Interested in Corporate Sponsorship opportunities? Email: orly@lifevestinside.com or Call: 347.2929.LVI
Adversity to Advocacy (A2A) Partner in Kindness
Life Vest Inside is proud to welcome Adversity to Advocacy (A2A) on board as our Kindness Partner! See below for an interview with Life Vest Inside Founder, Orly Wahba, about her YouTube sensation, "Kindness Boomerang," and the personal adversity-to-advocacy story behind it.
Adversity 2 Advocacy Alliance (A2A) is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and fostering the power of turning personal challenges into service to others with similar challenges. To this end, A2A has three primary objectives: (1) Network and support inspiring individuals who have turned adversity into advocacy; (2) Provide pathways to advocacy for anyone facing adversity; and (3) Showcase the proven power of turning adversity into advocacy.
While adversity is something we all experience to some degree, there is one approach that time and time again has proven successful in helping a person overcome the challenges they are facing. It taps the wisdom of the age-old adage that we help ourselves by helping others, and it is supported by a growing body of empirical evidence. This approach is simply that of turning one’s personal challenges into service to others with similar challenges, and it’s available to anyone battling any form of adversity.
A2A aims to achieve its goals through a web-based collection of inspiring stories, educational material, and advocacy opportunities for individuals: (a) facing mental, physical, or other life challenges; and (b) looking for ways to be of service to others with similar challenges.
A2A has proven to truly influence change in people's lives. Life Vest Inside is proud to be associated with A2A and would like to acknowledge the great work they are doing in building a phenomenal healing process for those who have experienced a great deal of adversity in their lives. As their motto states, "We help ourselves by helping others."
A2A Allies program is a very practical way for LVI followers to demonstrate kindness. By adding your name to A2A’s "Wall of Allies," followers are simply declaring their belief in the A2A concept that we help ourselves by helping others. In doing so, you are also showing great kindness to dozens of remarkable individuals who have courageously turned their adversity into advocacy.
A2A Founder, Jeff Bell, interviews Life Vest Inside Founder, Orly Wahba, about her YouTube sensation, "Kindness Boomerang," and the personal adversity-to-advocacy story behind it. Click HERE to check out the interview.
To learn more about A2A and get involved click HERE
Link to A2A’s ally page
Welcoming Our Newest Intern - Shannyce Lashley
Welcoming Our Newest Intern:
Shannyce Lashley
Life Vest Inside is excited to welcome Shannyce Lashley on board as one of our newest interns. Shannyce has recently moved from Trinidad and is pursuing her degree in journalism and communications.
Over the past few weeks Shannyce has shown herself to be committed to spreading the message of kindness by embodying it on a day-to-day basis. Read below as Shannyce shares her experience with Life Vest Inside and why kindness is so important to her.
Shannyce, welcome aboard to the LVI family!
“I first learned about LVI through an internship workshop at Brooklyn College and I must say that I was captivated by the organization’s mission. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason and this was clearly noted when I had the opportunity of meeting Orly Wahba, the Founder of Life Vest Inside, on the day of the workshop. For as long as I could remember I have always been interested in helping others. When I saw the video “Kindness Boomerang,” I knew that I had found my purpose in life. This may sound cliché, but I had found my calling.
I had the opportunity to speak to Orly when the workshop ended, and amazingly enough we both clicked! I was in love with what she was trying to accomplish through LVI, and I knew that I could be a helping hand in seeing that through. Every day we are given the opportunity to make someone else smile, so why not do it. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see.” At Life Vest Inside, we are changing the way people see themselves and others by spreading the word of kindness and empowering people to see that even a simple act of kindness can go a long way.
I am passionate about helping others and I believe that the opportunity that Orly has afforded me will definitely make a difference in the world. This may seem a bit far-fetched, but once you believe you can achieve! A small group of people can change the world! Life Vest Inside’s mission is to make kindness go viral and that is exactly what we are going to do because after all…kindness keeps the world afloat!
My first memory of experiencing a kind act was in my pre-adolescent years. As a child I used to perform ballet, and one year at dance camp, I was unable to complete a dance routine because I fell down and twisted my ankle. I remember my dancing partner running over to my side to help me stand up. She did not have to do that, but she chose to be kind and help me.
Similarly, when I was in high school, I did something that helped me see the world differently. I realized that we do not have to be kind, but in fact we choose to be kind, and in doing so, we uplift ourselves in ways others can only dream of experiencing. One morning on my way to school there was a homeless man near my car. I stopped at the traffic light and he came up to my window and said, “Ms. I’m not here to ask you for any money, all I want is something to eat.” I reached over into my bag and gave him my sandwich. He occupied my mind throughout the rest of the day and at the time I didn’t fully understand how much of a difference I made. After that, each day I saw him I would give him my lunch. Honestly, he changed my life more than I changed his. He showed me that something small can in fact make someone’s life better.
Kindness is an important part of fixing things in the world because we as human beings need to look out for one another. The main goal humanity has to achieve is the actualization that we need to be our brother’s or sister’s keeper. People should choose kindness because it is what keeps the threads of humanity tightly bound. We are all made up of different races, colors, religions, and cultures, but it is our difference that makes us unique. Together we make up the quilt of humanity – and it is one beautiful quilt!”
~Shannyce Lashley
Thank you so much Shannyce for sharing with the LVI community and for living a life of kindness.
Show You Care - Wear the Bear!
Show You Care
Wear the Bear!
Life Vest Inside would like to recognize the charitable contribution of Peace Bear to donate 5% of sales to Life Vest Inside’s world changing mission.
Founded in 2011, Peace Bear is a female owned and operated company that designs, manufactures and markets Jewelry and Handbag lines, targeting a young female demographic. Peace Bear International believes that businesses should be socially conscious. And so, all of their products are designed with a built in “social component” that enables them to pay it forward by contributing a school bag to a child in need. For each bag purchased and 5% of jewelry sales to Life Vest Inside. Check out their website to purchase Peace Bear merchandise.
