An unidentified woman donated her 5.5 carat diamond ring, valued at $235,000, to local nonprofit Because I Said I Would and the nonprofit is looking for a buyer.
Alex Sheen started the nonprofit as a way to honor his late father. The charity is known best for creating “promise cards” that allow users to makes promises and keep them.
Since the nonprofits inception seven years ago, Because I Said I Would has distributed 11.3 million of these cards to at least 150 different countries. The organization offers other services, as well.
“We do character education programming in schools, prisons, juvenile detention centers — that’s teaching concepts like honesty, self control, accountability and taking those lessons and putting them into action through volunteer projects,” Sheen said. “Because what is volunteerism other than a promise to help someone in need?”
Sheen was gifted the diamond one day when he was doing a speaking engagement in Las Vegas.
A woman from the audience walked up to Sheen and told him she wanted to give the nonprofit her wedding ring from a previous marriage. The woman said she recently went through a divorce and didn’t know what to do with the ring. Then, she decided she would donate the diamond to a good cause.
When Sheen got the ring evaluated, he found that it was a 5.54 carat platinum and diamond ring with 151 round brilliant cut diamonds, valued at $235,000. Now, the charity is tasked with finding a buyer for the ring.
“How do you find someone who is in the market for a $235,000 diamond?” Sheen said. “The diamond is worthless until we find a generous buyer who wants that funding to go to our charitable programs in schools and prisons and juvenile detentions, so herein lies this moment.”
Once the nonprofit finds a buyer, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale will fund the character development programs benefitting schools, prisons and juvenile detention centers. Some funding will also go to the nonprofit’s promises to provide sobriety support packs, bikes for foster kids, and birthday parties for homeless children.
To learn more about the diamond, visit becauseisaidiwould.org/thediamond.
