Meet LaShanda Pitts!

What inspired you to create the Classy Living Society?

My upbringing played quite a major role in the creation of Classy Living Society.  At age nine, I received a brand new perspective of the world.  Just as I was preparing my wish list of Christmas gifts for that year, my parents announced to my siblings and me that in lieu of  receiving personal Christmas gifts, our family would adopt a less fortunate family in the community. That year, and each year after that, my family devoted an entire day during the holidays, driving our adopted family to various stores for gifts, food and other essentials.  It became our mission to ensure that all of the family’s Christmas wishes and needs were met. These missions became a way of life for us overall, as we sought other ways to give back to the community. But through my experiences during the holidays, I learned the true meaning of Christmas, and ultimately that giving back to those less fortunate was not a hindrance, or drudgery, but a privilege.  Out of this early lesson, my passion for community service and volunteerism began.    

I left my native Los Angeles, California and moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1994.  I brought with me the combination of a boundless spirit of creativity, originality, free-thinking and professional experience from my business background.  I merged these qualities, in addition to skills derived from networking with various professionals, my passion for one-of-a-kind event planning and lifelong determination to proactively contribute to society and founded Classy Living Society in 2013.

What are some of the prominent events that CLS has been involved in?

CLS is well-known for hosting its own premier events.  Planning of each event is undertaken with precise attention to detail and we pride ourselves on adding a “wow” factor, whether it be a public or member only event.  Each event is special and unique; the brand of Classy Living Society is personified by each one. Some of our events include:

• We began hosting our annual fundraiser - the Red Dress Gala - in 2014 with 100 attendees; subsequently growing to over 300 attendees at our recent 6th Annual Gala this past October. October’s Gala was held in Houston, Texas and celebrated our launch in that great city.  
• Our Fedoras & Friends event, honoring our top tier members, was recently held in early November.  This event was enjoyed by our members in Atlanta as well as our members in Houston. Members donated over 500 cans of veggies, which will be donated to the Veteran’s Administration to serve at their Thanksgiving dinner.
• The annual Mingle Jingle, which is our holiday mixer.  Our next mixer is scheduled for December 7, 2019, where we will collect and donate pajamas to The Pajama Project. 
• Get on the Bus & Volunteer! signature volunteer initiative which is part of Society Saturdays - quarterly bus rides where all Societies commute to various locations in our home cities to volunteer.  
• A 1950’s inspired Sock Hop, where we collected thousands of pairs of socks for Covenant House Atlanta.  
• ...and many more!

  
Tell us about the Red Dress Gala and what guests can expect this year?

Our 6th Annual Red Dress Gala was fabulous!  This year’s Gala was held in Houston, Texas and we also launched our membership there!  The theme of our Gala was Access Taken. We honored four dynamic CEOs from the Houston area - women who are pioneers in their fields, who have succeeded in the face of adversity and who have defied the odds and used past failures to propel them into amazing successes! We also honored Houston nonprofit organization Sock Out Poverty with the Classy Living Award.  

The Gala is Classy Living Society’s annual fundraiser.  It also serves to honor and applaud the extraordinary work of organizations we are passionate about; and to introduce CLS as a premier national women’s community service organization with a sincere and deep­-rooted enthusiasm for philanthropic efforts. Celebrating the Cause is a mantra which is often expressed among those who are familiar with CLS and our relentless enthusiasm for inspiring, socializing, mobilizing and encouraging like­-minded women on their quest to help change the world!

Plans are already underway for our over-the-top 7th Annual Red Dress Gala!  It is always a day filled with with an upscale brunch, award presentations, lavish decor, special guests, entertainment, comedy, networking, mingling, sisterhood bonding and more!  You don’t want to miss this shining opportunity to attend this much-anticipated event! Become a member - take a look at our customized membership levels and choose the one that’s right for you - or - inquire about how you can become an honorary member and receive social event perks throughout the year!  Click on the link below for more information on how you can join us!

What is next for you in 2020?
We plan to continue to grow, grow, GROW!  We are a national women’s community organization that is committed to expanding our membership throughout the country and abroad! CLS established its home base in Atlanta and since then has expanded its membership rolls to cities throughout Georgia and in California, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, The DMV area and Tennessee.  We plan to join together with members in other cities to build a united front of foot soldiers who are doing great things in the community!  

We will also continue to develop and expand our other great initiatives, including: 

• SHADE – CLS has its own line of socially conscious lipsticks bringing awareness to causes affecting the world — $2.00 from each lipstick purchase is donated to a number of non-profit organizations that are making a difference in the lives of people who need it most.
• CLS’ Biz Zone: facilitates development and growth in businesses and their proprietors through education, promotion, networking opportunities and a number of forums through which members can advertise and promote within the organization to build an entirely new customer base!
• CLS Book Club: Classy Woman Reads is CLS’ very own book club – in which CLS sisters join together to discuss the latest books at periodic Dine and Discuss meetings. These quarterly gatherings are held in various locales to accommodate our nationwide membership with the goal in mind to present an annual national collaborative meeting. Classy Woman Reads Book Club is designed to inspire women to think outside the box, socialize with like-minded women and READ!
• Classy Chronicles: CLS’ official magazine - an online quarterly that features non-profit organizations, CLS volunteer efforts and events, inspirational stories, health, wellness, beauty and fitness tips, business and finance information, and much much more. The CLS website has over 1000 visitors per month and our magazine subscription reaches over 70,000 digital subscribers/viewers and growing.
• Chronicles Too! - a spinoff of Classy Chronicles, Chronicles Too! Is CLS’ online blog which features amazing nonprofit organizations, awesome businesses and business owners, people doing great things in the community and more.

  

• Legacy for Change is a CLS 501(c)(3) whose mission is to inspire and develop a community of young girls, ages 9 to 14, to become successful by cultivating leadership skills through enrichment programs that promote innovation, community service involvement and volunteerism.

 

• CLS Cares is a CLS 501(c)(3) which answers the clarion call to be active participants in safeguarding our plant and natural resources.  It is our “go green” initiative, launched to promote sustainability, conservation and preservation and supports our commitment to save our planet one step at a time, one person at a time.

How can readers connect with you online?
Mailing Address: 5990 parkway north blvd., #15, Cumming, GA 30040
Websites: cls-volunteer.org, iwearshade.com, cls-reddress.org
Phone: 404-490-3768
Email: classyinfo@cls-volunteer.org
Instagram: Classy Living Society
Facebook: classy living society
Twitter: cls_volunteers