Last week, we introduced a new campaign titled “Browser History,” highlighting the inspiring customers using our platform in 2020. It’s with great sadness and shock that shortly after launch we learned of the passing of Rose Greenberg, who inspired us and so many of her customers with her ability to reimagine a humble pillow into handmade sculptural creations. We are devastated. In celebration of her life, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the great talent and entrepreneur that was Rose.
Rose’s medium was whimsical, interactive pillows, works of art that brought joy to anyone who had the pleasure to use one. She began making these creations by hand to decorate her Los Angeles apartment after exploring unusual shapes in other artistic mediums. Guests couldn’t help but touch or hug her stuffed, brightly-colored combs and squiggles. Rose began selling her pillows to provide joy and comfort to her customers with unique, hand-made objects they could curl up with. In our conversations with her, she shared that when the pandemic hit, she dedicated herself to building her business into a sustainable, creative ecosystem that could support and motivate her partners and peers.
It was an honor to work with Rose, and our thoughts are with her family and those close to her. Squarespace is making a contribution in Rose’s name to The Loveland Foundation, where her family is directing those wanting to take part in support of the organization’s commitment to provide therapy and mental health resources to Black women and girls. If you are interested in learning more about The Loveland Foundation or making a donation, you can visit TheLovelandFoundation.org.
As 2020 draws to a close, we can’t help but reflect on a year during which grief and loss have been a universal experience. A recent op-ed in The New York Times outlined a potential “fourth wave” of Covid-19: the psychological impact, which may not be fully understood until the pandemic is under control. For many of us, the stress of the pandemic is magnifying the everyday challenges we face.
Launching something new into the world in this uncertain moment takes incredible strength of spirit, and mustering that strength requires resources and support systems. For those currently seeking help we’ve included a list of resources below.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 mental health support via text message to individuals in the US, UK, Ireland and Canada. US and Canada: text 741741 | UK: text 85258 | Ireland: text 50808.
The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. You can call 1-866-488-7386.
CALM is a leading organization in the UK that provides frontline services via a helpline that is open 365 days a year between the hours of 5pm-midnight. To connect with Calm you can call 0800 58 58 58.