Crafting for Charity: Various bits
Oh no! I in my brilliance forgot to post that last Friday was World Alzheimer’s Day and that I’d seen a couple things craft-wise about it. I’ve kind of kept track since I posted about the Alzheimer’s Quilt Initiative a few weeks ago. Do good intentions count?
In other news, I noted that the upcoming Maker Faire in October here in Austin, Texas has given a nod to giving/charity via FirstGiving, a website where you can start a fund for a nonprofit. The Maker Faire will have a FirstGiving booth on hand.
[Note: I've taken off my information about giving, because Alison from FirstGiving stopped by my blog, and you can read more (and better!) information about it in her comment! Hi Alison! Just on another note, the nonprofit that I work for is on FirstGiving - I haven't figured it all out yet, but it seems like a really neat site!]
On a side note, can I say how exciting it is that the Maker Faire is approaching?
Finally, this week’s charity - this charity is in the business of collecting & delivering knitted orcrocheted teddy bears for children that have been involved in tragedies of some sort in Lebanon, Romania, Costa Rica and Brazil.
This site, Teddies for Tragedies, is a Canadian operation inspired by an English operation that began in the 1980s. There is a pattern on the website (use theirs, please!), and some pictures.
What neat things people do to help others feel better!
4 Comments
feel free to leave a few words of your own...Melissa — Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 11:19 am (link)Wow, was it World Alzheimer’s Day? Sadly, my friend’s grandmother died just this week — of Alzheimer’s. Definitely brings the point home. It’s such a tragic and devastating illness, and any attempt to increase awareness or raise money for research is valuable. So yes, good intentions count
Alison — Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 9:31 am (link)I work at Firstgiving, and I’m excited to see you mention us being at Maker Faire. We can’t wait to go to Austin!
I just wanted to clarify what the invitation is that we’re extending to crafters, makers, and nonprofits that will be at Maker Faire:
If you’re a nonprofit, you can raise money for yourself and we’ll make it possible for anyone at Maker Faire - or anyone else with an internet connection, anywhere in the world - to donate to you.
If you’re not a nonprofit, we’re not asking you to give your profits for charity. We can help you turn your crafting into a fundraising event the same way a walkathon or a marathon is a fundraising event: you craft, other people make donations. We make the donation part easy, and again anyone anywhere in the world - including people at Maker Faire - can give online.
Miriam, I hope you (and everyone reading) will stop by our booth in Austin and say hello! And feel free to email me if you want to know more about all this raising money for charity stuff. alison[at]firstgiving.com
Miriam — Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 9:58 am (link)Thanks for the clarification, Alison -
Incidentally, although you don’t have to give your profits for charity, I’m always amazed at the number of crafters who do indeed donate a portion of their profits to one cause or another.
FirstGiving is a way to do even more!
Mary Emma Allen — Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 3:35 pm (link)I’m pleased you found my post at Quilting and Patchwork about Alzheimer’s Day of interest and mentioned it here. I also write a blog about Alzheimer’s and posted information there, too. Thanks for reminding everyone here about Alzheimer’s Day and helping raise Alzheimer’s awareness. My mom and aunt both had Alzheimer’s and I was caregiver for them. I write and speak about this disease to help raise awareness and bring encouragement to other caregivers.
