Hannah was teaching art in Palo Alto schools so much material was made available to the local school district, as well as organizations like Children’s Theater  was the early effort.  Over time the sources have become more numerous and productive, and coupled with the seasonality of schools, challenged our ability to find new markets.

The fabrics (and more!) that have gone through our budding organization have found their way as far away as Fiji and Ghana.  Closer to home: Pennsylvania, Rocky Mountain states, Southern California, Nevada, Pacific Northwest, and more.  Folks are experimenting with them in self-help programs in remote areas of the Philippines. Products made from them have been sold to benefit churches, schools and other non-profits, and to support individual initiative.  They have been used in sewing classes for disadvantaged and for seniors. People have designed projects around the needs of the arts and the autistic, from aiding in skills development to creating keepsake quilts for foster children as well as the families of those who serve society and are served by it.  The stories that could be developed are awesome, as projects develop in the hands of caring and use-driven folks.

We are now a public benefit corporation, anticipating 501(c)(3) status very soon, so we can pursue corporate or other sponsorship.

The LORD has blessed our efforts in many ways we couldn’t have imagined, and in even more ways that we haven’t yet discovered.  We have a growing network of wonderful friends who continue to be inspired and who continue to inspire us,  and along the way, everyone’s horizon has grown wider.  We currently move well over twenty tons of beautiful material each year.  That’s more than a ton of stuff each month that doesn’t go to the landfill. It also is raw material for an incredible variety of useful applications.

Join us for an awesome and exciting ride!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Click to listen to KZSU program broadcast on December 8.  This interesting  program was an hour in length, covering several connected topics.  This link is just for the FabMo segment.  Check back for the full program.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Please add me to your list so I can know when you have your open houses.  Even though I am in Los Angeles, we travel fairly often to the Bay Area to visit our son and family so I can, perhaps, time a trip to match when you have your open house.

Thank you for all you do - this is an amazing project you have undertaken and those of us on the receiving end certainly appreciate it.                                                                        Jan F.        1/9/09

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

How many similar efforts are in your area?  Maybe their focus is on office supplies, or food, or packaging, or any other area where waste happens because waste is easy, but where a little effort could turn trash into treasure. Where and when you find such efforts, please support them.  Please email us with thoughts, suggestions, or questions.

Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) accepts all manner of materials that can be repurposed into the teaching effort.

Palo Alto Freecycle -  an excellent avenue for channeling resources to new users and owners.

“Heaven is not located on high, but where the good of love is, and this resides within a person, wherever he or she might be.”                                                                     Emanuel Swedenborg