What's the mission

This is not a group mission but an idea for a project.

We could sponsor some indigenous weavers so that they can attend the ''Encuentro de Tejedores'' ( Gathering of Weavers) which is being held in Cusco this year in October. I know that WARP is involved with sponsoring a group of Guatemalan weavers. Perhaps we could get in touch with them and they could let us know how to go about it and how much money is involved.............

I was a member of WARP but have not renewed for this year-am thinking about it though.

Laverne

This isn't a mission statement either, but just some ideas on weavers contributing to charities, etc.  I look for weavers when I'm loaning at Kiva.  There aren't many, but a few.  Also, I contribute a portion of what I sell online and at craft shows to various causes.  I usually post a link to whatever charity I'm sponsoring and let people know the percentage of my sales I am going to contribute.   At craft shows I try to give a portion of my sales to a local group and put up a little sign to that effect.  Occasionally, I can offer up a handwoven piece for an auction.

Beryl

Hi Laverne.  Definitely a good idea.  The charity weaving group does not have to be all weaving but can also be projects like this one. 

From time-to-time, I receive articles about the plight of various fiber related peoples.  Needless to say, time-wise, those of us running Weavolution are tapped-out, so we haven't acted on any of those pleas.  But this is so important to us, that even though we can't run it, we decided to start the group now.

I'd love to see a new volunteer take on running this group.  That person would be responsible for hosting chartiy projects, whether it be sponsoring an indigenous weaves, or weaving baby blankets.  People who bring forward charity ideas near and dear to their hearts could run their project or assist the group leader.

The weaving community has lots to offer and I hope that this group can help you by reducing the barriers to helping others.

Alison

Beryl,

Thanks for sharing your ideas.  I think what you do is great!  It shows yet another way in which weavers  can give (or are already giving) back their communities.

I hope that if you are particularly passionate about any of these causes, you consider bringing them here with this group, and maybe host a charity weaving event for them.

Alison

hI everyone, the idea of a charity group is interesting but I do have a few comments:

• Raising money via the groups you have mentioned becomes difficult for those of us who are not in the States. Refunding postage rather makes a mockery of the appeal and drive for more funds that was held last month, and may upset others who were considering donating to keep the site afloat, but object to the money being used for other purposes, no matter how good the cause.
• As a weaver, the idea of helping other weavers appeals to me.  Helping someone to further their education to support the family unit is a practical charitable gesture that has an ongoing effect, beyond the initial help. This is where getting the money to those who are best placed to use it becomes important.

I suspect that with the current disaster in Haiti that many of the charities are already swamped with items when they really need money. Last night  on the news I saw a warehouse full of clothes and bedding that was left over after the Victorian bushfires last year. The bushfire fund was having to pay for storing it until another tragedy comes a long where it can be used.

I have been in work-places that have sponsored a child via World Vision or similar organisation. In many cases this sort of sponsorship helps a whole community, and these charities have been very badly hit by the financial crisis, so that there is less money for ongoing projects, while the world pours out its charity for Haiti, where many of these charities operate anyway.

Making something and donating it might have a feel good effect for the weaver, but the important thing is the feel-good effect the charity has on the recipient - I would rather know that my widow's mite gives ongoing help where it is needed, than feel good for a few hours until the glow wears off.

Just a few thoughts that might bear further examination.

Caroline,

Thanks for your thoughts.  I hope they get more people thinking and talking too.

Your words "rather make a mockery" are on the harsh side, and I want to assure everyone, untrue.  100% of those funds are going to development and nothing but development.

The partners of Weavolution were going to pay for that postage out of their own pockets in the name of Weavolution.  We are already tapped out with full time jobs and trying to keep Weavoltution improving (not to mention our our home town volunteer efforts).  The postage was the way we determined to could show our committment.  I think based on your comments, we perhaps should withdraw that commitment to squelch a misperception.

I agree with your comments that most places need money rather than items, but some need items also.  I also believe that these goods can be very tangible way of showing a commitment to the world community.

Finally, we have not limited the charity efforts here to woven goods.  Weavolution members can run a cash raising charity here also.  Centralizing the efforts here can also be a tangible way of showing a committment to others in need.

All ideas will be approved  and monitored by the Weavolution team.

Thanks again.  You clearly presented your thoughts and noted a perception problem we hadn't anticipated.

Alison

Hi Caroline:

I must admit I DID think about those of us on Weavo who are not in the US.  I was hoping to discover a place to start... not the final ideal solution.  People are welcome to add other charities throughout the world.  

There are SO many places we can give money both locally in our US cities and our cities throughout the world for all sorts of causes.  But we are weavers and I'd love to figure out a way to either donate our woven items to help people or like some have suggested, a percentage of the sales of items we make.  Some, though, do not sell their work and donating a handwoven jacket for a 7 year old through the Afghans for Afghans project may be something they'd like to do.  

I like Laverne's idea of helping weavers who are in need through WARP  (Weave a Real Peace) who has a track record of helping weavers throughout the world.  From their website:

WARP's Core Values

• Textiles are an important component of the human experience.
• Providing support to textile artisans from communities-in-need gives them tools to shape their own destinies.
• Networking and sharing information creates an environment for constructive action.
• Making connections between textile artisans worldwide promotes positive social change.
• Interacting with people who have similar values enriches our lives.

We are a very diverse group here at Weavo -- I'm afraid it will be difficult to find one charitable idea that will fit all of us.  But we can try!

I thank Weavo's staff's for their generous offer to pay postage.  It was a heartfelt  desire to encourage people to give.  I thank them for all they do and for starting the dialogue about giving back!

hi Alison, I didn't mean to imply that anything underhand was going on, we Australians tend to lead our mouths with our feet first at times! So if I have offended, I'm really sorry.

We have a really strange situation over here as regards funding for charities at the moment; usually our TV screens are full of fund-raising efforts  after a disaster of this magnitutude, but this time its........silence. The only charity I have heard mentioned is Medecins sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders and that is by the reporters actually in Haiti, and they are asking for monetary donations rather than goods. There have been a few scandals here over the past few years when its been discovered that most charities use professional fund-raisers, and less than 10 cents in the dollar ends up in the charity's bank account once the "pro's" have taken their cut.

I love the idea of using WARP to help indigenous weavers in South America, we tend to forget about them unless there is a natural disaster, but its an ongoing situation. There are also weavers in the Thai refugee camps, and probably in Pakistan and Indonesia as well, and not forgetting the Tibetan refugees in Nepal, who seem to still be in camps, and well exploited. There are sooooo many good causes, and so little money to help make the misery more bearable.

Many of us are unaware of the hundreds of US charities and will have to be guided by those that do know. Can I make a suggestion with my foot firmly in my mouth? That we try to support International charities where possible, and those that do their work in neutral countries rather than at home? to avoid any hint of bias? Many people donate privately to home-grown causes, and perhaps it should stay that way, a private matter, otherwise how can you argue preference for a charity in one country over a similar one in another?

Now I shall go and stick my head  into the sand, thus presenting a nice target for those who want to improve their aim! Please take the metal points off any tapestry bobbins.

Caroline,

Thank you for your gracious words.  I love your idea of looking for international needs.  We all have our home charities, and we really hope that these efforts do not take anything away from them.

Working with WARP is a great idea.  We may be able to give a good boost to their efforts.

It might also be a good idea to have more than one on-going effort.  For example, a weaving effort (such as Afghans for Afghans) for those who want to help but don't feel as though they can afford to send cash, and a cash drive for WARP.

Alison

MISSION STATEMENT...

That's where this thread started...

We can incorporate some of WaRP's core values, especially

1.  "Providing support to textile artisans from communities-in-need gives them tools to shape their own destinies."

And/or 

2.  To help people in need by providing them with handwoven articles, ie. blankets, sweaters, scarves, etc.

3.  To provide financial support to the greater community of weavers throughout the world.

How's this for a start?

Help!

Suzy

I think this a great mission statement and covers what we have been discussing here.

I am wondering if Weavolution as a whole is a member of WARP.Often entire guilds take out membership as a single entity. Judy Allen in the Yahoo WARP group is calling out for membership renewals now so that everyone can be included in the latest directory.

Laverne

This post may belong in a new thread. Here are some specific things that I've participated in lately. Maybe we can get an idea from them.

1. The Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild has a volunteer position that coordinates donating knitted and woven projects to various local charities (homeless, AIDs babies, etc). We often get donations of yarn, and members are encouraged to select from those yarns to create donation items (hats, scarves, mittens) or to create knitted afghan squares (pattern, needles available at the meetings) which are constructed into afghans for donation. Yarns that are not appropriate for donated items are offered for sale to guild members, and the money is donated.

2. For Christmas, my study group helped a member de-stash by combining her wonderful selection of big-fluffy yarns with our own to create lap robes to swap and donate. I made 3 lap robes and I donated 2 to a new women's shelter.  (See photo as an example of a lap robe in place in the shelter.) I encouraged the shelter to allow the residents to take the lap robes with them when they left. Obviously, more of us would have to donate to provide a lap robe or similar item to each woman, but even 2 is a start. I hoped this would be a form of psychological support for the women: kind of a handwoven "hug".

Thanks.  I think the mission statement needs more... but I'm not sure what???  

I also appreciate your reminder to join WARP!  I'm sure they can use individual's financial support by membership.   A Weavolution group membership and encouraging guilds to join are both good ideas, too.

I see that Brandon has started a "Weave a Real Peace" (WARP) Weavolution group.  His group's description: "WARP serves as a catalyst for improving the quality of life of textile artisans in communities-in-need.  We provide information and networking opportunities to indviduals and organizations who value the social, cultural, historic, and artistic importance of textiles around the world."  This follows beautifully with Weavolution's mission.  The "Weave a Real Peace" Weavo group includes information about WARP 2010 their annual meeting held 4/30/10 -5/2/20 near Phoenix.

Do you know of any other global groups such as WARP promoting handweavers in need?  

Several people have shared the wonderful things they are doing with their skills and talents as handweavers to help people in need in their own local community.  I am so inspired by what you do!  Thank you for sharing so that we can each find ways to help locally.  

I also feel that it is important for us as the Weavolution community to find ways to help globally, especially as Weavolution is a global network.

What do YOU think???

:)Suzy

I guess I started with Claudia's post ("Weavolution is 4500 members strong and many of us have a little extra time and some extra supplies to be able to weave something for someone else.  I believe that we can search the web a bit, find a few different charities looking for handmade items and organize a couple WALs to donate our goods.") and ran with that.

What do I think? I think there is room for both local and global work. We are all so fortunate compared to many in the world, I feel that each of us should do something. I suspect that our mission statement will want to revolve around how Weavolution (or the group) can further empower us. That is, can we be stronger/more effective as a team, rather than a collection of individuals.

Certainly, the group could function as an inspiration to weavers who want to make a difference. Similarly, rather than focus on scattered "points of light", we could become a blaze of light by concentrating our efforts. Perhaps we could do both? That is, could the group provide a method of inspiration by identifying WALs or examples of individual contributions *and* identify a limited number of charities that might receive group efforts?

(Rereading this, I think I'm rambling, but I need to post and get back to work. Please feel free to refine these thoughts for me.)

Flamingo...

I love what you are saying about a "blaze of light!"  We can do so much as a network of weavers.  If half of our 4500 members donate even $5 a piece through a PayPal option... we would have $11, 250 to give to a charity that could help empower other less-fortunate handweavers!  Talk about a blaze - WOW!

A WAL would be wonderful, but takes time and planning.  We could BLAZE right now!  But... lets plan a WAL for a future date!

The power of this incredible weaving network is that we can do so much together... that we couldn't do as individuals.

Let's just DO IT!  We just need to know... what!

Suzy

I like the lap rug idea.  My mom's quilting guild donates quilts to a boys juvenile detention center. The boys get to keep the quilts when they leave.  I really like the women's shelter lap robes.  Very nice.

I'd hate to see this thread die without some kind of resolution. I liked Suzy's ideas for a mission statement, although I would have suggested the following:

1. Provide handwoven articles to help people in need (local, global, etc).

and

2. Provide financial support to the communities in need.

I've changed the meaning of the second one. That is, rather than providing financial support to the greater community of weavers, my inclination would be to turn it around: a community of weavers providing financial support (to charities we designate).

What I like about this: 1 allows us to participate using our special skills as weavers: that is who we are and what makes us different from any other donating individual or group. 2 allows us to maintain our identity as weavers, while helping in situations where handwovens are not what is needed. As we all know, often money is more readily translated into what is needed.

How we could do these:

1. We could donate locally (and share what we are doing with this group.)

2. The group could identify charities that can use handwovens (along with contact info) and could encourage donations to these groups via challenges, contests, etc.

3. The group/Weavolution might provide links to charities in need of financial support OR could provide an actual button (see that "Donate" button for Weavolution? Something like that, but for the charity.) We could encourage donations via challenges or contests again.

(This post provides 2 suggestions for mission elements and 3 suggestions for how the group would accomplish the missions.) Feedback?