Thanks to the owners Susan and Ashley of Goldy + Mac’s for such a supportive atmosphere!
And special thanks to those who donated!
We can’t wait for our next shopping event Thursday, Nov 11th, 2010!
Blog
AGF goes to Thailand
- Posted on January 13, 2012
The Thai people are so resilient. I am happy to know that all of our artisans are back to work, dry, and safe. – AGF founder Elizabeth Firgeleski
Elizabeth traveled to Thailand recently. As you may know, AGF was born in the wake of the tsunami that practically leveled Thailand in 2002. Our founder Elizabeth was caught in this tsunami, and the incredible care she received in Thailand was the first spark of inspiration for AGF. Terrible water damage has affected large swaths of the country yet again, with major cities and rural villages nearly wiped out. Infrastructure has suffered, and many of our artisans have found their lives deeply altered once again. The floods have affected food and clean water supplies, as well as affecting land for living and farming. Elizabeth saw much of this damage and also much of the hope for a rebuilt future when she traveled to Thailand. She was kind enough to answer these questions for us.
The child of an AGF artisan
1. What sort of damage did you see in the areas you traveled in?
In Bangkok we saw stores boarded up with sand bags piled up in front of the doors. In the remote areas, farm land covered with puddles as large as small lakes and ponds. Our artisans spoke of having to sweep water
out of their homes and of course the materials that sustain their
livelihood were ruined–saturated by the rain water.2. What did the economic climate seem like compared to the last time you visited Thailand.
The pricing of all of the materials has gone up, causing our product price to rise.3. Did you have any interesting conversations with Thai people about the floods?
It was interesting to know that the government was pumping out areas of Bangkok. In Bangkok it was also interesting to see the store owners simply closed up shop and took off for higher grounds. The sand and rice bags are an innovative way to control high waters and protect property.4. Did you hire any new artisans or research any new materials or techniques for products?
We found a young woman who makes great knit hats that are amazing for children. We also encouraged Sintuva to hire additional workers to expand the 12 person team she leads.Spotlight: Community Supported Artisans
- Posted on January 06, 2012
At AGF, we are very proud of our CSA program. It’s what sets us apart from other organizations, and it’s just one of the ways we directly influence the lives of the generous, creative artisans with whom we work. Being that 100% of your contribution goes directly to your artisan of choice in the form of his/her hourly wage, it’s the perfect way of helping others help themselves. We have been so lucky to launch this program. The CSA program has been a consistently exciting project since we opened it last quarter.
An AGF partner artisan you can sponsor through our CSA program!
Through our CSA program, you provide an artisan with life security by ensuring a steady income that will help to educate her family and give her the luxury to plan for tomorrow. Your gift multiplies in purchasing power once it gets to the artisans in the impoverished communities of Thailand, Indonesia, or Peru, where we work. There is beauty in knowing that you can directly help another person put food on the table – and oftentimes, your gift can make the difference between having basic necessities and not having them.
If your resolution is to be more charitable in 2012,consider a sustainable way to give and join our CSA program. We send out quarterly update newsletters and you will be helping us grow a loving, healthy community around the world, united by an AGF partnership.
AGF added many new artisans to its ranks in 2011. We are so grateful for all of the support we’ve received over the past year as our organization has grown, and we know that the AGF community is committed to aiding these artisans around the world.
We have a range of options for monthly gifts to our CSA program, so you can decide how big your impact can be. Check the options out here.
Thanks! - Shop for a Cause - Friday, October 29th, 2010
- Posted on January 04, 2012
- What a great success!
World News: Haiti & Indonesia
- Posted on January 04, 2012
Haiti makes headlines again, a storm is headed to Hispaniola
Please read more: Haiti Wants Major Camp Evacuated Ahead of Storm
Indonesia has been hit with natural disasters for weeks now,
To hear and watch the story: Indonesia volcano Mount Merapi in new eruption
Read below from BBC News:
“3 November 2010 Last updated at 13:41 ETIndonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano has erupted again, with greater force than last week’s eruptions in which 36 people died.The safety cordon around Mount Merapi has now been increased from ten to fifteen kilometres and the President has visited the area to check on the relief efforts.An estimated 75,000 people have been evacuated from the area since Mount Merapi first erupted last Tuesday.Indonesia is also dealing with the aftermath of another natural disaster, after a tsunami hit the Mentawai islands last week, claiming more than 400 lives and sending thousands into emergency shelters.”Team AGF reminds you that world aid is an immense help to people in countries rife with natural disasters.AGF as an organization hopes that by creating sustainable livelihoods in the way of making handicrafts and helping small businesses prosper that people can also aid themselves and safely aid community members out of harm’s way.
Shop for a Cause Pt. 2 - Thursday, November 11th, 2010
- Posted on January 04, 2012
A Global Friendship presents a special evening
of fashion, fundraising, and live music by Karen Zimmer
in conjunction with the Asha Veza Park Slope Boutique
Thanks! - Shop for a Cause - Thursday, November 11th, 2010
- Posted on January 04, 2012
Thanks everyone! We enjoyed a lovely evening of music by Karen Zimmer, awareness, and fashion at Asha Veza Boutique. Please see the pictures below and leave us a comment!
Let's hit up Magnolia!
- Posted on January 04, 2012
Magnolia Bakery of Bleecker street and cupcake world fame has donated its baked treats to our June 9th
event.
We hope you’ll join us for some delicious cupcakes and A Global Friendship’s handmade bracelets!
Credit: Vulpes Libris
Opportunity Within Reach
- Posted on January 04, 2012
We at A Global Friendship want to say thank you to all of our friends who came to our June 9th event at glassybaby and showed their support for our organization and our Opportunity Within Reach campaign.
Credit: glassybaby 
Credit: CiaoBella Gelato Thank you to glassybaby for the event space, and our many donors, including CiaoBella Gelato!
With Opportunity Within Reach, we hope to augment our efforts in the field and continue our pace of vibrant growth and increasing creativity in fair trade practices. Your attendance at this event was a huge step towards making that goal happen, and we can’t wait to see how the organization will grow from here.
Keep an eye out for AGF’s upcoming site redesign and even more info from the field! We can’t wait to forge a stronger global friendship with you.
© 2012 A Global Friendship is a registered 501(C)3 non-profit organization
