Okay! Here we go! It’s time to announce the organizations that will be on the receiving end of your generosity!
I’ve been thinking about this for the last couple years, as I’ve conceptualized the auction and worked on the quilts. Should I choose smaller local places? Larger, well-recognized places? How do I narrow it down to just seven organizations? Or, more accurately, what organizations do I save for the next quilt auction (a few years from now), because do you have any idea how much batik fabric I have and need to get moving on? Yikes. If all goes well, I may do another auction in the future.
And just as a reminder, each of the seven quilts will get paired with one of the seven organizations. So you can bid based on the organization you’d like to support or on the quilt you like best. You can even bid based on which of the backing fabrics speaks to you the brightest. There are plenty of ways to arrive at your decision!
Please read through and learn more about these fantastic organizations. Get inspired by all the amazing work they’re doing. Get ready to bid on a quilt and support these great causes!
Important detail: The auction will go live on Monday, November 6 and will close on Sunday, November 12. All bidding will happen through 32auctions.com (link provided as we get closer to the event).
We all know about Planned Parenthood and the important work they do, but Abortion Care Network (ACN) works to form a coalition of the independent clinics that “provide care for the majority of people seeking abortion in the U.S. – often serving individuals and families with the fewest resources and in the most rural parts of our nation.” Visit their site to learn more about how ACN is making sure that abortion care is recognized as essential health care. Follow ACN on social media!
I recently learned about Alight, an organization that provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief to displaced people. Their mission is to co-create new communities with people who have been “forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence and climate change.” Although this is a global organization, I am most excited to help support the work Alight is doing in Minnesota with new Afghan families. Follow that link to read more about the homes that have been created, the marketplace of goods that is available, the local field trips available to these new Minnesota families, and the women’s sewing circle…at which I’m going to teach quilting later this winter! AH – HOORAY! Follow Alight on social media!
Neon lights and civil rights. That’s what you’ll see when you walk into the All Square restaurant on Minnehaha Avenue in Minneapolis. But the restaurant (serving the best grilled cheese in town!) is just the beginning. All Square is committed to restorative justice, racial equality, and criminal justice reform. The All Square fellowship programs are dedicated to the empowerment, employment, education, and healing of their formerly incarcerated fellows. Follow All Square on social media!
I don’t know if I’ve ever been as inspired or as humbled as the day I spent with Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative. He came to our campus as a speaker, and I was fortunate enough to spend the day accompanying him to the various engagements. He had boundless energy and attention for the people who came to meet with him and hear him speak about his work. EJI “provides legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. “We challenge the death penalty and excessive punishment and we provide re-entry assistance to formerly incarcerated people.” Challenging us to confront our country’s long legacy of racism while serving those impacted by injustice is a bold mission. Learn all about this organization and get inspired! Follow EJI on social media!
Family Tree Clinic has been providing reproductive and sexual health care in Minnesota for 50 years, and in that time, they’ve never turned anyone away due to an inability to pay. With a commitment to education, advocacy, and justice, FTC removes barriers to quality care for all. In addition to gender affirming care, they participate in the Midwest Trans Health Education Network and offer connections to legal assistance for queer and trans people. Follow FTC on social media!
We Need Diverse Books works to “advocate for essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.” Through grants for libraries, educators, authors, and illustrators, as well as advocacy and education programs, WNDB strives to create “a world where everyone can find themselves in the pages of a book.” Follow WNDB on social media!
World Central Kitchen understands that cooking food is a true demonstration of love and comfort. Founded by Professional Chef José Andrés in 2010, WCK “is first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. […] The WCK approach is that we should always work with urgency, listen to communities, and adapt.” Whether it’s natural disaster relief, or feeding isolated villages in the Ukraine, WCK is on the ground, doing the work. Follow WCK on social media!
The End Justifies the Seams 