2019 Featured Non-Profit: Refugee Artisan Initiative

We have a very exciting opportunity to give back to the community by partnering with local non-profit Refugee Artisan Initiative.

The mission of the Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI) is to transform the lives of refugee and immigrant women by providing sustainable work in sewing and handcrafting products.

Founder Ming-Ming Tung-Edelman's love of fashion and dedication to helping immigrant families led her to design a line of unique, colorful jewelry and home accessories from reusable fabric scraps that could provide living-wage work for women in the comfort of their own homes.

Ming-Ming believes job creation and being kind to Mother Earth can go hand in hand. RAI's Living-Wage Work Program is a hybrid model: helps each artisan to accept batch work for its own product line and for local partner businesses and designers. This allows each artisan to maximize earning potential. Each artisan is set up with the equipment and tools she needs to work from home through the micro loan.

Refugee Artisan Initiative will be on site at the event selling raffle tickets that you can put towards additional chances to win prizes!

Raffle tickets will be one for $5 and three for $10. Cash or checks only.*

*Unfortunately, there is no ATM at the Collective, so please plan ahead if you would like to purchase extra tickets.

All proceeds from raffle ticket sales go towards Refugee Artisan Initiative.

We will also be accepting materials donations for Refugee Artisan Alliance at the event.

RAI can accept the following types of fabrics:

muslin, cotton, cotton blends
water resistant/proof wovens,
linen, denim (non-stretchy), and upholstery fabric*.
Knits are not being used at this time.

*Fabrics must be in quantities of 1/2 yard or more. Please do not bring fabric scraps smaller than a half yard.