Our button-making equipment in action in our studio.
Thank you wonderful customers for supporting our recent fundraiser effort: Buttons for Japan. Together we raised $2009 for Mercy Corps' efforts to aid Japan after the March earthquake and tsunami. That means we made 1148 buttons out of origami paper and shipped them all around the country.
Learn more about Portland-based Mercy Corps' Japan relief here.
Cell phone snapshot of our buttons for sale along with the Buttons for Japan tag
Our Buttons for Japan fundraiser is a moving example of the magic of the internet. I posted the buttons on our website here at around 10 pm last night. Then I posted a link on our Facebook page. Orders came in almost immediately.
I shot over an email to the fine folks at our neighborhood blog, MyBallard.com. By the time I checked my email the next morning, the article had been posted. More orders came in through our website.
Meanwhile, Debbie opened our shop at 10 am and people who had seen our online announcement stopped by right away in search of the buttons. Some bought big batches of 40 or more to give to clients. Others bought 4 for $8 and talked with us about watching the news crying for the suffering in Japan.
The good news is we raised over $600 on day one of our fundraiser. The bad news is the situation continues and seems to be getting worse. I urge you to visit the excellent Mercy Corps website to read about the crisis and the work being done there.
One blog entry talks about the charity bringing satellite phones for the displaced to call their loved ones to tell them they are alive. How simple; how huge.
Thank you for your support thus far. Whether you choose to buy buttons from us, or donate directly, your support, however large or small, is part of a greater good that will help many.
The earthquake in Japan has us heartbroken, and we turn to you to help us raise funds for disaster relief. We are making these pin-back buttons with one of our favorite Japanese craft supplies - origami paper.
Order these 1.25" pins in sets of 4 assorted patterns for $8 and we'll donate $7 to Mercy Corps, a Northwest-based disaster relief not-for-profit. Learn about their Japan aid here.
These pins are available in our Seattle store, or online here. Shipping is free for this fundraiser, so send these little pins to your friends and family. Wear them as a show of support for the people of Japan.
We were overwhelmed by your help with our Dahlias for Haiti project just over a year ago (you helped us raise $6800!). We thank you in advance for helping us this time.
Our goal is to raise $1500 by April 15th, when we will end the Buttons for Japan fundraiser. Please spread the word!
$8 buys a set for four assorted origami pin-back buttons. Each pin will ship with a small tag explaining the fundraiser, making it perfect for sharing with friends and loved ones.
Please help us by sharing this idea with your friends - both online and on Facebook!
