You’ve made blocks, pieced tops, quilted quilts. You continue to commemorate, and I am so deeply grateful to you for sharing your time, talent, energy, and materials to help commemorate the 70,273 people who were murdered. Perhaps you’ll be willing to help another way? Expenses for The 70273 Project have become too great for Andy and me to shoulder alone, so I’m hoping you’ll be willing to share this post and/or the Facebook fundraiser on your timeline and encourage your friends – especially those who profess to be non-stitchers but want to join in –  to contribute.

There are many expenses, and right now, our most pressing needs are shipping and storage.

The quilts of The 70273 Project have stories to tell –  stories of what unimaginable atrocities can occur when bullies are left unchecked. They also tell stories of inherited cloth used to make blocks; stories of lives touched by special needs students who taught their teachers so much; stories of loved ones with disabilities who bring such joy to the lives they touch; stories of people using a needle and thread for the very first time. The 70273 Project tells stories of people who are different contributing to a project that’s big enough to provide space for those differences in its unity of purpose. We are proving it can be done – that people who speak different languages; enjoy different likes and dislikes; have differing abilities can come together to commemorate those who died, celebrate and champion those who live, and educate all who will listen. In a time when the world needs kindness and compassion more than ever, we need money to ship the quilts around the world to tell their stories.

a few of the quilts – and that blue you see? don’t panic. it’s just the border of a pillowcase used to protect the quilts.

And we need space to store the growing collection of The 70273 Project quilts. When all is said and done, The Engineer figures we’ll have around 1200 quilts, and I have a teeny tiny little ole’ studio. I have a vision of one of those dry cleaning conveyor racks – you know, the kind that you push a button and the clothes (in this case, the quilts) move around the track till you locate the one you’re looking for –  as a way to store and retrieve the quilts. We need money to purchase the equipment and create a space to house it.

Tuesday, 11/28/2017 is #givingtuesday, and if you’re on Facebook – or you know folks who are – there are special opportunities that apply just for this one day allowing you to double the donations through matching funds.

Here’s some background info you might be interested in:
~ The 70273 Project, Inc. is recognized by the US government as a 501(c)(3) organization and is registered with Facebook as a non-profit.
~ On Giving Tuesday, 11/28/17, donations to nonprofits made through Facebook’s charitable giving tools will be matched up to $50,000 per nonprofit or $1,000 per fundraiser or donate button, until the $2 million in matching funds run out.
~ The matching begins at 8AM EST (5AM PST).
~ On Giving Tuesday, from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., Facebook will forego the 5% fee it usually takes from donations made on Facebook, which means that 100% of all donations made through Facebook go to The 70273 Project.
~ You’ll see a banner on your fundraiser page after #GivingTuesday indicating the amount received in matched funds through your fundraiser.

Here’s how to set up a Facebook fundraiser on your timeline:
1. Visit  The 70273 Project Facebook Page.
2. At the bottom of the left sidebar, select “Fundraisers.”
3. Select the “+ Raise Money” button to the right of the word “Fundraisers.”
4. A pop-up box called “Create a Fundraiser” appears. Select “Get Started” at the bottom.
5. On the “Let’s Start With the Basics” page, make sure that “The 70273 Project, Inc.” is listed as who you’re raising money for.
6. Set the amount you wish to raise. (Note: Up to $1,000.00 USD will be matched.)
7. Assign an end date for your fundraiser. (Note: Only donations made on #GivingTuesday, 11/28/17 will be matched, and the matching continues until the $2 million allocated by the Gates Foundation has been depleted, so perhaps you’ll encourage your friends to donate early?)
8. Click “next”.
9. Title your fundraiser and tell why this matters to you.
10. Select “next.”
11. Choose a cover photo.
12. Select “create” and you’re off and running!

Peggy Thomas, Chief of Connections for The 70273 Project and creator of The 70273 Project Quilt #139 shown above,
created a fundraiser on her timeline. You’ll see it when you complete step 2. Feel free to use it as a template and make adjustments as desired.

Aaannnnddddd . . . if you don’t want to create a fundraiser for your Facebook timeline, you can tell your friends to simply visit The 70273 Project page, mash the “Donate” button, and contribute there.

Thank you for your continued support of The 70273 Project. I’ve got so much to tell y’all. There’s so much happening with The 70273 Project around the world – just wait till you hear. Tomorrow: Nancy and the rest of her Thanksgiving holiday then there are some new things coming up you’ll want to know about.

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Other places to gather around The 70273 Project water cooler:

Shop with Amazon Smile and support The 70273 Project.

Subscribe to the blog (where all information is shared).

Join the English-speaking Facebook group – our e-campfire – where you can talk to other members of The 70273 Project Tribe.

Join the French-speaking Facebook group – our other e-campfire – where you can chat with other members of The 70273 Project Tribe.

Like the Facebook page where you can check in for frequent updates.

Follow the pinterest board for visual information.

Post using #the70273project on Instagram. (Please tag me, too, @whollyjeanne, so I don’t miss anything.)

And if you haven’t yet made some blocks, perhaps you’d like to put some cloth in your hands and join us.

Or maybe you’d like to gather friends and family, colleagues or students, club or guild members, etc. together and make a group quilt.

Or a Middling (art quilt) or a Mini (fabric postcard).

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