Thursday, April 25, 2024 –  TREASURE SOURCE FOR ISLAND NON PROFITS

By admin

APRIL 25, 2024

 
MATERIALS FOR THE ARTS

THE ISLAND’S GREAT DONOR
 

ISSUE # 1226

Judith Berdy

Approximately once a month, I take a ten-minute ride to an industrial building on Northern Boulevard. Inside, you’ll find Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a city-run warehouse that receives donations and recycles them for not-for-profit organizations.

Upon stepping into this vast warehouse, you’ll encounter a treasure trove of unexpected finds for your organization. From a 12-foot-tall green metallic Christmas tree to art supplies, housewares, jewelry supplies, computer equipment and textiles, you never know what you’ll discover next.

I shop for the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, Coler Auxiliary, and sometimes for the Carter Burden Older Adult Center. All of these groups are 501(c)3 non-profit organizations.

For the RIHS, there may be paper, office supplies, packaging materials, and miscellaneous items for the office or kiosk. Much of our kiosk furniture comprises donations and some street finds from 405 Main Street discards. These items are free and save us hundreds of dollars annually.

Most importantly, MFTA has a donor who donates trees and assists with planting them. We have over 150 Kwasan cherry trees, plum blossom trees, and Higan weeping cherry trees on the island that came to us at no cost. Occasionally, the donor sends over plantings that couldn’t be used elsewhere and RIOC staff has the opportunity to place them on the island.

For the Coler Auxiliary, MFTA is a lifesaver. We can source large supplies of bags, totes, small gift items, paper goods, and craft materials. Often, there are large format paper and boards that are prohibitively expensive on the open market. Many holiday gifts have had great packaging from MFTA.
We have chairs from MFTA and lots of smaller pieces of furniture.

For Carter Burden, I have obtained thousands of beads for our necklace and jewelry-making classes. Lots of fabric, yard and decorative trimming in the sewing room comes from MFTA.  Garden furniture and planters are usually available.

Depending on the stock at MFTA, there may be nothing available or 20 bins of beads on one visit . On another visit hundreds of Monet Jewelry was there for the taking.  One week lots of beading supplies that must have come from
a Michaels store;

MFTA has furniture, some new some used. During the pandemic MFTA posted entire office suites that were available.  These large donations have arrangements 
for visits to the sites and arranging transportation.

To shop at MFTA, the organization must be a not-for-profit 501 (C)3. There is an application process, and once your organization is approved, appointments can be made for shopping.

MFTA has tours for school groups and crafts parties for all kinds of groups.  Using the reclycled materials
all kinds of projects are imagined.

The hallway leading  to the MFTA entrance has a continuing exhibit of works of art made from materials found at MFTA

The current Woomin Kim exhibit is a series of amazing collages.

THURSDAY  PHOTO
THE NEW FACE OF EASTWOOD

BLAND GRAY WILL COVER OUR TEXTURED BRICK
VISIBLE IN THE 510 AREA