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Welcome to The Work of Our Hands Website. The Work of Our Hands is a non-profit mission store, staffed by volunteers, which markets crafts made by artisans in developing countries. Our name is taken from Psalm 90:17: "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." Volunteers from many churches and civic organizations work together to provide an outlet for handicrafts from artisans around the world who would otherwise be unemployed or under-employed. The Work of Our Hands is one of a growing number of non-profit shops across the United States and Canada that sell Fair Trade products. The products in the store come from impoverished people living in over thirty different countries. In addition, we carry books and CDs that focus on cultural diversity. The Work of Our Hands also supports impoverished artisans by helping to start shops similar to ours across the country. We have used cash surpluses to provide interest-free start-up loans of $5000 to shops located in Orange City, IA; Des Moines, IA; Hickory, NC; Rochester, MN; Mechanicsburg, PA: San Jose, CA; Richmond, VA; Harrisburg, PA; Tucson, AZ; and Overland Park, KS. In this way, our efforts have a ripple effect. We still have funds available for store start-up loans; contact us in writing if you or someone you know would like to open a non-profit store. The Work of Our Hands has also been able to send several of our volunteers on 'Learning Tours' to other countries, where they met artisans where they work and live. Contact us if you are interested in having someone give a presentation to your group.
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OUR FIRST RUG EVENT was a SUCCESS!!! |
