New Store, Art For The Animals, Opens in Carmel
Program turns support for wildlife into unique holiday gifts
CARMEL, CA., November 13, 2004 - Art For The Animals, a unique program that supports wildlife and nature conservancy through Donation gift packages and premiums of handcrafted folk art, announced today the opening of its first-ever retail store. The new store is located in the Mission Patio Shops on Mission between 5th and 6th Streets in Carmel, California.
Lori Stewart, founder of AFTA Associates, which runs the program, says the shop will delight wildlife conservancy supporters and attract discerning holiday shoppers who are looking for artful and unusual gifts. "A retail presence allows us to showcase the Art For The Animals concept," she said. "People can come in, see and feel the folk art, learn about wildlife and conservation programs, and do some of their holiday shopping knowing that they are helping preserve endangered habitats."
Launched as a pilot program in 2001, AFTA now supports 20 threatened or endangered species programs from ten conservancy organizations. A donor contributing to one of the participating organizations through Art For The Animals receives a gift card explaining the Donation and a thank you gift of folk art. To the extent practical, artisan or crafts groups closely tied to the conservation organizations make the art or craft.
Conservation programs have long promoted the idea of giving charitable Donations as gifts during the holidays. AFTA, however, takes the idea a step further by using the fund raising process to support the development and growth of "conversation enterprises," where a sustainable market is created for products made by local artisans in places where wildlife are endangered.
"Carmel is a perfect location for our venture," says Stewart. "People who live or visit here tend to be environmentally and culturally aware. And the folk art offered will appeal to all ages, from hand puppets for children to brass paperweights and napkin rings for adults."
Donation levels range from $10, which benefits Project Seahorse, to $15,000, which benefits the International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT). The Project Seahorse Donation is tied to a seahorse beanbag, made by the villagers in Handumon, Phillippines, where income increasingly comes from Kanagmuluhan crafts rather than the seahorse trade. The ISLT Donation is tied to an authentic Mongolian ger, the large white felt tent that has been home to Mongolians for more than 2500 years. The $15,000 Donation supports the ISLT in its work to find solutions to the long-standing conflict between Mongolian herders and the endangered Snow Leopard. The new store features over 60 other donor gifts ranging form Maasai beaded dog collars from Africa, horsehair flamingos from Chile, tagua nut carvings from the Panama rainforest, cranes from Mozambique, and embroidered linens from Madagascar.
Conservancy organizations currently participating in the Art For The Animals program include:
African Wildlife Foundation
Smithsonian Conservation and Research/Friends of the National Zoo
International Crane Foundation
International Snow Leopard Trust
Lemur Conservation Foundation
Michoacan Reforestation Fund
Project Seahorse
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Wild Camel Protection Foundation
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To view the Art For The Animals Donation packages, or request a catalog visit Art For The Animals in the Mission Patio Shops, Mission between 5th and 6th, Carmel, California 93921 or visit us at www.artfortheanimals.org or call 1-800-416-1271.
Art For The Animals is a program of AFTA Associates, Incorporated (www.aftaassociates.org), AFTA is a 501c3 non profit organization that works in collaboration with existing wildlife and nature conservancy organizations to preserve wildlife and nature through programs that make the business of saving wildlife a business from which the people, who share the region and resources with the animals, can make a living.
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