A special pop-up sale to benefit the Vassar Haiti Project will be held in collaboration with the island-based Haiti PeaceQuilts, an economic development organization, hosted at the Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard, 45 South Summer St., Edgartown. Dates and times as follows:
Thursday | August 18 | 6pm - 8pm
Friday | August 19 | 10am - 3pm
Saturday | August 20 | 11am - 3pm
Sunday | August 21 | 9am - 1pm
An exclusive cocktail reception for Vassar College alums, family and friends will take place on Saturday, August 21 – 5pm-7pm. Contact Lila at contact.us@thehaitiproject.org.
The sale features original Haitian paintings and handcrafts, as well as gorgeous one-of-a-kind folk art quilts. Sale proceeds will fund education in Chermaitre, Haiti, benefitting 300 children in the village’s K-6 primary school and a scholarship program for primary school graduates to attend secondary school. At the same time, items sold will provide vital income to the artists and artisans who produced the paintings, quilts, and handmade goods.
The Vassar Haiti Project and PeaceQuilts have teamed up in recent years in a mutually supportive strategic partnership to help propel the compatible missions of both organizations. Many on the island are familiar with PeaceQuilts, founded by artist Jeanne Staples, and its work to support independent sewing cooperatives in Haiti where women produce stunning folk art quilts and handmade products, featured in numerous museums and at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival. Over the years PeaceQuilts has had broad island support and participation at fundraising events like Celebrity Waiters at the Federated Church. Recently, after undergoing a rigorous screening process, PeaceQuilts became a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation, validating its commitment to ensuring fair trade wages and strengthening communities in Haiti through long-term partnerships.
Please visit the website to learn more about the art, the students and how you can get involved.
