FAQs about Still Waters' Giving
How much money has Still Waters Pottery donated?
In 2021, we held our inaugural Studio Show & Sale in August and a second event the first weekend of December. By the end of the calendar year, we donated $3,390.00 to charity. Each of our featured charities, The Extension, Marietta, GA, Refuge Coffee Co., Clarkston, GA, and World Vision received $1130 because of the philanthropic spending of our customers!
In 2022, we have sold through a February Kiln Opening and to visitors with appointments. In April, we hosted a Mother's Day Show & Sale. At the end of April, we did our first round of donations, giving each charity $300. After our Second Anniversary Show & Sale, we donated a total of $1575! (Our World Vision donation was increased 9x and going especially toward ending worldwide hunger.) Finally, as a result of our Holiday Show & Sale, we finished the year with $380 to each of our charities. (The total for 2022 was $3,615.00.)
WOW!!! The third anniversary Show & Sale went beyond our wildest dreams! I'm so appreciative of friends, acquaintances, and folks in the community who responded to social media ads, emails, and street signs. Because of their spending, Still Waters was able to donate $1000 to each of our three charities! It's overwhelming! This Christmas, we tried something new and participated in a crafts fair scenario. Through this and private sales (yes, you may come by and shop!) we were able to donate $150 to each of our charities. Total giving for 2023 was $3450.
UPDATE, 2024. This year was overcome with a change of residence and therefore a studio move. The process began in late January, shortly after unloading a bisque load. It wasn't until September before I could glaze and fire the January pieces! A small holiday open studio raised just shy of $900. Christmas donations were rounded to $300 apiece.
Since our opening, you have enabled us to give through our Show & Sales $11,355.00 toward humanitarian causes. Thank you!
Empty Bowls of Rome, GA is another avenue where we can give to charities. In an Empty Bowl event, tickets are sold and each ticket-holder gets a simple soup meal and a beautiful handmade pottery bowl. Bowls are donated, so there is no pricing. In the case of Rome's event, tickets are sold for $25, and all the proceeds in 2023 went to the local Salvation Army. I have been invited to donate bowls for two years. So far, I have given 20 bowls, which helps Empty Bowls raise $500. Such an honor to participate with such a generous community!
I see that you donate to three charities. Would you consider other charities?
Yes, we would consider other charities, but not all charities. We see our mission as helping those with basic humanitarian needs, such as food, water, shelter, and the ability to obtain these needs. These are universal needs, so we choose charities that represent our community: a local charity, a state or metro area charity, and a charity that addresses needs nationwide and globally. So, as much as we like culture, this "weeds out" museums, public media, and the like. We also do not lend support to politically volatile causes because even though they are incredibly important they are not always as critical as basic human needs.
We invite you to check out our charities at charitynavigator.org as well as their websites listed under “Who We Support.” If you have a suggestion for a charity to sponsor, please contact us at info@stillwaterspottery.com