Materials For The Arts - Providing Supplies to Underfunded Art Programs
05/13/2016
Newest Project
Materials for the Arts is a charitable organization set up by New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs to provide an opportunity for “companies and individuals to donate unneeded supplies to thousands of nonprofit organizations with arts programming and public schools.”
In order to be eligible to receive materials from MFTA, you must operate within New York City, and have a commitment to an arts program. Since its inception in 1978 by Angela Fremont, MFTA has been providing materials to public schools, nonprofits, and social service agencies that maintain a consistent arts program. Not only does it help students and members of the art community who might otherwise be unable to acquire materials by their own means, but it has contributed immensely to the reduction of waste within the city. Because of this effort, and the recognition from the City’s Department of Sanitation, the movement began receiving government funding from the Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling.
As a company that strives to be on the forefront of both charitable causes and recycling of materials, it made perfect sense for Duggal Visual Solutions to get involved with this fantastic movement. Since joining in 2014, Duggal has donated a substantial amount of materials to MFTA. Duggal donates approximately $4,000 a month worth of materials to MFTA up to 8 months of the year. This includes paper, fabric, and vinyl that goes unused in our production; instead of throwing away the surplus of materials, it was a goal of the company to find a way to give it back to the printing and art community.
As the organization and its partners have grown, it has become a great point of leadership in addressing the needs of underprivileged art programs, as well as the necessity of recycling in the City. Numerous organizations have sent in letters to Duggal to express their thanks and gratitude for their contributions to MFTA:
“(P.S. 305) is a small school in Brooklyn, which most students come from humble means… The donations have enhanced the learning experience for the students and staff, to be able to create, decorate, and assist in ways that have changed the dynamics of the school.”
“I write this letter with the greatest of appreciation because schools like P.S./I.S. 157 would not be able to continue doing what we do without the generosity of companies like yours… Your contribution of paper supplies allows our students to use their skills and knowledge to write and draw… Words cannot begin to express our appreciation.”
Duggal Visual Solutions strives to be active in charitable causes throughout New York City, and internationally. For more information on Duggal’s charitable causes, be sure to visit our Duggal Big Picture website.
