🌿Mini-grant project update! 🌿
Last Fall, we awarded a Neighborhood Mini-Grant to Zoë Van Nostrand for materials to use in running four Beginner Textile Repair & Care workshops in Tompkins County.
The workshops included a community clothing swap, felting for sweater repair, minor mends with hand sewing, and leather care for boots, belts and bags. Over 50 participants attended in total.
One participant shared, “Zoë’s workshop was so good. She was very informative and I love her passion and stance about reducing textile waste. She had lots of tools and tricks for different kinds of mending. She recommended a product for darning socks and I went right out and got some so I could darn my own!”
Sustainable Finger Lakes has awarded more than 242 mini-grants and over $98,000 in funding for projects just like this one. Recently, we’ve expanded our program to Seneca, Yates, and Schuyler counties with plans to expand to Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga counties. This year, our campaign is raising funds for the 2026 grant cycle.
Know anyone with an idea to help out the community? Share this story with them if they would benefit from a gift of a mini-grant!
Any donations made until Dec. 2 will contribute directly to our mini-grant fund. To support us, go to: sustainablefingerlakes.org/support-us/
