O.G.D.U One God Different Us

August 3, 2009
O.G.D.U.
Pam Graig, President
Jean Whims, Executive Director
Mimi von Litolff, art director
321 Pine Trail
Warne,N.C. 28909

One God Different Us, a 501(c)non-profit organization, was founded three years ago to provide opportunities for underemployed artists and to create home based jobs in western North Carolina communities. Our initial product is based on the idea of putting together images of peace and unity based on a painting by Mimi. Mimi has donated all royalties from this original work for three years to help us defray costs. In our first three years we were be able to raise approximately $5000.00 for the Friendship House, a community service facility for the homeless in Murphy, NC. The Friendship House is now doing very well and has now qualified for its own grants and has numerous programs that are serving this community.

We continue to provide support with our donations and participation in their functions.

There are now other parts of the community that need help in these challenging economic times. We are concentrating our efforts to help underemployed artists, single parents of small children, and those on welfare.

We have developed products that are currently in two galleries and include bracelets, necklaces and pendants that were made by local artists with materials paid for by OGDU. We are very proud of our first product, a pendant that was designed specifically to raise funds for OGDU. The costs of materials will be paid back as the products sell so that we can help more people, and grow our operations.

We have worked diligently to develop a web store to provide a marketplace for our work and were delighted to be given the space on a soon to be released website, Dance of the Spirit, the partners in this project will be sharing the massive advertising they have done, thereby or store will be getting a lot of attention we hope. We are very grateful for their kind offer of support .

We expect to get this store fully operational this August , 2009. At this time we are still working out the technical aspects of the website store, and anyone willing to donate website work will be much appreciated.

One God Different Us is a nonprofit 501(c) organization. We can receive donations and grants to continue helping the art community and others in need of support to meet their basic needs. We also found that when we bring projects to the homeless shelter everyone benefits. Art therapy has been recognized for years as an effective way to help others. Our first projects at the homeless shelter were accepted with enthusiasm and gratitude by residents and staff. We now hope to create more art products that can be produced with very little training that will provide the residents with compensation for their completed work.

The Ogdu Gallery web store and gallery site will feature O.G.D.U. artists’ production work, individual art, and the works of other artists who are donating portions of their work to One God Different Us.

We are excited to open our store with the first 15 items this August, from our first fund raiser in December 2005, it has been an eventful journey to this point. We continue to offer our image of peace to churches,stores and individuals, for the suggested donation of $ 20.00 shipped in the USA. We have been very grateful for those who have bought a dozen at a time at a “wholesale” amount of $9.00 each to raise funds in their communities stores, and churches. We offer a counter top display with any order of two dozen or more.

We intend to employ a shop manager through our sales and donations to manage the web store,as soon as possible, so we can offer original one of a kind art and add to the store.

Artists interested in being in the gallery are invited to submit sample or CDs of their recent work including prices, measurements of work, and shipping fees. We are particularly looking for art that is uplifting in nature. Submitted works will be presented to the board for judging and if accepted the artists will be contacted by Mimi von Litolff, OGDU art director. We are asking artists to please include current contact information and a brief summary of art experience.

E-mail inquiries are welco me to address your questions and status of our efforts.

Thank you for your time and interest in our project, if you would care to receive the lovely 100% copper or stainless steel pendants to support or goals, please write to the address at the top of our letter or e-mail us at the following addresses. ogdu@onegoddifferentus.org or Onegdu@gmail.com