Local residents looking for a way to aid their favorite charity can now support worthy causes while beautifying their home, thanks to Art 4 Charities (www.Art4Charities.net)
Founded by Ponte Vedra residents Terry and Diane Machaby, the new business provides museum-quality reproductions of fine art and photography, with a portion of each sale going to the buyer’s designated charity. Available artwork includes everything from famed masterpieces by Van Gogh, Renoir and Monet to contemporary photographs of tropical beach scenes. The business also offers canvas prints of favorite family photos of weddings, vacations, children and even pets.
“In a nutshell, when someone purchases an item for, say, $100, their favorite charity receives as much as $40,” Terry Machaby said. “It’s as easy as that.”
A “Friends 4 Charities” referral program enables individuals to earn free works of art by referring friends who purchase art or photography to aid their favorite charity. In addition, nonprofit organizations can partner with Art 4 Charities through online fundraisers or home art parties, where friends and neighbors can purchase works of art, with up to 40 percent of the proceeds going to the charity.
“Every charity has volunteers,” Machaby noted. “Imagine the money a nonprofit could raise if their volunteers had home parties or purchased art online.”
Helping nonprofits
Machaby said he got the idea for Art 4 Charities after seeing how much time and effort his wife put into organizing charity fundraisers.
“Diane worked for a number of nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years,” he said. “The fundraisers were always very labor intensive, with a lot of people involved. I thought, ‘Why can’t we raise money for charities without having to do all that work?’”
Building on his lifelong interest in photography, Machaby purchased the equipment needed to produce museum-quality reproductions. In addition to offering the artwork online and at home parties, Art 4 Charities plans to set up booths at local trade shows and home art showings to promote the program. The Machabys also plan to work with Realtors and interior decorators, who can help clients decorate their home while supporting their favorite charities.
The couple even hopes to one day have Art 4 Charities galleries where local artists could offer limited editions of their work.
“Art is something everyone has in their homes, their offices and that they can make as gifts to family and friends,” Diane Machaby said. “We’re hoping people will support their favorite charity while gaining a lovely piece of art.”
