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A Bartlesville organization dedicated to alleviating poverty was incorporated on June 12th, 2000, so this year marks a full two decades of Martha’s Task service in the community.

What began as an outreach program at St. James Catholic Church evolved into an independent nonprofit organization that provides seamstress training and emergency work for women living at the federal poverty level and below. The sewing training is offered in Martha’s Task office at 718 S. Johnstone, which also houses a store where beautiful handcrafted items are sold.

Executive Director Laura Walton said they are so very happy to be recognizing their 20th year as a Bartlesville nonprofit and are so grateful to all those who have supported their work through these two decades. She said donations of money, time, fabric, sewing machines, and craft supplies have fueled Martha's Tasks programs over the years, which has helped them to improve lives one stitch at a time.

Martha’s Task had planned to host a big milestone birthday party to commemorate the occasion, but due to the pandemic the organization is delaying the event until 2021 when the group will hold a 21st B-Day Bash. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of ways to honor the occasion.

Martha's Task will hold a Facebook birthday fundraiser in the coming days in an effort to celebrate their 20th Birthday while maintaining their social distance. Donations will be welcomed during the Facebook party.

To celebrate Martha’s Task turning the big 2-0, the organization has launched a $20 for 20 years fundraising campaign with a sewing theme. Donors who give $20 or more can sign their names to quilt squares, which will be sewn together to create a permanent wall hanging that will be around for future years honoring those who have given to the organization and helped it to survive and thrive.

Several supporters already have signed quilt squares (pictured below) and mailed them in during the pandemic closure. Martha’s Task is continuing to mail out squares to contacts on the group’s address list and to those who request them. Quilt squares also can be signed in the store on Johnstone Avenue, which will be reopened for business starting June 15. Martha’s Task is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walton said they will continue the $20 for 20 campaign through the end of the year.

The quilt square project has been popular with supporters who like the idea of putting their names and the names of loved ones on the squares. Walton said many have donated in memory of a seamstress from the organization or from their families who have passed away. She said Martha's Task loves the idea of weaving together these squares of many colors, many names and so much history as a way of honoring their organization’s past, present and future.

Another big step taken by Martha’s Task is the creation of an endowment fund through Bartlesville Community Foundation. The BCF provides an opportunity for those who want to donate funds toward the sustainability of Martha’s Task with the option of giving gifts now or into the future utilizing trusts and wills.

All you have to do is contact BCF at 918.337.2287 if you wish to make a donation. You can learn more about the Bartlesville Community Foundation here.

Martha’s Task serves the community by providing work training and emergency assistance to help low income women in Washington, Osage and Nowata Counties improve their lives.  The group’s mission is to help low income women become more independent, self-sufficient citizens through unique work training programs. Martha’s Task provides paid classes of sewing instruction, manual crafts, custom products, marketing and advocacy. Clients earn wages making items to be sold in Martha’s Task store with the merchandise ranging from handcrafted greeting cards to complex multi-tiered aprons.

Walton said these women have the satisfaction of earning their wages, learning new skills and working in a supportive, therapeutic, creative environment. She said it is wonderful to see how people learn and grow as they go through the steps of creating an apron or microwave bowl or baby blanket. She added that it is beautiful to see the joy of accomplishment when they complete that first project and sell it in the store.  It’s a boost to their confidence as well as to their pocket book.

While Martha's Task is not a United Way organization, the Bartlesville Regional United Way awarded them with a grant during the pandemic to assist them with their mask making. Walton said that grant, and the generous donations from community, were greatly appreciated.

The office and store at Martha’s Task have been closed for several weeks due to COVID-19 precautions, but the clients have been as busy as ever. Martha’s Task seamstresses sewed masks at home and dropped them through a door slot at the office. The masks then were given away to all who needed them. Martha’s Task has provided 1,090 masks to people in 12 states to date. Anticipating the demand will continue, the group plans to sell them in its store after reopening.

One person that requested some masks has a son in New York City, which has been the hardest hit location in the United States by COVID-19. That individual said her son could not get out to masks. Walton said they were able to send masks to the woman's son right away because they had the masks on hand. She said she was happy to help someone in need through the pandemic.

When asked how Martha's Task can get to their 40th Birthday, Walton said they will continue to do the best they can by helping as many people as they can. She said they will have to serve others one day at a time.

To learn more about the organization, visit marthastask.com, call 918.336.8275, check out Martha’s Task on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or stop by the office for a personal tour at 718 S. Johnstone Ave.