Toizer Photo - Waging Peace Campaign

All images are © Nicki Toizer and may not be copied, downloaded or otherwise distributed.

Waging Peace Campaign

Press Release, August 2006

Elkins Park photographer, Nicki Toizer, has created a line of products to spread the word of peace and raise money for the American Friends Service Committee. "Waging Peace for a better world" with an illustration of the earth graces more than 12 products from buttons and magnets to a tote bag and T-shirts.

"I was tired of the same tragic stories every night on the news," Ms. Toizer said. "Invasions, casualty reports, bombings, and missile tests... it's easy to feel helpless listening to those headlines day in and day out. I wanted to get out a message of peace that could also raise some money for an organization that works locally and globally to improve life for many people."

Ms. Toizer was educated at various Quaker schools in the Philadelphia area and deeply believes in the Quaker values of peace and non-violence. That is one of the main reasons she has chosen to donate half of the proceeds to the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). They are "a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice."

The blue bracelets with the message “wage peace” that Ms. Toizer received from the AFSC after sending in a donation inspired the “Waging Peace” campaign. "I liked the message of the bracelet but the problem is that other people can't really read your bracelet and there are so many different bracelets out there that their individual message no longer spreads as far.

"This is a way to spread a message of peace and make a small donation in the process. It accomplishes two things at once - the customer gets something concrete, a magnet or a T-shirt, and the satisfaction of knowing that a deserving organization is getting what they need to continue carrying out their mission." The products are available from www.Cafepress.com/ToizerPhoto and range in price from $1.99-$20.99. Donations will be $0.50-$1.50 per item sold, depending on the product.

"I would like to be able to raise at least $500 for AFSC within 6 months (end of January 2007). I wanted to do something that I felt might make a difference in the quality of life for someone and get others involved in the process."

Amount raised to date

$500

$400

$300

$200

$100