Future Forge 2021 First Quarter Summary - Getting ready for Summer!  

Category: Local News Releases Local News Releases
Published: 07 May 2021 07 May 2021

Hello community members and makers! Despite the challenges of 2020, the Future Forge completed its first year as a nonprofit organization in February. We are so grateful for the support from our partners, funders, and the Town of Silver City that allow us to continue to be a community run organization! As we enter Summer time this year and move into the new covid safety level, Turquoise, we are opening up for new members, volunteers, instructors, classes/workshops, donations, and supporting partners. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Future Forge please visit our web page listed below. 

Give Grandly 2021 is here and we are ready to jump into Summer! The Future Forge is a community run makerspace that aims to help local resilience with accessible resources. Please consider supporting us at this year's Give Grandly! You can click the link HERE or visit us at TheFutureForge.org 

Since our first open house early last year, 2020, we have taught classes, held workshops, hosted virtual meetings, and improved both the space and the resources we offer to our community!

When we gained our nonprofit status in February 2020, we had no idea what kind of a year we were in for. We are proud of what we have accomplished this last year considering the complications the pandemic posed. The Future Forge Makerspace has been closed and reopened twice over the past year to correspond with local COVID cases and mandates, and through it all, we persevered!

Here are some of our accomplishments over past year:

-Projects Completed

  • Major Makerspace renovations
  • Held over 10 classes and workshops
  • Opened a Woodworking Shop
  • Added a Virtual Reality (VR)  room

-COVID-19 PPE Production

During our closure time, the makerspace was rearranged to optimize for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) production for our community and hot spots across New Mexico. Since then we have produced and donated:

  • Over 1,000 face shields
  • Over 5,000 full body protective gowns
  • Ear savers
  • Hands free door openers
  • Respirators
  • Caps and booties
  • Isolation and intubation tents for medical facilities
  • Hands free hand wash station

-Events

  • Founded the Makers Market in Downtown Silver City's MainStreet plaza
  • Downtown Clay Festival - Earth Block demonstration
  • Downtown Print Fiesta  - 3D printing demonstration

-Awards

  • Silver City MainStreet Strong Award
  • Senator Heinrich Personal New Mexico True Heroes Award
  • New Mexico Covid Safe Certified

-Volunteers, Interns, and Members

  • 5 interns from Aldo
  • 1 WNMU intern
  • 10 volunteers
  • 50 supporting members
  • 5 supporting sponsors

-Funding

  • We are generously funded by our community with donations and grants. 
  • Give Grandly 2020
  • New Mexico Safety Maker Grant  

The Future Forge Makerspace is entering 2021 with a newly renovated space to work better with our equipment. We have since developed a basic orientation process for new members, made a structure for classes and workshops, handpicked a strong volunteer group, began a community market for makers to develop income, and persevered through a global pandemic by protecting ourselves and our community with PPE! A successful year we think!

We are so thankful for all our wonderful donors and volunteers, our crafters and makers, and the community for giving us so much support!- Future Forge Team and Board of Directors (Stephen Lindsey - Chair, Gabe Farley - Secretary,  Mary Stone - Treasurer, Nick Farley - At large

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