Help TOKEN recover from Hurricane Sandy

We are TOKEN, a Red Hook, Brooklyn-based design and manufacturing studio that develops contemporary handcrafted furniture and lighting objects embodying the evolving intentions of American modernism. We love what we do and we need your help to keep on doing it.

Thanks to Superstorm Sandy, we've had the rug pulled out from underneath us. Fortunately, we're all safe.

When Sandy came ashore, she brought with her about six feet of brackish storm surge and delivered it right into our Red Hook studio. She trashed our space, submerged our machinery, ruined raw material, and destroyed our offices and showroom.

We pride ourselves in using local skilled labor, sustainable materials, and whenever we can, we partner with members of the community to deliver our products. If you've been to Lincoln Center recently, you might have even seen some of our work featured within the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater. We were one of three local NYC design studios selected by the New York City Ballet to showcase our work there for visitors to enjoy. We have also been honored to appear a number of times in prominent design and architectural publications. Our products can be found throughout the United States and abroad.

Yet as we write, we're faced with the need to quickly reboot our business"”and we simply can't do it alone. We have orders outstanding that we intend to fulfill but first we must replace damaged machinery, materials, computers, and other critical supplies.

We sense that we will not be able to rely on federal and state support alone to replace what's been lost. Therefore, we're seeking your support. Please help us rebuild by offering a financial contribution. Through your support, we will rebuild what was lost, you will help us get back on our feet and ensure that there's a future in Brooklyn for local, responsible business.

Please see our website at www.tokennyc.com to check out our work and find out more about what we do.

Thank you for your support. Please share our story with your friends and family to help to spread the word. So many people have come to us asking how you can help"”this is it!

Here's some more about us:

Will Kavesh and Emrys Berkower met as undergraduates at Alfred University in 1992. After graduating in 1996 and going on to individually pursue art making and design careers, Emrys and Will reconnected in 2005 and began collaborating on various projects, specifically lighting and furniture design. This led to the formation of the design/build studio TOKEN in 2007 which also serves as a platform for supporting and participating in the rich community of locally based designers and fabricators in NYC.