Salt Bay Trading, an oriental rug shop located on Route 1 in Newcastle, will donate a portion of all rugs sales made in May and June to Nepali earthquake relief work.

Many of the Nepali and Tibetan artisans that weave Salt Bay Trading’s rugs live in rural villages devastated by the April earthquake in Nepal. Using handspun wool and plant dyes, these rugs are woven using skills passed down through the generations. Now daily life in these communities is in shambles — drinking water supplies endangered and roads, homes and monasteries are in ruins.  

All donations dropped off at the shop and a portion of rug sales will be sent to The Tibet Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Tibetan community in Nepal includes more than 20,000 refugees and hundreds of thousands of Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, most settled in the northern Himalayan area devastated by the earthquake.

The Tibet Fund works with local partners such as the Snow Lion Foundation and the Himalayan Society for Youth and Women Empowerment  (HSYWE) to ensure that resources reach those most affected by the quake and to coordinate long-term efforts to rebuild the communities.