Impact
Transparency Matters
One of TAKEN HERE’s commitments is to support organizations serving immigrant communities.
10% of net proceeds are donated to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM).
Prefer to give directly?
Why isn’t more going to ILCM yet?
TAKEN HERE launched July 21, 2026, and is a small, self-funded project. Each purchase helps cover the real costs of making, packaging, and shipping the items, along with the costs of keeping the project running. Free U.S. shipping is included, and 10% of net proceeds are donated to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. As TAKEN HERE grows and costs come down, I hope to increase that support.
Where Your Purchase Goes
I want to be upfront about where your money actually goes, not just say “costs” and leave it vague.
Each marker isn’t just a printed sign in a box. Every order includes a handwritten card, dried forget-me-not flowers, and a small packet of forget-me-not seeds. Each order is packed with care using chipboard and tissue paper, then sealed in packaging that is stamped and labeled by hand. Shipping is on me—it’s built into the $49 price, not added at checkout.
How I Keep Costs Manageable
TAKEN HERE started as a double-sided marker. I switched to single-sided printing to help keep costs — and the price — manageable, and because most people display their marker facing outward against a fence, window, or wall, where only one side is really seen. I’m continuing to look for ways to reduce costs without compromising the quality or meaning behind each marker, and I’ll share updates here as those decisions are made.
The Real Numbers
The Real Cost of One $49 Yard Marker
Here’s the real breakdown, based on my actual costs, for one $49 Yard Marker:
Marker — $12.12
Box — $3.29
Chipboard — $1.00
H-stake — $1.80
Forget-me-not seeds — $1.00
Tissue paper — $0.17
Card — $0.50
“Do Not Cut” sticker — $0.20
“Do Not Bend” sticker — $0.20
Kraft stickers — $0.20
TAKEN HERE stickers — $0.50
Dried pressed flowers — $0.20
Packing tape — $0.45
Shipping* — $18.00
Payment processing fees — $1.72
Total Direct Costs — $41.35
Net Proceeds — $7.65
Shipping varies by ZIP code, so actual costs may vary.
10% of Net Proceeds are Donated to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM).
For this example:
$7.65 × 10% = $0.77 donated to ILCM
$6.88 Remains for TAKEN HERE
What’s left after the donation goes toward the ongoing costs of running TAKEN HERE, including website hosting, translation, and the P.O. Box.
Monthly Costs
Website hosting — $45/month
Spanish translation (Weglot) — $15/month
P.O. Box — $22/month
Total: $82/month
One-Time Equipment & Startup Costs
Postal scale — $32.31
Label printer + extra labels — $90.00
Custom “takenhere.org” stamp — $33.00
Custom address stamp — $24.98
Custom packing stamp — $24.88
Assumed name filing — $50.00
Paper filing — $110.00
Postage stamps (bulk) — $67.00
Total: $432.17
These are real numbers, not rough guesses. Margins are tight right now precisely because TAKEN HERE is small, new, and made with care rather than mass-produced. The price also reflects the time it takes to design, hand-pack, and ship every order myself.
As TAKEN HERE grows and per-unit costs come down, I hope to increase both my ability to sustain this project and the amount that goes to ILCM.
Where the Money Goes
TAKEN HERE is a registered business (DBA), operated by me, with its own EIN and state sales tax registration. It is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so purchases are not tax-deductible.
The donation described above is made directly by TAKEN HERE to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, a registered 501(c)(3), which can provide its own donation receipt.
Updates on this structure, if anything changes, will be logged on this page.
Donations to Date
TAKEN HERE launched July 21, 2026.
This is the date TAKEN HERE began accepting orders and operating as a public project.
Since launch — thank you to everyone who has placed a marker, shared their story, or helped spread the word.
August 1, 2026
Initial donation: $25
30 markers placed — calculated 10% share from sales: $23.40
Actual donation: $25.00
Total Donated to Date: $25.00
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota →
This page will be updated after every 30 markers are sold or every $50.00 donated, whichever comes first.
Last updated: August 1, 2026
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