FREMONT CONTINUED to work tirelessly at MFTA, growing the program until 1984 when she resigned to return to her own teaching practice. Shortly thereafter, Glass was approached by DCLA and offered the chance to become MFTA’s new director.
MFTA was a perfect union of her interests. She could now work with artists and arts organizations to provide them with access to free materials. This allowed the organizations to save money and use those funds where they were most needed – for programs and staff.
Filled with ideas from her years in arts administration, Glass knew securing funding was integral to developing MFTA. As a program of DCLA, MFTA was a municipally funded organization. Without private funds, how could a City program grow?
In response to the burgeoning environmental movement, Glass was asked to speak at a National Resource Reduction Conference in San Diego in 1988. That’s when it occurred to her. MFTA was not only about the arts. As a reuse center, the program also addressed New York City’s new efforts at waste reduction. While other donation centers offered options for everyday materials like clothing and housewares, MFTA provided a resource that addressed bulk surplus generated by New York City businesses.
