Bush
Mango thrives almost entirely on volunteer support, has ZERO pork
in our budget, and knows how to stretch a dollar with the
best of 'em.
We've cut every corner we can, and now we're
coming to you.
Families,
schools, places of worship, businesses, governments -- we are all
challenged with doing more with less.
At
Bush Mango Drum & Dance we felt the challenge when
the Rochester City School District canceled its Artist in Residence
Program for K-12 students, and the City of Rochester's
Youth Bureau cut "non-essential" program support.
Even
though Bush Mango was routinely spoken of as "the best
program we've ever had at our school," we lost more than
$30,000 of annual revenue from those painful cuts.
We responded by doubling our efforts behind
the scenes to continue offering the community the same value as
always.
We still
performed pro-bono for needy organizations, from youth
to seniors in nursing homes, hungry for the healing and celebratory
nature of our work. (And we worked hard to book more paying
gigs too!)
We remained committed to our Saturday
Youth Project classes -- and did not cut one single youth
scholarship.
In fact we
served 11 youth on full scholarship for Bush Mango summer camp
in August -- almost half of the 25 kids who we kept safely
engaged and off the streets, all day for two weeks!
We kept our doors open for adult
programming, offered guest artist workshops, and completed both of
our home performance seasons with aplomb!
Of course you and I know that the arts are indeed
essential to our humanity, especially so in challenging times.
Now we need your help to make it the rest of
the way through 2009.
We are asking each and every one of you to donate $20
or more in the next 5 days to support our continued work with Youth
Project.
(By
the way, we exist almost entirely on volunteer support,
have ZERO pork in our budget, and know how to stretch a
dollar with the best of 'em. Rent for the
building is our biggest expense. We're committed to the space because
kids need a safe place to draw, paint, dance, drum, run around,
jump for joy, perform,
socialize, eat healthy food, and so on. Your
contribution will be carefully stewarded, and wisely
utilized!)
What does
Youth Project have to do with you?
Each
young person who comes to Bush Mango, eager for a community
where they experience diversity, inclusion, engagement,
and challenging and nurturing mentorship, is a part of the fabric
that creates our world.
Each
time we as a community -- including you! -- extend to young
people our time, expertise and financial resources, we move
the world closer to a reality where they realize their
intrinsic value as positive, creative and self motivated citizens.
Please be part of that reality with us here at
Bush Mango Drum & Dance, by giving generously today, because
our youth programming makes a safer, more joyous community. We
maintain a standard of excellence that puts us head and
shoulders above the crowd, and we need your help to be there
for more families.
Take a
look at the
Invest
in Excellence PDF here to see pictures of Bush Mango's
excellent work with youth in action, and the stunning
numbers that prove the results we've achieved for 20 years.
Pease respond now with your financial
contribution, using the Paypal links at right. Or
reply to this message if you would like to give some other way.
Our many young people know that the arts are indeed
essential to our humanity. We think you know that too --
especially in challenging times like this.
Every dollar makes a difference, and we guarantee to steward
your contribution, small or large, and continue creating
and celebrating excellence in our community.
Blessings to you,
Colleen
& Blair
P.S. Your
financial contribution to Bush Mango will create more good
in the world than you can imagine. Practically
everywhere we perform, nearly every person who visits Bush Mango,
says we're the best show or most amazing program they've
ever experienced. Participants like Marrston Blackburn say
things like "Bush Mango saved my life."
Marrston, who started at 15 years old, came back this summer to
help with camp and told us that he's switched his career
aspirations from engineering to working with youth, and now works
as the Assistant Director of a YMCA program in Albany. Bush
Mango changes lives for the better, and we need your help to do
more of this important work!
P.P.S
Since you've read this far, you obviously care.
So would you
go the next step too? After making your
own donation, please
add a paragraph to the top of this
message and send it to
your own e-mail list. Something like:
Dear friends,
I don't usually forward
messages like this, but this is
one of those RARE
opportunities for greatness, to
accomplish more with a
supporting gift than you'll
ever be able to know. I have
followed Bush Mango
for ______ now, and it's a remarkable
organization
that brings people together in an unusual way.
Will you please consider joining me, and doing as
I have done by making a financial contribution today?
Kind regards,
Your name
* * *
[
Just copy and paste this text to your e-mail, move the
personal message at the top, fill in the blank or
further personalize it, sign your name, and send. Thank you! This tiny
effort by you now will have positive ripple effects beyond
imagination... ] |
