Thanks to you, as of today, GlassRoots has provided over 1,000 youth and young adults, and over 400 adults with nearly 10,000 hours of our high quality programming so far this program year (since July 1, 2017.) In over 3,425 visits Newark-area youth, young adults and adults explored not only their creativity through the glass arts, but learned transformational life skills that work with glass instills – persistence, resilience, communication, cooperation and more. Some of our students stayed in school because of our programs. Some started businesses. Others discovered new skills or renewed old ones. On behalf of them all, thank you for supporting these opportunities.
But, in addition to thanking you, I wanted to make sure you heard what Josh said. In April, supporters who attended our historic groundbreaking for our new space heard from Josh, a graduate of our 2017 GlassRoots-Penland Fellowship program. Josh shared that, “part of what’s amazing about my story is that before I joined the program I had no artistic experience at all; only practical skills I had gained from working with my father in his construction business. Other than music I hadn’t made a deep connection to any art form. But after the program – in just three short months -- I found myself completely bonded to the craft of Iron Work. I now consider myself an amateur blacksmith, and I’m eager to share my experience with everyone.” Josh went on to thank the program for providing “skills that can be a source of income for me right now and in the future; 9 college credits to launch me into college, and friendships that will last me for a lifetime.” But it was what Josh said next that brought tears to everyone’s eyes! Josh shared with everyone present that he had been accepted into the Honors Living and Learning Community at Rutgers University, where students are prepared to tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Josh, who hadn’t considered what was next in his life. Josh, whose mother told us that she worried for his future. Josh! Josh was going to a prestigious, competitive college program – on a full scholarship! Every day, your support makes stories like Josh’s possible. There are only two weeks left in our FY2018 Annual Fund Campaign. Our fiscal year closes on June 30. Our goal is to ensure we have funding for our programs so that other students can find a way to get their lives back on track. You see, even though we worked with over 1,400 people so far this year, there are estimated to be almost 7,000 disengaged young adults in Newark alone, and we want to make sure that we have program funds to support any one of them that walks in our door. That’s why our goal for the last two weeks of our FY2018 Annual Fund campaign is to raise $30,000 by June 30. If we raise that amount, we’ll be able to start the year with funds in our accounts to serve the nearly 300 students we expect to see this summer, without turning anyone away. But, we need your help to make it happen. Would you be willing to make a special year-end donation of $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to help us meet our goal and prepare us for the 300 summer students we expect? We simply can’t do it without you. Your support will make a real, lasting impact in the lives of our youth. Josh ended his remarks by saying, “I ask everyone in this beautiful audience to share what you know about GlassRoots with as many people as you can, to tell students of all ages what they can accomplish through and with GlassRoots’ teachers, mentors and programs, and to support them in their mission to ignite a passion for learning through art in all of us.” I think I’ll leave it at that. Please, click here to make your donation now. We need more stories like Josh’s! Thank you for your continued support and friendship, With gratitude, Barbara Heisler, CEO GlassRoots P.S. It’s almost our year end. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to start our summer programming off strong. We can’t do it without your help. Will you make a gift of $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to help us meet this goal? Click here to make your donation now! PPS. You can hear more about how GlassRoots creates an environment for change, from Josh and other students and staff here!
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
August 2021
Categories |
CONTACT USGlassRoots
Offices & Studios 10 Bleeker Street Newark, NJ 07102 (973) 353-9555 (973) 353-9551 fax info@glassroots.org |
|
Copyright © GlassRoots 2020
All rights reserved. |