Wheatley Education Campus in the Trinidad neighborhood of NE Washington, DC receives $1000 a year from the district to fund their After Care Program, directed by Catrice Simpson. This program provides more than 200 area children positive and productive activities after classes. In 2007, Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club gave $500 to this program, and in 2008 they led a fundraiser that raised over $3000. This year we invite you to help increase the contribution. Your donation will directly support keeping our local kids off the streets and focused on a brighter future.
Please join us on Thursday, October 8th, from 6 PM to 9PM for a Webb Elementary After School Program fundraiser at Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club, located at 1103 Bladensburg Rd NE. We are proud to have Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. join us at the event. Along with free food, Jimmy Valentine's will provide free drink (limit 3 alcoholic drinks per person), and James Pittman from Councilmember Thomas’ office will DJ the event. 100% of your $20 donation will provide items such as art supplies and athletic gear so the children participating in the After School Program have access to the teaching and learning tools needed to better their lives. Last year Catrice was able to purchase an adaptation of The Wizard of OZ into a children’s play, which the children performed last winter. This year she is purchasing all the necessary supplies for the kids to make their own yearbook.
Many people talk about improving our community and many more talk about what should be done. Here is a simple and straightforward opportunity to make direct impact. A mere 50 persons can match the yearly budget, and 100 can double it. The list of people below have already committed their time and efforts to this fundraiser and would be thrilled to have you join them for this special event. All you have to do is stop by and enjoy some time, food, and music with your neighbors. If you would like to make a contribution but are unable to attend, simply click the link immediately below and send a donation via Paypal to non-profit corporation Trinidad Association (FEIN #80-0299958). Together we will succeed in making our community a better place.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8396771
Luciana Mashore
Commissioner Tina Laskaris (ANC 5B08)
Melina Afzal
Matt Ashburn, Capital City Diner
Danielle Bays
Elise Bernard
Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club
4 comments:
yeaaaaaaah for you guys!!! You are terrific.
This is great. I hope they're also asking people to contact the powers that be to remind them that a thousand dollars a year is ridiculous when there is clearly a need for services!
To say the program only gets $1000 a year is a little misleading. There is also money to pay for a full-time After-School Coordinator, several teachers to lead classes, daily snacks, and books/curriculum. DCPS is investing far more than $1000 per year.
With that being said, Catrice is running an amazing program and I intend to show my support at this event!
This is a very good point, but the initial statement was misleading in several ways. Obviously Catrice Simpson has a salary (and thank you for the kind words about the excellent job she does), but in the years we've raised funds for her program, she has never actually received the yearly $1000 from DCPS for supplies she needs. This fundraiser IS the budget for the program's teaching and learning tools beyond the bare necessities.
Please keep in mind, however, that this information is NOT aimed at denigrating DC Public Schools. Many bureaucratic systems struggle with deficiencies, and fortunately there are many great people within them (like Catrice) working as hard as they can with what they have.
The whole point of this fundraiser is to focus our time and energy on positive action, so instead of talking about what DCPS should do, let's help them, and Catrice Simpson, and especially the kids.
Thank you for your support.
Mark Thorp
Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club
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