Consider Giving a Donation to Overhead
It takes money to keep the lights on in spaces that serve humanity.
The Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, Connecticut, advances social and transformative justice through the arts. Among the many services they offer, they provide opportunities for children who do not have access to visual or performing arts to experience these, free of cost. For these children, Charter Oak is a place that lets them know they are worthy of being exposed to artistic disciplines.
At no cost to their families, it is an organization that teaches them to draw, paint, sing, dance, and play instruments.
People with money (a little or a lot) donate funds to make this exposure and learning a reality.
However, most donors want their money to go directly and wholly to programming.
The whole truth, however, is there are costs beyond paying teachers, buying materials, procuring, and servicing instruments, replenishing media and getting students to the center. Often, donated dollars to produce the educational experiences cannot stretch to cover the organization’s administrative costs. Donations restricted to programming cannot be used to pay for electricity, heat, cooling, furniture, security, etc.
Every year, Charter Oak experiences serious operational cash flow problems in the Fall. Even now, they are already feeling the pressure as summer winds down.
Consider making a donation and specify that you want it to go to whatever is needed most urgently!
We seldom consider the associated costs when considering how we support restorative and transformative justice programs. Yet, we want to see those cute elementary school children singing Fight Song.
“Will you give to cover the cost of ‘operating’ to make that happen?” the executive director asks.
“Yes,” I said.
Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosionThis is my fight song
Excerpt from 🎶 Fight Song by Rachel Platten
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I write about all kinds of topics from my life and work. If you haven’t already, you should check out long and winding content posted weekly on www.karlenejoseph.com.
