Story Tapestries Responds
Dear Community Member, Art Lover, and Friend,
Our global community is facing an incredible challenge. It has been a whirlwind of data, updates and cancellations and the Story Tapestries Team wants you to know how we’re responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of our regularly scheduled programs in schools and community settings have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. To adapt, we are working on several initiatives.
Our goal is to raise $120,000 within the next weeks so we can continue to meet our mission to educate, empower and engage our community members by providing both virtual curricula and creative activities for:
- Out of school youth and children
- Educators and Caretakers supporting our youth from home
- Artists who are gig-based workers and now without income
- Elderly who are in isolation
Our intentions are to pay artists, who have lost all of their income, to implement these programs:
- Shift our in-person arts integration programs for school-age and GED students to online platforms, aligning the curricula with the Math, Science, Language Arts, Literacy, Social Studies and Social-Emotional needs of the students and the standards of the local school systems. We plan to offer –
- Group classes with certified teachers and artists (ex: using dance to teach Math)
- Individual tutoring sessions
- Arts-focused classes to provide a creative release
- Professional development services for educators and artists
- Create and disseminate learning kits by grade level passed out weekly at food distribution sites to target the highest need youth.
- Offer free weekly virtual professional performances for all age groups.
- Continue the Amplify US! Initiative with interactive online community events, working with our collaborators to include homeless individuals and residents of nursing homes.
Perhaps this is the time when we need the arts the most, as the arts have a way of helping us navigate uncharted territory and put sensations into frameworks that help unite us and identify what we have in common. You can join the cause by:
- Using AmazonSmile to do your household shopping
- Participate in a Virtual Class!
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram (@storytapestriesengage) or Twitter (#StoryTapestries) and like, comment and share. Tune in to our LIVE streaming events on Tuesdays at 7pm EDT, Wednesdays for Magical World of Words at 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm EDT, and Friday mornings From the Field.
Or you can make a gift now with a quick click:
While we understand there are many individuals and organizations in need at this time, as an advocate for the pillars that Story Tapestries stands on we hope you will consider contributing to supporting these emergency relief efforts. While we are working quickly to respond to these immediate needs, we are also working strategically, building on our 10 years of history, to ensure our ability to continue serving youth, artists, educators, caretakers and elders for many decades to come.
This is a tumultuous and challenging time for everyone with many unanswered questions. Our artists are facing an unknown time period without paid work, but they are deeply committed to continuing to serve our Mission. We’re grateful for the means the arts give us to navigate this new territory and we greatly appreciate your support.
Artfully yours,
Arianna Ross and the Story Tapestries Team
P.S. Looking for resources? Many arts and education organizations have compiled incredible resources and we have gathered our favorites here.
Story Tapestries is a 501(c)(3) organization registered in the state of Maryland, federal ID 27-3352560. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Our offices are located at: 19301 Hempstone Avenue, Poolesville, MD 20837