Dear Friends of the Calvert Arts Festival,
As you know, despite having to cancel the 2020 Calvert Arts Festival (CAF) due to the pandemic, we at All Saints feel strongly about our commitment to our local artisans and the Calvert County charities who would have normally benefitted from the Festival. We considered an online auction but discussion with our artisans has suggested this also would not be viable under current circumstances.
In response, we are planning to hold a focused charity drive called the We Love Calvert Arts Festival $10K Benefit for Children with two goals: raising $10,000 for the designated charities AND promoting our loyal artisans!
The plan is simple:
· September 1st, we will launch a “We Love Calvert Arts Festival” virtual no-show event all month on our Calvert Arts Festival website page. We will highlight our loyal artisans for the entire month, listing their business names, a description of their work, and their contact information. This will be at no cost to the vendors, although we would welcome donations.
· October 1st – 10th, we will launch the “We Love Calvert Arts Festival $10K Benefit for Children” with a goal of raising $10K in 10 days. To accomplish this, we will:
- Present a promotional webpage which will facilitate online donations.
- Provide a shareable flyer with the link for donations as well as details about the charities.
- Provide a shareable email which anyone can use to email to their contacts and share on social media.
- Provide our charity beneficiaries, our artisans and other community partners with information and encourage them to share it far and wide.
- Promote the event via print and social media.
- Invite individual and commercial prospective donors in the community who may be able to donate larger sums to help us reach our goal.
To encourage donations and participation, at three major milestones reached ($5K, $7.5K, and $10K), our Junior Warden, Senior Warden, and Priest have volunteered a live-streamed video of themselves completing a specific challenge to be determined (think Gatorade dunk, ice bucket dunk, beard shaving, etc.). Challenge suggestions are welcome, particularly when linked to a specific pledge amount.
Charity Descriptions. The following charities were selected as the 2020 recipients because of the work they diligently do for the children of our county:
· HEART F.E.L.T. Children’s Backpack Food Program (Filling Empty Little Tummies) is a Christian-based Outreach Ministry designed to feed children on the weekends when they often go hungry. With this program, local churches team with elementary schools in Calvert County to feed hungry school children where free or reduced lunch programs cannot, namely on the weekends, by providing backpacks full of food (In present circumstances, All Saints’ Heart F.E.L.T. program is serving year-round and feeding more children than ever before.)
· Children’s Advocacy Center is a child-friendly, neutral location for children and families to be forensically interviewed, receive medical exams as necessary, and receive crisis intervention service. It helps save victims from re-traumatization by the process of seeking justice and coordinates helping services for each victim.
· Community Ministries of Calvert County (CMCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing emergency grants to people who need them in Calvert County by helping with rent or utilities including electricity, gas, oil, and water. The need for such help is increasing because of the pandemic. CMCC prevents many evictions, keeping children and their families in their homes.
· Calvert Churches Community Food Pantry is a Christian Church consortium for outreach ministry providing food for the needy in our Calvert County community. This program has also experienced significant increases in those needing their assistance and constantly provides food for County children and their families.
· Safe Harbor is a residential shelter in Calvert County for abused women and their children. The primary objective of this facility is to provide a supportive shelter experience for the family to establish its own healthy living environment. A significant aspect of the shelter experience for children includes providing a respite from observing violence in their own homes, and learning in a peaceful, non-threatening environment.
What can you do to help?
· Watch for the CAF 2020 artisan list to go up on our website September 1st! Share the link with friends, visit artisans’ websites, shop their hand-made merchandise, and make sure to let them know you were referred by Calvert Arts Festival!
· Pledge to the CAF $10K Benefit for Children whatever you are able. Every dollar goes to help the children of Calvert County!
- Pledge in honor of a loved one, your birthday, someone you have lost, a stellar child in your life, someone who inspires you, or as a virtual "gift"! Invite friends and loved ones to donate in your honor in lieu of receiving personal presents.
- Spread the word! Print and share or email the flyer with the donation link with your family, neighbors, friends, and colleagues! Make it personal; invite them to join you in supporting the children of the County.
- Post the link and flyer on your social feed at least once a week, if not more! Again, make it personal.
- Email the event details to everyone on your contact list! Yet again, make it personal.
We Love Calvert Arts Festival and the Children of Calvert County!
