For the Price of a Cup of Coffee...

...You can make a difference in the lives of the people we serve at Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Now, I don’t mean a beverage from one of those vending machines you come across on a college campus or hospital that for a few coins will dispense some sort of vaguely brown liquid not totally unlike coffee, but rather the real “Mean Joe Bean” variety your find at your favorite local coffee shop like Golden Thyme on Selby Avenue or a national chain like Caribou or Starbucks. And whether you’re getting the daily Morning Blend or a “Mocha Chocolata Ya Ya Frappa Double Half Caf” type of thing…the cost of that cup, around 6 bucks, can make a difference in the world of the people we serve. And right now is the best time to make an end of the year donation to Hallie Q. Brown Community Center for you and those most in need.

The economy has had a huge impact on nonprofit agencies such as ours. Costs of resources such as food, clothing and educational supplies have increased along with the number of people needing help, while the amounts available through foundations and corporations have decreased. We are serving twice as many people as we were last year without a matching increase in resources, which means in order to continue to help people, we need you. Therefore, I am writing to ask for your support in the form of a tax deductible contribution to Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. You can donate conveniently online here or going to our website.

Now it may seem a little cliché, but in all honesty, by donating a week’s worth of what you would pay for coffee ($30), you can pay for a week of our After School and Summer Enrichment program for a young person in our Center. That small contribution will provide tutoring and mentoring, along with arts and social activities. By donating two weeks' worth of what you would pay for coffee ($84), you can support a child attending our Early Learning Center, gaining the foundation for their education and a head start on life. And by donating the cost of a mere month’s worth of coffee ($164), your contribution can feed a family of four for a month. Even if you drink Chai Tea or Fruit Smoothies, you can create your own end of the year donation, and specify the amount you will donate. No contribution is too small, and the reward is in the smiles of the children and families who will receive the resources and services that they need, thanks to your support.

In addition, Hallie Q. Brown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, making your contribution tax deductible. With just a few weeks before the end of the year, your support will enable us to provide for those most in need and for us to provide you with a contribution receipt for 2011. Please consider making a donation today and sharing this email with friends and family.

Thanks a “Latte” for your consideration. We hope you have the Happiest of the Hallie-Days and wish you all the best for the New Year.