Since April 2012, Child First has worked with Give Corps to reach a wider audience of donors.  In this time, we have raised close to $10,000 from individual donors!  On October 11th, Child First was selected from a number of nonprofits to participate in the Give Corps Anniversary Change Party.  Child First met over 200 of Baltimore’s newly engaged philanthropists.  The philanthropic attendees donated money to join the event,  purchased raffle tickets for Baltimore’s favorite entertainment venues and restaurants and bid on silent auction items!  Furthermore, as one of the 5 selected nonprofits highlighted at the Give Corps Change Party, Child First will evenly share all of the proceeds raised from the event!

A special thank you to all who have supported our Give Corps fundraisers online and at events  including: The Art Show, the Friend and FUNraisers at Golden West and 788 Gallery and the Olive Room-hosted by Informatica.

Child First recognizes all of our board of directors, partners and funders who attended the Child First Fundraiser hosted by the Olive Inn and Scott Vandiver. View event photos below:

Special thank you to  Gallery 788 for hosting Child First “Friend and Fun-raiser” event! Thank you to all Child First friends for celebrating an evening of art and “fun-raising” with us! Check out the event photos below:

Thank you to United Healthcare for donating: 

19 pocket folders, 11 composition notebooks, 13 spiral notebooks, 12 binders, 7 boxes of pencils, 4 scissors, 1 bottle of soap, 3 packs of tissues, 4 boxes of highlighters, 3 packs of dividers, 25 gluesticks, 3 erasers, 1 pencil sharpener, 80 ballpoint pens, 3 boxes of crayons, 8 packs of filler paper, 3 rulers, and 2 bottles of glue to John Eager Howard Elementary School to support students get on the path to college!

Art teachers are always beacons of creativity, expression, and encouragement in the school building.  Art rooms are a welcome collage of media and colors.  Art class stimulates minds by allowing thought beyond borders and content.

Are all students gaining this experience of art in school?

Time devoted to art during the school day has been cut.  The Child First Authority ensures that students have at least two days of after school art instruction from trained artists. Child First Authority is committed to closing the opportunity gap for children in Baltimore City by providing high quality after school and in-school programs.

The new school year has begun!  Child First is registering students for after school art programming and hiring instructors now.  Let’s help CFA ensure that more students can receive at least two days of quality art instruction for a whole year.

SAVE THE DATE- donate today and join Child First on Sept 12th at 788 Gallery for an evening of live art, mingling, networking and fun-raising!  From 4:30-7:30p, learn more about this exciting program at the Child First Friends & FUN-raiser.

CFA offers instruction in graphic art, videography, photography, ceramics, performing arts, fashion design and recording.  These creative pursuits offer amazing skills that are highly important in today’s market.  Together, we can make sure that the experience of art stays in school.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? VISIT CHILD FIRST AUTHORITY AT GIVECORPS.COM AT   https://givecorps.com/projects/215-child-first-authority-the-experience-of-arts

Between August 3 and August 18th, Child First Authority Community Resource Coordinators (5) and Organizers (2) conducted a series of outreach activities in support of the Mayor’s Back to School initiative. Below is a summary of efforts and a few success stories.

• Child First placed 50 Back to School posters in local businesses in the communities surrounding Liberty, Calvin Rodwell, John Eager Howard, Westside, and Bay-Brook. In addition to placing posters, we engaged business owners and employees in conversations about supporting the back to school movement by reminding students about the start date and Mayor’s Back to School Rally.
• Between August 13 and August 18, 2012 Child First teams canvassed the communities surrounding Liberty, Calvin Rodwell, John Eager Howard, Westside, and Bay-Brook and reached over 800 homes. In addition to leaving literature with each home the Child First teams comprised of CRS coordinators, organizers, and in some cases parents, students, teachers, neighborhood leaders, and school principals, spoke with all residents who were home at the time to share the Back to School initiative, rally, and community resource strategy. In one instance, we were joined by City Councilman Nick Mosby to spread the word.
• Our canvassing efforts were very successful. Below are stories that highlight some of the responses:

• “In my business canvassing this week I was asking business owners if I could post a “Back to School” flyer in their window. As I was asking a young woman behind me said “man, I wish I could go back to school.” I began talking with her a little bit and discovered that she had never graduated high school and was interested in getting a GED. Just earlier that day I have received information about a Pre-GED and a GED course offered at a local church in the community.I promptly provided her with the information and got her connected to the church.” -CRS Coordinator, Bay-Brook
• “In the John Eager Howard community, Child First staff were joined by 7th district Councilman Nick Mosby, Principal Hanson, and Assistant Principal Carter. As we knocked on doors and spoke with people they were very pleasant and excited about the upcoming CRS partnership with the school and excited about Back to School. At one home, we met a Rector of an Episcopal Church who offered 50 backpacks with school supplies to the school right there on the spot! ” -CRS Coordinator, John Eager Howard
• “The canvassing gave us an opportunity to meet, inform and engage residents within the community. I am reminding of a senior lady who did not have a student who attended the school, but has been living in the community for over 50 years. When she was informed about the Community Resource School strategy, she was excited that the school would be providing resource that could help the larger community and not just the families who attend the school. In addition, there was a young mother we met who had been living (2) blocks away from the school for a couple of months and was currently sending her student (12) blocks away to a head start program in Walbrook Junction.

We where able to inform her about the head start program and give her the name and number to the coordinator so she could enroll her student which would allow her to be closer to home.” -CRS Coordinator, Liberty

CHECK OUT PHOTOS BELOW

SAVE THE DATE

You’re invited to attend
Child First Authority’s Friend & FUN-raiser! Help raise additional funds to support
Art programming at Child First after school sites serving over 1500 Baltimore City youth!

GALLERY 788 @ MAP
218 W. Saratoga St. Baltimore, MD 21218
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
4:30-7:00 pm

The Urbanite Magazine Urbanite is a publication dedicated to addressing the issues affecting the relationship between the city and those who live there. Urbanite sees city living as a philosophy and a lifestyle. The magazine is free, available to anyone. Combining entertaining and compelling features with captivating design, Urbanitelooks at the story behind the story, exploring issues from fresh angles and providing readers with new ideas to confront life’s bigger questions in smart and constructive ways.

Recently The Urbanite highlighted one of Child First’s Artcore artist Ms. T, also known as Tt The Artist.  Click Link To Check Out Full Feature http://www.urbanitebaltimore.com/baltimore/tt-the-artist/Content?oid=1474915&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter