#Giving Tuesday
#Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world, is coming! On November 30, 2021, help support the writers who live and work at Historic Joy Kogawa House, one of Canada’s most established author residencies and a meeting place for Vancouver writers.
Why do we need your help?
Although we are partially funded by the provincial government for literary program, we still need to raise close to $15,000 annually to keep the house warm, lights on, wi-fi humming, and enhance our resident writers’ experience. Your donation will go directly towards month-to-month expenses as we weather the challenges of this pandemic and sustain existing programs and online resources.
What do we do?
We continue to adapt and find creative ways to support writers and writing throughout the current pandemic. And we have had some successes! Highlights from 2021 include:
- Hosting 9 writers-in-residence, from local poets to out-to-town playwrights to a dynamic pair of social activists writing through trauma and chronic pain
- Offering 23 engaging and informative writing workshops and literary events
- Paying artist’s reading fees to 42 writers to support their creative work
- Creating a safe space where 22 writers who identify as queer and Asian could discuss experiences of anti-Asian racism during the pandemic
- Maintaining weekly writing meetups for up to 12 writers at a time, in-person and online
- Partnering with PEN Canada, Or Gallery, Word Vancouver, Collage Collage, The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ+ Archive, and other organizations to raise awareness for writers from diverse communities and to create space to share stories
What is the goal?
The goal for this year’s Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign is $5,000, one-third of our annual operating budget.
Here at the end of the year we are falling short and may not meet budget without your help.
- $50 will contribute to the honorarium for one writer-in-residence
- $150 will pay one writer to participate in a shared literary reading
- $300 will pay one writer to host a solo literary reading or writing workshop
How can you help?
Although we are looking forward to re-introducing some in-person events in 2022, we do not anticipate a quick return to our full slate of in-person events, which includes our key fundraising activities. Donations will be essential to sustain our author residency and community-engaged writing programs and our direct support to writers, readers, teachers, and students in the coming year.
The past two years have been difficult for everyone and we hope that you are safe and healthy. If you are in a position to do so, please donate to Historic Joy Kogawa House on November 30, Giving Tuesday 2021, so that we can continue to connect as a community and enjoy the many benefits that writers and writing bring to our lives. For more information about the broad range of programs and resources at Historic Joy Kogawa House, please visit www.kogawahouse.com.
Sincerely,
Ann-Marie Metten, executive director
ametten@kogawahouse.com