What's a Mystery Box?

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

I know I left you hanging after the silent auction post a couple weeks ago, where I ended with a teaser about Mystery Boxes. So, without further ado, in addition to the Silent Auction at EECM's annual fundraising event, A Flavor of the East End, attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase Mystery Boxes.

A Mystery Box is sort of like a raffle -- only better! We will have for sale 200 brightly colored round boxes. Inside each box will be a poker chip with a number which enters you in the raffle for the Grand Prize (two round-trip tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies -- increasingly valuable given the rising cost of gas this summer!). Simple enough. You buy a box; you drop your chip in the grab bag; if we pull it out, you win.

But wait...that's not all. It gets better. In addition to a raffle chip, some of the Mystery Boxes will also contain smaller prizes (or vouchers for them -- don't think that a bigger box is necessarily a better bet) that are yours immediately. Things like CDs or drink tickets or gift certificate to local stores. At the moment, we are offering a 1 in 4 chance of winning a secondary prize, but we're hoping to increase that to 1 in 3, depending on what other donations come in.

But wait...that's not all! It gets better again. (Hard to believe, I know). Not only do you have a chance to win the grand prize -- not only do you have a chance to win a smaller cool prize -- but the value of your donation to EECM is doubled when you buy a Mystery Box.

Say what? That's right!

The proceeds from our Mystery Box sales will go to benefit EECM's Reach Out to City Kids (ROCK) campaign. Thanks to an anonymous friend, all donations to EECM's Children & Youth programs -- including the Mystery Boxes -- made between May 15 and June 30th will be matched, up to $10,000.

This means that when you buy a $20 Mystery Box, you're actually donating $40 to EECM. Wow. I don't think it gets any better than that!

Rebate Checks

Written by: Kate Snyder

Tra la! It's May! Flowers are blooming and spring is in the air. But this year, there's something else in the air as well. Rebate checks. In theory, a rebate check from the nice people at the IRS should be arriving on my doorstep some time in the next few weeks. Score!

If you're like me, you've got a list a mile long of possible uses for this financial windfall. You could:
Take a vacation
Pay off some of that credit card debt
Buy some snazzy new seasonal clothes
Finally put in those new windows in the basement
Invest in your retirement
Go out for several really (I mean *really*) nice dinners

But how about giving some of it to charity?

...Say what? You want me to do WHAT with my mad-money rebate check?

That's right, I'm asking you to consider donating some of your rebate check to charity. Specifically, to East End Cooperative Ministry. I know, you have bills to pay and dreams to fulfill. But the thing is, our clients do too, and they're trying to pay their bills and reach their dreams with a lot less income than most of us have. In fact, a lot of our clients have so little income that they won't be getting a rebate check.

I'm not asking for the whole $600 or however much you qualify for. But how about setting aside $50 to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, or provide a mentor to a troubled kid?

You can make a secure online donation to EECM by clicking here.

Do I hear $100?

Written by: Kate Snyder


It's that time again...EECM's annual fundraising event, A Flavor of the East End is just over a month away and the plans that have been under way since December are swinging into high gear. I got my introduction to silent auctions last year and discovered that door to door begging isn't so bad. This year we've been at it again.


It's fun to watch the lineup for the silent auction take shape. We get a lot of miscellaneous donations and then slowly they start to sort of group together and make sense. It goes something like: "Hmm...let's see. We have two kids dinosaur books compliments of Borders. Oh! And Babyland donated a rattle. And that blanket from Feathers is soft enough to be used for a little kid...I see a baby-centric basket in our future. Huzzah!"


My favorite item on the auction table is BIG, gorgeous, so-smooth-you-want-to-rub-your-cheek-against-it, carved cherry wooden bowl from a very funky shop on Walnut St. called Toad Flax (if you've never been, I suggest you go -- it's part garden shop part home decor). Sadly I fear that many other event-goers will also take a shine to it and my chances of coming out victorious after the bidding frenzy settles are slim to none. Sad for me. Good for EECM, so I can't complain.


In addition to the silent auction, we've been collecting goodies for our Mystery Boxes. What's a Mystery Box, you ask? Well, you'll have to stay tuned...

Changing the World One Candy Cane at a Time

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Yesterday, we received a donation from the Student Service Learning Center at Quaker Valley High School. The students of the Center had come to EECM in November to tour our facilities and learn more about the work we are doing. They went away inspired to educate their peers about the problem of homelessness and to do what they could to help.

They turned their enthusiasm into a creative and fun holiday fundraiser. During the week of December 10th, the group sold candy-cane grams to the student body. Students paid a dollar to send two candy canes to their friends, delivered by Santa and his Elf. The candy canes had a ribbon and tag attached to them. The front of the tag displayed the sender, receiver, and a brief message. On the back of the tags, they presented facts about homelessness to get the student body thinking about the problem, and to pave the way for projects to come.

What a wonderful project!

And the candy-cane gram project was only the beginning. The Service Learning Center group is also planning to host a poverty simulation in the near future and are hoping to get more students and faculty interested in working with EECM.

Sacred Spaces

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

People flock to the cathedrals of Europe for a reason – big old churches are truly awe-inspiring. I love everything about them, especially the way they impact all of your senses. The rich colors in the stained glass windows dazzle your eyes, while sweeping pillars draw them to the heavens. Whenever I wander through a sanctuary, I run my hands along the wood smoothed by generations of congregants. I listen to the way that sound is muffled by the great expanses and I breathe in the soft smells of stone and age, and savor the memories those smells evoke. The builders of the great churches did their job well – there is something indescribably holy about being inside.

This year, EECM will again be celebrating the beauty of Pittsburgh’s own sacred spaces by hosting the Fourth Annual Houses of Worship Architectural Tour.

Sunday, November 4, 2007
1 PM to 5 PM

This year’s Tour will showcase Church of the Ascension, the First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh, Community of Reconciliation, and Heinz Chapel and will include an optional visit to the Babcock Room in the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning (it’s on the top floor and you can get a 365 degree view of the city. I hear it’s awesome). Following the Tour, there will be a reception at the Cathedral Views Gallery of Alumni Hall.

The Tour kicks off promptly at 1pm from Church of the Ascension. Tickets are $25 in advance or at the door. Checks made payable to EECM may be mailed to 250 N. Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Tickets may also be purchased via credit card by calling 412-361-5549.

We’ll see you there!

IGive

First there was online donating. Then came Goodsearch. Now here’s a quick report on the latest techie way to support EECM – http://www.igive.com/ Igive is an online shopping portal that donates up to 26% of the proceeds from its sales to the charity of your choice. You can shop over 680 stores including: Target, Barnes & Noble, JC Penney, Best Buy, GAP, Nordstrom, and Office Depot. The prices on the website are in-line with store prices (you won’t pay more by using igive) and you get the convenience of online shopping.

It’s never too soon to be thinking about Christmas gifts (I like jewelry, in case you don’t have enough people on your To Buy For list…) and this year, why not support a good cause at the same time?

Check out http://www.igive.com/!!

The ROCK Report

The numbers are in and I am pleased to announce that we reached our goal of $10,000 for the Reach Out to City Kids campaign. Technically we surpassed it. Thanks to an at-the-wire donation, we actually raised $10,040!

This generous support by the community enables us to receive a matching gift of $10,000 from an anonymous donor. Many thanks to the 79 individuals, congregations, and businesses who made the 2007 ROCK campaign a success!!

Introducing GoodSearch

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

I think that perhaps one of the greatest things about this Internet Age in which we live is how easy it has become to support good causes. With the click of a button you can donate to your favorite charities, fund free mammograms, find somewhere to volunteer or contact your congressman. And now, you can support EECM every time you search the web.

Introducing: GoodSearch! GoodSearch is a search engine, powered by Yahoo, which raises money for non-profits. And it’s really really easy. Super easy. Incredibly easy...Did I mention it was easy?

1) Go to http://www.goodsearch.com/

2) Select East End Cooperative Ministry in the “Who do you search for” section.

3) Search the web.

Every time you use GoodSearch, they make a donation to EECM! As an organization, GoodSearch donates 50% of their advertising profits to the organizations registered with them – this means that using GoodSearch is free both for the users and the non-profits themselves. The advertisers are footing the bill.

Each time you search, about 1 cent will be donated to EECM. This doesn’t sound like a lot by itself but think about how often you search the web – looking up addresses, confirming movie times, guiltily checking the calorie count on that mammoth muffin you just ate – it adds up! If 500 EECM supporters were to perform just four searches a day for a year, EECM would receive about $7,300.

You can also download the GoodSearch toolbar so it’s always right there whenever you need to search. I also recommend putting a brightly colored post-it note on your computer that says “GoodSearch Not Google!” At least for the first few weeks – old habits die hard.

Seriously, this is a fabulous concept but it only works if lots of people use GoodSearch and designate EECM. So forward this blog on to everyone you know – there’s a link at the bottom of this post that allows you to e-mail it to your friends and neighbors (look just below where it says “Posted by East End Cooperative Ministry at…” There is a small icon of an envelope with an arrow on it. Click there).

Flavor Results!

We've done some number crunching and bean counting and it looks like the first annual A Flavor of the East End raised more than $35,000 for East End Cooperative Ministry! Not too shabby for our first try, if I do say so myself. We don't have a 100% formalized number yet as a few bills are still coming in, but unless someone has zany outstanding expenses that we don't know about, that is the rough figure.

Thanks, merci, gracias, danke, and dhanyavad to everyone who helped, came, donated and sent good vibes. We did it!

Flavor Pictures!

For those unfortunate souls who were unable to attend A Flavor of the East End (and for those of you who were there but just want to relive the magic)...a few photos!

The Stunning Silent Auction

The Patio...with Peacock!

A Proud Mystery Box Winner

Little Things

Written By: Kathy Lockard, A Flavor of the East End Attendee

Sometimes, it's the Little Things that make a Big Thing extra special. Like Saturday night at EECM’s gala, A Flavor of the East End. It was a lovely evening and I think a big part of the reason that the atmosphere of the event was so enjoyable was the attention paid to the little things.

Little things, like the colors blue and green -- the same green that EECM uses on their website and newsletters. It was on the invitation and program. It was on the posters that lined the aquarium walkway and the banner hanging from the balcony. It was the color of the patio table covers. It was one of the colors of the shiny mystery boxes. Even some of the staff and special guests wore green! It's possible, of course, to go overboard with a color theme. But they didn't. Because the green was complemented by an ocean blue (Aquarium - remember?). The same blue that was also on the invitations and programs and inside table covers. When we entered the Aquarium, we were met by wait staff carrying trays of vivid blue drinks in martini glasses with a lime slice that looked surprisingly like the invitations.

Little things, like the glass block lights on the auction table and the glass block vases with flowers on the inside tables -- flowers that were carefully arranged by enthusiastic (and skillful) volunteers. Little things, like the colorful item description cards at the silent auction that so perfectly complimented the rest of the décor. Little things, like the fabulous iced polar bear cookies everyone received as they left the party (the work of another dedicated Friend of EECM and polar bears).

So, what do these little things have to do with the mission and passion of EECM? Does a polar bear cookie really make EECM special? Perhaps not, but to me, it says several things about the staff and volunteers at EECM. It says they enjoy what they do. It says they are willing to invest themselves in their work. And most importantly, it says they understand that what may seem like Little Things to some of us - like a clean kitchen in the men's shelter, or a bowl of soup on a cold day, or book of your very own, can make a big difference in someone's life.

A Flavorful Event

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Well, I am thrilled – no, perhaps an even bigger word, ECSTATIC – to report that East End Cooperative Ministry's first annual A Flavor of the East End was a smashing success. My deepest and most profound thanks to all of you who performed anti-rain dances; they worked brilliantly. It was cloudy but dry which provided a nice relief from the heat and allowed party-goers to lounge happily about the patio, sipping their drinks and nibbling on tasty treats.

We ended up hosting the event in the PPG Aquarium rather than the Water’s Edge exhibit itself due to concerns about whether the latter would be finished in time. Lucky for us, the Aquarium itself is a gorgeous venue and provided wonderful ambience to the evening. Who doesn’t like being greeted by a tank full of friendly sea dragons upon arrival at an event?

If my nose-counting is correct, we had just over 250 attendees at the event and it was a wonderful mix of people – volunteers, staff, board members, loyal donors, friends of friends, representatives from our sponsors, and few others that no one at EECM recognized at all! It was grand.

Music for the evening was provided by the ever-talented Brad Yoder, accompanied by two friends and EECM’s own Children & Youth staffer Terry Levels. The band was positioned on an upper level of the Aquarium, allowing them to send the music wafting out over the event from on high. Down below, guests mingled, ate, chatted, bid furiously on more than 40 silent auction items, and drooled shamelessly over the prizes being raffled off through our Mystery Box Drawings.

This was one of my favorite things about the evening. Mystery Boxes are basically a glorified raffle. We had 200 little glossy multi-colored round boxes artfully arranged on a table (a certain alarmingly clumsy Executive Assistant managed to knock over about 50 of them at one point, but we recovered and I won’t tell if you won’t). Inside each box was a poker chip with a number and inside some lucky boxes there was an additional little prize like a gift certificate to a local restaurant or an IOU for a yummy chocolate basket. You buy your box, check for an immediate prize, then clutch your numbered chip to your heart and hope fervently that it’s the winner of one of three larger prizes – two round-trip plane tickets anywhere on AirTran, a very sexy Trek Lime Lite automatic shifting bicycle, or a three-hour cruise on the Allegheny River complete with food and beverages. Pretty fun, huh?

All in all it was a great evening and perhaps the highest compliment that I heard anyone bestow upon us was to remark “I would never have guessed this was the first time you were doing this event.” Success!!

Pre-Event Crazies

A thousand apologies oh dear and faithful blog readers. The last few weeks have been super busy here at EECM and I'm afraid the blog has suffered a bit of neglect. I was planning to write something witty, clever and generally fabulous today but we are at T-minus 2 days to The Blessed Event (aka A Flavor of the East End) and I'm afraid there just isn't time for poetic musings on non-profit life today.

Have you ever worked on a big fundraiser? Whew. It's a wild ride. I'm loving every second of it but I'm not going to say it isn't a bit zany. We have at least 250 people coming (with reservations continuing to trickle in), darn near 100 items to prepare for the silent auction, decoration plans to finalize and implement, flowers to arrange, mystery boxes to package, drink tickets to buy, signage to create, and anti-rain dances to perform with wild abandon -- if you know any, please join in!

I promise you lovely blogs next week complete with pictures and stories from the evening. It's going to be an awesome time. But now I must go and pick up a handcrafted ornamental accent table. Cheerio!

Get Ready to ROCK!

Are you ready to ROCK? No, I’m not inviting you to another concert. I AM, however, inviting you to participate in EECM’s summer fundraising campaign: Reach Out to City Kids (ROCK). Every year, between May 15th and June 30th, EECM focuses its attention and resources on reaching out to the at-risk children and youth in our community. As with the Have a Heart for Hunger campaign in February and March, the ROCK campaign is backed by an anonymous donor who will match all contributions made to Children and Youth Services, up to $10,000.

Why is the ROCK campaign important? Today, the youth in our community are growing up in a world that’s increasingly scarred by violence, crime, and substance abuse. They are forced to grow up too fast and must struggle constantly against the destructive forces that surround them. We strive each and every day to help these youth navigate the realities of daily life and envision a brighter future for themselves. Through our Children and Youth Services, we provide much-needed programs including educational support, one-on-one mentoring, substance abuse prevention, conflict resolution, goal setting and life management skills.

Our Children and Youth staff works with upwards of 1,000 students every year throughout our numerous programs. We rely heavily on the generosity of our loyal supporters to provide the necessary funding to continue these vital programs. If you would like to make a donation to the ROCK campaign, please call 412-361-5549 or send a check made payable to EECM to:

250 N. Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Meditations on a Silent Auction

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

As you all know (I hope!!!), EECM is hosting its first annual fundraising event – A Flavor of the East End – on June 2nd at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. One of the main interest points of the evening will be a large silent auction. I’ve been working on the auction committee for the last few months and it has been quite an experience. The goal was clear: round up a sophisticated and awe-inspiring array of items that will cause our event attendees to froth at the mouth with desire and blissfully dole out large quantities of hard-earned cash.

The realization of this goal was somewhat more difficult. Let me tell you now – begging is exhausting work. Seriously. We sent out what felt like thousands of solicitation letters to all the businesses and restaurants we could think of. And some kind-hearted and heaven-bound individuals responded immediately with donations. But for the most part, it’s easy to ignore a piece of paper. So I spent a few days pounding the pavement and marching through the nearby shopping districts attempting to charm wary business owners out of gift certificates, gift baskets and fabulous items from their stores.

Their responses varied widely. Sometimes I got a: “oh yeah! EECM – I’ve heard of you. I’d love to donate!!” More often, I got furrowed brows and prevarications about how I was the twenty seventh person to come through their door today asking for a donation. Ouch.

And what do you say? “No, you silly person, don’t support AIDS research or Breast Cancer awareness!” Of course not. We just happen to be blessed (cursed?) to have a lot of worthy causes going on in Pittsburgh. Next year, I’ll start hitting people up in January.

But fear not gentle reader. I did ultimately prevail in my auction-stocking mission and can confidently assure you that the silent auction is going to rock. We have donations from more than 70 different sources, ranging in value from $5 to $1,000! From yoga lessons to restaurant certificates and baskets of chocolate to swanky furniture and snazzy home décor to car maintenance, there should be a little something there for everyone. Remember to Bid Early and Bid Often!

A Beary Special Invitation

Written by Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Q: What’s white and furry and a big supporter of EECM?

A: A polar bear, of course!

Specifically, the polar bears of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. The fun-loving furballs – Koda and Nuka – would like to cordially invite YOU, loyal friends and supporters of East End Cooperative Ministry to the first annual fundraising event, A Flavor of the East End!

More enticing details about this fabulous event will be coming soon. For now, all you need to know is:

What: An event to raise funds to support EECM programs and

community awareness of EECM’s mission

When: June 2nd, 2007 7-10 PM

Where: Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

Why: To support EECM of course but also because the bears invited you.

And I think we can all agree that when a polar bear extends a special invitation,

it is extremely rude to say no.

See you on the 2nd!!

The Results Are In

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

The end of the Have a Heart for Hunger campaign is at hand* and the results are in!

173 individuals/organizations/congregations contributed to the campaign and donated a total of $68,128.44. And that figure doesn’t factor in the value of the groceries donated during that period, which totaled well over a ton of food. WOWZER!

Let’s try to put that into perspective a little bit. $68,000 could provide:

Lunch for 28,000 individuals in the Soup Kitchen

OR

Emergency groceries for 1,300 families

OR

Meals on Wheels service to 30 clients for a year

OR

68,000 packages of marshmallow peeps -- maybe more if we catch the post-Easter clearances!! Very tempting...

***

Where does all that cash come from? Well, I’m glad you asked because it's good to know that I'm not the only one interested in neatly arranging data into categories.

$30,000 was contributed by one all-star individual who rocks a great deal
$26,256.64 was donated by 150 other (also-fabulous) individuals
$7,998.22 was donated by 13 congregations and congregation groups
$3,051.45 was donated by 4 schools, clubs and/or non-profit organizations
$822.13 was donated by 5 businesses

So, all together now, a final THANK YOU to everyone who demonstrated what it means to Have a Heart for Hunger!!

* Checks received after today that are clearly designated for the Have a Heart for Hunger Campaign will still be counted.

The 5th Dimension

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Mark your calendars! Clear your schedule! Cancel your trip to Disney World!

June 21

8pm

Heinz Hall

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is bringing the 5th Dimension to Pittsburgh for a benefit concert for non-profit agencies.

Here’s how it works – you buy tickets to the concert, either through us (412-361-5549) or directly through the orchestra website. Indicate that East End Cooperative Ministry is your charity of choice, and they will donate the revenue from the concert back to us! Tickets range in cost from $19 to $110.

Now, I am going to confess that I have absolutely no idea who the 5th Dimension are. Nada. Zip. Apparently this is because I am 25 years old. However, my co-workers who lived through (and still remember) the 60's assure me that they are a fabulous and fun band and that there’s a song about a balloon that is not to be missed. Therefore, I’ll be there with bells on and I hope you will too!

Casbah Benefit Dinner Success!

Written by: Suzan Krauland, Community Relations Director

Each month, Casbah Mediterranean Kitchen & Wine Bar and parent Big Burrito Restaurant Group hold a charity benefit dinner at their 229 S. Highland Avenue restaurant. March 22, EECM was the charity fortunate enough to benefit from their generosity. Thirty-six of our most loyal supporters attended this particular evening and it was amazing.

Those in attendance were able to enjoy a relaxed evening in a comfortable private room, view slides of EECM programs and experience the amazing culinary achievements of Casbah.

The evening started with passed hors’ d’oeuvres that included: wild mushroom bruschetta with melted Juliana goat cheese, lamb belly quince crostini, Moroccan spiced shrimp (with a great little kick), and organic polenta with walnut-roasted red pepper puree. This was accompanied by a fruity glass of Rumball Sparkling Shiraz.

The first seated course was a white bean puree with cubes of rutabaga and butternut squash, garnished with shaved parmesan and fried baby spinach leaves. This soup course was accompanied by Shooting Star “Blue Franc”.

The salad course was winter greens, with beets, pistachios and a sherry vinaigrette. The wine served was a Sauvion Vouray Demi-Sec. Next, red snapper was served on a bed of rapini, mounded on celeriac puree, in a pool of saffron and fennel broth. The fish course came with Pietra Santa Chardonnay.

The lamb loin (yes there was more!) was served alongside two eggplant ravioli, served on a thin slice of grilled zucchini, and dressed with natural jus. This course was served with a full-bodied red, Sipranillo.

And finally, to finish the evening, there was a round cut of Meyer Lemon Custard Cake plated with raspberry sorbet and drizzled with vanilla passion fruit syrup. This came with a cordial of La Casa Narcisi Blueberry Brillante. All this was completed with coffee for those of us who were headed off to watch, sadly, Pitt’s defeat in the Sweet Sixteen—the only blemish on what otherwise was a wonderful evening!

And the best part is, we were able to enjoy this feast knowing our dinner benefited EECM food programs.

Have a Heart Showcase Part 4

Kudos to our latest partners in the fight against hunger – the students of the independent schools of Pittsburgh! It all started with the Hunger Busters and their class project. When we learned about them and the fabulous work they were doing, a light bulb went on here at EECM. Would any other independent schools in the area be interested in taking part in Have a Heart for Hunger food drives?

Two thousand pounds of food later, we had our answer!

We first recruited the girls from the Ellis School to join the Hunger Busters and they in turn challenged the students of the Hunger Busters and they in turn challenged the students of Sterrett Classical Academy and Sewickley Academy to a Food Drive Challenge. Over a period of about a month, students at these schools collected canned goods and non-perishable food items from their friends and family and then hauled it all to EECM! On March 13th, our Pantry was bursting at the seams—filled with boxes of macaroni and cheese, jars of peanut butter, cases of canned soups, boxes of diapers, and happily chatting students. April 5th we will be going to pick up the Hunger Busters’ collection and celebrate with them a very successful campaign. Stay tuned for that update!!!