Since I got the idea for the name 55 Secret Street from Sheila E.'s classic song "The Glamorous Life," I thought it would be appropriate to kick off my Tip Jar Charity Drive with the Elevate Hope Foundation. Sheila E. and Lynn Mabry started EHF to provide abused and abandoned children an alternative method of therapy through music and the arts. You can read EHF's mission statement here.
The goal of EHF is to fund community centers, programs, and services that directly assist
neglected, sexually and physically abused, and abandoned children. They are also raising money to build the Compassion Care Center Of The Arts (CCCA) in the Los Angeles area. According to EHF's website, the goal of CCCA is to "provide victims of child abuse, non-offending parents or caregivers alternative methods of treatment through music, the arts, education, recreation and counseling.
CCCA will offer an innovative method of treatment by incorporating the
arts as a unique approach to improve, enhance and encourage their
chances of survival emotionally and socially while providing basic
training through traditional methods.
"
I think their goals are more than admirable - and much needed. Please visit the website for more information. Also, for you purple people out there, check out these pictures from the 1st Annual Family Jamm, which reunited many of the great artists that defined the Minneapolis sound in the
1980's including The Family, The Time and The Revolution (!!!!!) That's right, Wendy and Lisa, Bobby Z, BrownMark and Matt Fink back in the saddle again. The event took place in 2003, but they have had several other celebrity fundraisers since that time.
* Instead of paying my Typepad account with the "tips" I will donate 100% of the proceeds to the Elevate Hope Foundation. Originally, I planned to change the charity each quarter, but I think that sticking with one charity is a better idea.
So, thanks for visiting 55 Secret Street and supporting the Elevate Hope Foundation.
*Updated on October 29, 2006.
