I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family! I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and I've spent a lot of time reflecting upon that. Often times, the weekend following Thanksgiving turns into a mad rush of shopping. In years past, I've hosted sales for you all-- my most loyal customers. This year, I'm going to do things a little differently.
A lot has happened here in Baltimore over the course of the year. Many issues of struggle and inequality came to head this past April. For many, these issues were new to them, never before in the limelight. For others, like me, they were problems that I saw bubbling under the surface during my time spent teaching in a Baltimore City classroom. And for many, they are daily realities.
So, this year, I hope to start a new Black Friday and Cyber Monday tradition of giving. Instead of offering a coupon code, I want to give back to my city. While I often offer 20% discounts in my shop, instead I'll be donating 20% of my sales from Friday through Monday to two organizations that really mean quite a lot to me-- Gather Baltimore and The Living Classroom Foundation's Believe in Music program. I've outlined a few things about each program below to help provide a better understanding of how invaluable they our to our city.
Gather Baltimore is a local non-profit that works to bring surplussed fresh fruits and vegetables to families and people who are in need. Baltimore is known for its food deserts-- sections of the city where getting basic healthy foods is a challenge. Gather Baltimore is working toward providing for these types of people both through donations and through their blue bag program, which offers affordable fresh fruits and vegetables that are a surplus from local grocery stores and markets. Gather Baltimore is also helping to change the way we look at food waste and sustainability.
The Believe in Music program works to uplift and empower Baltimore City students through the self-expression of music. Through the program, music is used to both create community awareness and also foster a connection to music within their daily lives. Music is an important aspect of my daily life, and this program provides what I believe to be an often overlooked necessity of expression within the public school setting here in Baltimore City.
From Friday, November 27 through Monday, November 30, I'll be donating 20% of all revenue towards these amazing programs. Please join me in giving back to Baltimore! Even if you don't plan to make a purchase, please consider donating to these programs in the coming days. For those of you that do make a purchase, I'll be sending a special thank you your way. Additionally, if you make a purchase of $40 or more and mention this blog post when you place your order, I'll be sending an extra surprise your way.
And lastly, if I haven't already said it a thousand times, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all that you do! I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. You enable me to do what I love doing each and every day.
Have a wonderful holiday season!