November 15, 2019
Dear Friends,
As the year comes to an end, we have much to celebrate and be grateful for at Al-Bustan. Our amazingly dedicated staff and teaching artists are a tremendous asset, along with the guest artists and partners we’re fortunate to work with in serving youth and adults across the city.
For those who contributed this year, we are most grateful — Shukran! We hope more friends will contribute to making a difference in our communities. A gift in whatever amount would mean a great deal to us and the people we serve. To make a tax-deductible contribution please CLICK HERE.
To highlight for you a few things from 2019:
Creating an Administrative and Programming Hub: We’re excited to make the move to 3645 Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia. We look forward to building relationships with neighboring residents, businesses, and organizations as we co-create a welcoming cultural space for all. We hope you will join us for the Open House on First Friday, December 6 (5-9pm) for a celebratory evening of art, music, food, and mingling.
Partnering with Public Schools: Throughout the school year, we are engaged at several Philadelphia public schools – with weekly offerings at Moffet School, Juniata Park Academy, Northeast High School, and Greenfield School — serving youth of diverse backgrounds through Arab arts and cross-cultural exchange.
Al-Bustan Camp: We held the 17th summer of our signature program for K to 8th graders in Center City. Our theme of coexistence (taya’ush / convivencia) attracted 50 campers and 10 counselors. Look for our 2020 plans for camp to be announced in January.
Presenting Music & Poetry: We presented two concert programs in April and May that brought together Arab, Korean, Chinese, Cuban, and African American musicians. In the Fall we featured three Arab poets with newly published works in the Words From Home poetry series. We’re looking forward to our Turkish-Arab musical dialogue tomorrow at Trinity Center for Urban Life in Philadelphia — we hope to see you there! In a couple weeks we’ll be hosting an intensive weekend workshop on Arab music.
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees: We’re committed to supporting immigrant and refugee communities and to cultivating an America that is welcoming to all. At the 4-week SDP summer program for recent immigrants we saw how students gained greater confidence to speak through their art and language and made new friendships. After a 7-month display at Cherry Street Pier, An Immigrant Alphabet banners are being dispersed at sites across the city, and our initiatives at NEHS deepen with weekly programming for youth and their families that address well-being, leadership development, and language skills.
In the Media: We’re grateful for the the array of thoughtful coverage by local and national media — most notably WHYY, Generocity, Philadelphia Citizen, Creative Exchange, CommonGood, and ArtBlog.
As we continue to grow, individual donor support is vital to sustaining our programs! Please support the crucial work of Al-Bustan with a gift before December 31!
In making a tax-deductible contribution, you can choose from three funds:
Al-Bustan ARTISTS Fund supports presenting local/national/international renowned guest artists from various disciplines and genres
Al-Bustan’s GREATEST NEED Fund supports general operations and various programs of the organization
We are pleased to offer these Al-Bustan Giving Societies:
The Seeds – البذور
$0 – $249 | Benefit: name listed on our website and in upcoming concert programs
The Blossoms – الأزهار
$250 – $999 | Benefits: name listed on our website and in upcoming concert programs, 2 complimentary tickets with premium seating, complimentary CD
Harvest Circle – دائرة الحصاد
$1,000 – $2,499 | Benefits: name listed on our website and in upcoming concert programs, 4 complimentary tickets with premium seating, complimentary CD, invitation to special events
Orchard Circle – دائرة البستان
$2,500+ | Benefits: name listed on our website and in upcoming concert programs, 6 complimentary tickets with premium seating, complimentary CD and #iAlphabet book, set of 4 Al-Bustan logo coasters; invitation to special events, annual reception with artists
CLICK HERE to make a contribution secured online.
Please use the DONATION FORM and mail it to the address below. Please make your check payable to:
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture
526 South 46th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143
SHUKRAN – THANKS for your generosity and support!
Hazami Sayed, Executive Director and Omar Harb, Chair of the Board
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
