December 28th, 2006
Dear Friends and Partners,
Greetings from Church Hill! As you can tell from our newsletter, we are in the middle of a very full summer. We have already spent a weekend camping in North Carolina and watched a minor league baseball game (Richmond Braves). Our calendar for the rest of the summer is also packed with amazing opportunities for the children. Your giving allows trips and tutoring to continue to serve the children in Church Hill. Thank you all to the many people who have given to support the work with the at-risk children and families that we spend time investing in. I offer a special thanks to those who have chosen to support our interns. Their work has been invaluable to growing our influence in the community.
There are still so many ways in which CHAT could continue to use your support. Whether you have been giving for many years or have yet to partner with us financially, we open the door and encourage you to give to the needs and hopes of CHAT. To make your giving purposeful, I would like to give you a breakdown of how some of the financial contributions are used. That way, you can get a picture of how your money is being used. For instance, each week during the tutoring sessions, a cash reward is given to several hard-working children. We call those tutoring days "Cash Money Mondays" and "Money Train Tuesdays". By giving weekly, monthly, or yearly you could be a part of encouraging the kids who are usually forgotten to grow academically, socially and spiritually. Also, with the SB2W-Citikidz camp quickly approaching, you could use your gift specifically for one child to experience summer camp, a time that many of the kids rave as the best week of their life (We will be taking about 29 kids this summer). Here are some of the regular expenses of CHAT as well as some upcoming special events:
College Summer Interns…$3500 per intern (4x)
Teen Summer Interns…$2000 per intern (4x)
Trip to King's Dominion…$1500 (Take around 45 people)
Virginia Beach Trip in August…$700
Gas for the CHAT Bus…$200 per month (and rising)
Lunch after church throughout the entire year…$120 per week
SB2W Citikidz Summer Camp…$100 per child
Monetary rewards at tutoring throughout the entire year…$30 per week
Snacks at tutoring throughout the entire year…$20 per week
Thank you so much for being a part of all that CHAT hopes to see change and grow in the Church Hill community of Richmond. To make our partnership easier, we have enclosed an envelope that you can stamp, drop a gift in, and send in the mail. If you are more technologically gifted, then you can also donate on our website. Remember, CHAT is a 501c3 so all of your gifts are tax deductible. I hope that you will consider giving for the first time, giving again, or continuing to offer your support for the wonderful opportunities CHAT seeks to offer to the at-risk children of this community.
Percy Strickland
CEO of Church Hill Activities and Tutoring Inc.
