YAMA fundraiser a dozen new monthly sustainers short of unlocking additional $100,000
Anthony Marquez plays violin during rehearsal with Yakima Music en Acción on Tuesday at Le Chateau in Yakima.
After-school orchestra program Yakima Music en Acción seeks 10 more monthly sustainers to reach 100, which will unlock an additional $100,000 in pledged gifts.
YAMA provides youths access to classical music training and leadership development. The nonprofit has 90 new monthly sustainers as of Thursday, according to Stephanie Hsu, executive director. The additional $100,000 YAMA will receive when it reaches 100 new monthly supporters will help students and families this fall term.
The effort is YAMA’s annual summer campaign. YAMA must reach 100 monthly sustainers by Wednesday, when the campaign ends.
“Every 25 new monthly donors unlocks $25,000 of pledged gifts from generous YAMA supporters, with the ultimate goal of securing 100 monthly supporters to unlock $100,000 in pledged support,” Hsu said in a news release. “This campaign builds off of the momentum of the $100,000 grant from the Washington Women’s Foundation that YAMA was awarded this past spring, and extends an effort to galvanize additional community support to match that grant.”
The Washington Women’s Foundation selected five grantees across Washington state to be awarded $100,000. Funding for YAMA will go to support ongoing youth leadership development.
YAMA is Washington’s first El Sistema-inspired classical music training program. Musicians usually meet after school for group practice, but students are learning remotely due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, making community support even more crucial.
“All of us, across ages, races and neighborhoods, need antidotes to isolation in this time of social distancing and quarantining,” Hsu said. “YAMA’s young leaders need music-making, community-building and empowerment opportunities now more than ever, and YAMA’s students and families have communicated this loud and clear to program staff.”
To become a monthly donor, visit yamamusic.org.
—Tammy Ayer