Dearest Sister-Freind and NIA Supporter:
Happy Holidays to you! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday and I'm sure you're gearing up for a wondrous holiday season. I am happy to report to you all that our 20th Annual Retreat was a glorious success. We ate, we sang, we fellowship, we laughed and cried and celebrated the joy and pride we feel in carrying forth for 20 years.
I am writing to ask that you make a year-end gift the NIA Collective. I so appreciate your strong support of our work but now, more than ever, we need your financial support. And in the rush of year-end giving, I'd like to ask that you consider The NIA Collective first as you're planning to whom and which amounts you're donating the last of your charitable contributions for 2007.
I'd like to tell you about two things we are working on right now that your tax deductible gifts will help us accomplish:
The NIA Collective is currently planning to reactivate our monthly newsletter as a vehicle for networking, support and news. We were very successful in keeping you informed of our work, our ideas and our dreams and relaunching our newsletter is one of the most informative ways to reach women around the world.
To encourage and nurture educational assistance through mentoring and scholarships for Lesbians of African Descent; and to aid in fostering personal and professional enrichment.
From the Statement of Purpose
We are also in the process of gearing up our mentoring and scholarship programs. In the past, our successful scholarship program has awarded thousands of dollars to Black lesbian students who have gone on to graduate programs and professional successes. Our mentoring program is in need of extra attention and we have plans to establish a stronger connection with our under 30 year old lesbian Sistahs
As I know you share my commitment to increased empowerment and making this world a place where Black lesbians can thrive, I am asking for your help. This next year presents yet another opportunity for us to share the work we are doing on local and national scales both with other organizations and singularly. We are planning to lead workshops and support groups, and to continue to play a supportive role to other organizations, effectively networking and doing the work we must. We have reached out to past Board members for encouragement, support and guidance and we are actively seeking new members and new volunteers to strengthen our presence and to do the work that we are committed to.
Please contribute $500, $200, $50 or whatever you can. Your gift will be not only an investment in the spirit of the organization, but in all the lives touched by Black lesbians on a daily basis. And don't forget, your gift is tax-deductible. Please give generously and as quickly as you can.
Just as a brief update and/or reminder, there are a few general questions related to gift giving commonly posed around this time of the year; hopefully this will address your questions and please know that you can contact us directly for any additional information:
1) All checks should be received on or before December 31st ;
2) Checks received after December 31st will be processed and receipted
according to the date on your envelope; if there is no envelope, the date on the
check will be used as receipt date;
3) All credit card contributions, per IRS regulations, will be processed for the
date the charge hits your account; we cannot use a postmark to receipt your
credit card donation so please be sure to offer your charge
on or before
December 30th;
I hope you will take this opportunity to support our continuing efforts by making a donation as soon as you can. NIA can continue into the next twenty years with your ongoing support. We can make great gains when we believe in and support each other and I thank you for your attention and your love .
