09/26/2007 - Fall Update |
Greetings from OPEN! We have started a number of new activities, and this email is to update you on these, as well as on ongoing programs. This has been a tough year, and a challenge to make our money go as far as we would have liked it to. India and the world's booming real estate market have increased prices of construction materials tremendously. We used to pay Rs. 2,000 for a classroom bench and desk set, and now we pay Rs. 3,200 for the same.
So, now we have changed our strategy a bit and are asking school managements to contribute either an even match or raise additional funds toward projects. We still plan to continue giving outright grants to extremely poor schools and students. Our fundraising efforts continue. The fourth annual Innisai Mazhai (Music Monsoon) OPEN-Rasika concert will be on Oct 27 at Langley High School, McLean, VA. We will send out another email with more details of this concert, which has become very popular in the Washington DC metro area. Click here for a clip from last year's concert Here is how we used the funds raised last year:
Our ability to fund these projects depends on your generosity. We request that (tax deductible) contributions payable to "OPEN Inc." be sent to one of the addresses below. If you made a pledge during the concert and if you haven't sent your check yet please do so as soon as possible.
If you would like your contribution to go towards the "Educate a Child" program, please mention it on your check memo section. Contributions may also be made online at: http://www.mydonations.com/openindia Please consider investing in India's future. To delay may mean to forget. Sincerely, |