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Steve Brooks Founder / Manager Northern California - United States 3780 Posts |
Hey gang,
I just wanted to share a very important project with you and hope that you will give this the serious consideration that it deserves. THE HOCUS POCUS PROJECT We're a nonprofit organization that teaches magic to all kinds of children and adults, including those in hospitals and detention centers. Since 2007 we've empowered by teaching magic in New York City at children's hospitals, veterans' hospitals, community centers and the juvenile detention system. It's empowering for everyone involved, both our teachers and our students. The teaching of magic is unique as it allows new students to immediately (in one hour or less) demonstrate that they now have magic powers! Whether it's a sick child or a veteran, magic is a powerful tool! Our teachers are all professional magicians and are considered the best in the world. In one lesson from them our students become real apprentice magicians who can now amaze their friends and family. And yes, that is David Blaine in the cover photo. He has taught sessions with us, introduced us to new locations like The Door Community Center in New York City, and has sat on the on the board of our parent organization, the Conjuring Arts Research Center, since its inception in 2003. The Conjuring Arts Research Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Manhattan which provides a library of over 15,000 magic and magic-related books dating back to the 15th century. NYC Department of Education and Division of Youth and Family Justice Since 2009 we have worked with the kids in the New York City juvenile detention system through the Department of Education and Division of Youth and Family Justice. We teach through the Passages Academy system, which is the education system for these kids comprising seven school sites and 18 group homes. We have been at the two secure-detention sites, Crossroads and Horizon, since 2009 and they want us to expand to all 18 group homes. This is AWESOME! But it will also QUADRUPLE our size - from 6 locations to 24 locations! So, we need your help! WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET We're looking for six months of funding - $150,000. This is for all 24 locations. We only hire professional magicians who deliver absolutely inspiring lessons. Our supply costs include decks of cards, sponge balls, and other magic props. Quadrupling our size will mean hiring a coordinator to help handle all the logistics behind classes, magicians, and supply management. Right now the Hocus Pocus Project is operated out of the archives room of the Conjuring Arts Research Center. This is a small private library that has RUN OUT OF SPACE FOR BOOKS - so if we hire a new employee, we may have to rent office space. OUR STRETCH GOAL Our stretch goal is $300,000 which would fund all 24 locations for a full year! Beyond donations of $300,000 would not only allow us to expand to more hospitals and community centers but also would allow us to start expanding nationwide! IF WE DO NOT REACH OUR GOAL If we do not meet our goal we will teach all 24 locations for five months if we have the funds. Otherwise we will have to teach fewer than the 24 locations that have asked for our classes. Please help us so we don't have to say no!!! Please make a pledge right now to help us out! THE PERKS David Blaine is not only donating his beautiful, vintage-style signed posters, but he's also giving a magic lesson to one donor! Not to mention, he is giving one donor and the donor's friends a tour of his secret, hidden office in lower-Manhattan! Many magic books follow a long tradition of including a recipe on the last page of the book. So, in that spirit, we're giving away "Noah's Super Secret Kale And Quinoa Extravaganza" recipe from Noah Levine, one of our longtime magic instructors! We are also giving away signed copies of the New York Times Bestseller, "The Secret Life of Houdini," written by the Hocus Pocus Project and Conjuring Arts Research Center founder, William Kalush. THE IMPACT Here at the Hocus Pocus Project we have seen the incredible effect that magic lessons have on kids and adults. The fast learning curve gets the participants excited about magic no matter what their background. We've been at five of our six current locations since 2009 including:
For many participants, the Hocus Pocus Project provides the only high point of their week and in some cases is the only time a kid's mind is fully engaged and focused. NO PUBLIC FUNDING The kids in the Passages Academy system have ZERO after-school programs funded by the city. Whereas the NYC public school kids have over $400 MILLION of after-school programs. So donations are the ONLY way kids in the 18 non-secure group homes and 2 secure facilities (Crossroads and Horizon) of Passages Academy get after-school programs. Here is our instructor Noah teaching our Horizon secure-detention for-credit class (photos by the security guard since we can't bring cameras inside the facility; the kids' faces were "blued" out before releasing the pics to us for the safety of the kids): TAX DEDUCTABLE The Hocus Pocus Project is the outreach arm of the Conjuring Arts Research Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. That means that your donation is tax deductible! Let us know if you have any questions about that. TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE HOCUS POCUS PROJECT If you can't contribute, please help us by getting the word out and telling all your friends about the Hocus Pocus Project Indiegogo campaign! "Like" us on Facebook to stay up to date with the program and checkout our website at the links below! Click For Facebook Click for YouTube Official Website PLEASE HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN! THE HOCUS POCUS PROJECT ---
"Always be you because nobody else can" - Steve Brooks
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