Dear donors,please make your donations using the link below: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg" target="_blank">ChiNorthOrchestraHarp</a> <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg"><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg</a></a> Do not use the Clinton harp orchestra fund link stated in the article.   To date I have not been able to retrieve any monies from Gofund Me or from Friends of Chicago Public Schools to purchase any instruments. This charitable organization has not yet linked to me so that I can retrieve the funds. I am still attempting to retrieve the monies. The $2,700 in donations that were donated to purchase instruments are either with gofund or Friends of Chicago Public Schools. I am reaching out to both in order to resolve the issue and retrieve the funds. The ChiNorthOrchestraHarp fund is established for the same purpose and will be used to support the Clinton School Orchestra. I will be able to manage the monies from this account as administrator in order to purchase instruments in a timely matter from vendors that I approve of and work with so that we will  have some instruments to play on. Please make your charitable donation and help to ensure that the underserved youth of Chicago receive tuition free group instrumental music instruction afterschool in harp, violin, viola, cello, and bass. The donations will help to purchase school instruments that the students may use at free and sliding scale rental fees according to household income. The donations will later allow for professional development to occur as well as funding operational expenses and student private study on scholarship.  My name is Robert. I currently teach in the Chicago Public School system at the elementary level. I am the orchestra and harp director at Clinton School.   I have always had a passion for music and have always offered tuition free lessons for students afterschool. I was fortunate enough to first have the opportunity to study music in the public school system when I was in middle school. It was after middle school when I began to see that private lessons were very expensive for my family. I am grateful to my parents for the sacrifices that they made to provide a few private lessons and a summer music camp  during high school. I have had many wonderful experiences in performing and teaching music. I am currently principal harpist and section violinist of the Northwest Chicago Symphony Orchestra. <img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/19864930_1492983600.567_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> Over my 20 years of teaching, I have recognized that we are loosing generations of young musicians in instrumental music for many reasons. The population of students that I teach in CPS are at or below poverty levels. This prevents parents from paying for lessons and renting instruments. In addition, there are not enough trained teachers who are available to schedule instructional time with students before or after the regular school days. Most schools will not allow for scheduling of instrumental lessons during the regular school day. Even if they allow this type of scheduling, they must usually recruit and import trained and certified staff to grow a choir, band, or orchestra program. This is why I need your assistance. My focus is on using my skills to build a comprehensive orchestra program in my neighborhood school and community which will allow students to study harp, violin, viola, cello, and bass at the elementary and middle school levels. This would allow them to develop the proper technique needed before entering high school. The goal is for these students is to matriculate to feeder high schools and play in their high school orchestras, then college and community. I have taken on the task of beginning to build this program. This fund will earmark $13,000 for the purchase of a used pedal harp for the harp program. This program will earmark $10,000 for the purchase of 5 folk harps for the harp program. This program will earmark $2000 for the purchase of 5 to 6 Reese Harpsicles This program will earmark $8000 for two year teacher professional development. This program will earmark $5000 for instrumental supplies such as covers, strings, repairs, music, tuning keys, regulations, music This program will utilize $10,000 to fund 40 weeks of Saturday scholarship private lessons at 30 minute intervals to 12 deserving and developing string students of the program given by the orchestra director.  This program will earmark $5000 to purchase school violins, violas, cellos to use. This program will earmark $5000 to purchase supplies, cases, strings, bridges, pegs, shoulder pads, outsource repairs. This program will earmark $1000 for transportation fees.(Van rental to performances) This program will earmark $1000 for event and media supplies. Through a generous grant from the Mockingbird Foundation I was recently awarded funding to purchase some starter instruments to help build the harp  program component.  Check the link below. <a href="http://mbird.org/2017/03/phish-fans-give-81k-grants/" target="_blank">Mockingbird</a> Please give generously and help to share the gift of music with Chicago's youth. <img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/19864930_1492982910.6637_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> Donate by clicking the link below. ChiNorthOrchestraHarp <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.gofundme.com/chg-northside-yth-harp-orch-prg</a>

Mary Leger

Emily Landon

Steve Houswright

Anonymous

Buku Anaclet

Katie Powell

Roberta Berland

Eileen  von Husen O'Neil 

Elizabeth Fraser

Leo Lorenzen

Clinton Schl Harp & Orchestra Fund

Clinton Schl Harp & Orchestra Fund

Still $57,265 to go. Help us build momentum.