The recession is making non-profit organizations rethink ways to raise much-needed funds in order to continue operating and serving their communities. Case in point: the Filipino-American Library (FAL).
FAL was founded almost 25 years ago by an American by the name of Helen Brown. This unique organization, like many other non-profits, is re-orienting fundraising activities during these bad economic times.
In an event held at a coffee roasting place in Pasadena last month, John S. Mina, chairman of the board for FAL, said that "friend-raiser" is their new and unique approach to raise funds.
"What we are attempting to achieve here is to reach beyond the Filipino-American community, to include the mainstream, in order to broaden our base," Mina said. "We need to go beyond our community to a bigger one out there. A library should not be defined by boundaries," Mina said. "This is the first time that FAL has done this type of fundraiser."
The event, dubbed "Music and Song," was held at the Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters on Allen Avenue, Pasadena -- a coffee place managed by Dan Gutman and his wife, Colleen.
While working for a US charitable organization stationed in the Philippines a couple of years ago, the couple fell in love. They were married two years later and had their honeymoon in the Philippines.
"We established this coffee house because we want to interact with many different people," Dan said. "And a coffee shop is where a lot of different people meet," Dan added.
He realized that there is a much bigger community out there that can be tapped, so when the idea of the friend-raiser event was offered to him, he did not hesitate. It simply had to happen in Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters.
Celina Taganas-Duffy, founder and creative director of Tagline, who attended the fundraiser with her husband, Owen, and their two-year-old daughter, Bridget said that she’s happy to do this anytime.
Music publicist Rex Sampaga, who was the event master of ceremonies, invited his client, the youthful hip-hop and rap singer, J-Ricz, to lend a few songs.
J-Ricz performed with Lea Salonga last year, during a fundraising concert for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. Jazz-Philippines Jazz Festival winner Eric Baul sang R & B, smooth jazz, and bossa nova numbers, accompanied by accomplished Swiss guitarist August Schmid.
Well-known Fil-Am guitarist and accompanist, Ric Ickard, performed Filipino kundimans, including Bituing Marikit (Beautiful Star), and a couple of solo numbers composed by popular smooth jazz musician Earl Klugh.
Baul, who works as a civil engineer with the Los Angeles County, began singing at age six in his native Caloocan City, Philippines. He is a member of Jazz Mezzine Around, a jazz and R& B band that regularly plays at a club in downtown Los Angeles.
"We want to plug into other communities," said Jameson Coffee Roasting Company partner Dan Gutman. This is a good place for friends to meet and talk about different stuff and have fun. You could only find that kind of atmosphere and camaraderie in a coffee shop," Gutman said.
Event attendees came in groups and pairs. Wives came with their husbands and young children, and girls came with their boyfriends. "I am so happy with the outcome," gushed John Mina. "This will not be the last time." Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters is located at 260 N. Allen Avenue, Pasadena.
The fundraiser, in all aspects, was a huge success.
( Published April 14, 2010 in MDWK Magazine p. 7 )
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