I'm happy to be participating in the Fifth Annual NY Writers Coalition (NYWC) Write-a-Thon. This daylong writing marathon and festival benefits NYWC's free creative writing programs throughout the NY Metro area.

On June 12, I'll join other writers at the NY Center for Independent Publishing in Manhattan to write, attend workshops, and meet other writers.

I'm also a NYWC workshop leader. My workshop with elementary-aged kids in my neighborhood, Bed Stuy Brooklyn, has grown from 1 or 2 regular attendees to 6-8 kids who look forward to it every week. I bring them some sort of homemade treat and we spend an hour every Wednesday afternoon writing.

Your pledges will help NYWC continue to offer more than 1,000 free, unique and powerful creative writing workshops each year for:

• homeless and formerly homeless
• at-risk, and economically disadvantaged youth
• seniors
• veterans
• the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated
• cancer survivors
• many others

I think it’s vital that NYWC’s work continues, and I hope that you will join me in supporting this wonderful organization. Every dollar pledged makes a difference; thank you in advance for contributing. It means a lot to me (and I know money's tight for everyone); thank you.