We made it!

In fact, we made it and then some: the Vera Project raised $37,576 through the 2008 Spring Fund Drive, annihilating our goal of $33,000 and allowing us to get matching funds from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to help finish paying for Vera’s Seattle Center home.

The positive impact of this funding is huge – your donations and the Murdock Trust’s match will make a difference in both Vera’s immediate situation and our long-term financial stability. The stress of gradually paying off a large construction project like our new home places an immense burden on a young, relatively small organization like Vera, and your support combined with the Murdock Trust’s grant has relieved Vera of the vast majority of that burden.

The incredible amount of support Vera received in the Spring Fund Drive has been truly inspiring. Hundreds of individuals donated and raised thousands of dollars.  It means the world to us that so many in the community believe in Vera’s vision of a thriving all-ages music and arts community in Seattle.  Whether you’re an artist, a volunteer, a Member, a Board member, a friend or relation of someone who comes to Vera, or a supporter of all-ages music and art - without you Vera wouldn’t exist.

Come to Vera soon and see a show, take a class, volunteer and see your donations in action – you can find our current programming schedule at www.theveraproject.org.

Thanks for supporting all-ages music and art!

Veri et Recti Amici – True and sincere friends.

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The Vera Project needs your help this spring!

We need to raise $33,000 by the end of June to finish paying for our new space and fuel more awesome music and arts programming. Each dollar we raise up to this goal will be doubled by a generous matching grant from the Murdock Charitable trust. Every donation, no matter how large or small, will make a difference in the lives of thousands of young people and artists.

It’s a great time to donate to Vera, especially with the government’s tax rebate just around the bend – now you have a chance to use your tax money to support all-ages music in Seattle instead of the whims of those in Washington (DC, that is).

You can help us reach our goal:
• Donate! You can donate online through this page, or you can drop a check in the mail.

• Get the word out! Tell your friends, family, co-workers and anyone else you can think of. Clink the Share This Page link above to email this page, grab a handy fundraising widget that you can put on your website, link this page to your Facebook profile, or send out a Myspace bulletin.

• Have your employer match your donation. Many companies, including locals Microsoft, Washington Mutual and Boeing, have giving programs that support the charities their employees contribute to. This is a really easy way to double your donation – just check with your employer to see if your company offers matching donations.

• Get in touch if you want to help! Thinking of doing a benefit show? Wondering how your next dinner party can raise money for Vera? Just drop us a line at fundraising@theveraproject.org or (206) 956-8372.

If you prefer to donate by check please send your donation to The Vera Project, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109. Be sure to write “Vera 2008 Spring Fund Drive” on the check and include your current mailing address so we can send you a receipt.

Thanks for supporting all-ages music and art!

About The Vera Project

The Vera Project is an all-ages popular music venue and arts center in the heart of Seattle, Washington. We put on concerts, art shows and events, and offer classes and facilities for silkscreen printing, sound engineering, studio recording and concert lighting. Over a thousand volunteers work with Vera’s staff and Board of Directors to run the organization. Vera is dedicated to making all-ages music and art a thriving, vital force in Seattle and empowering young people to create and define their own culture.

In February 2007 Vera opened our first long-term home at the Seattle Center. The new venue is an incredible asset to Seattle – it includes a 362 capacity showroom, an art gallery, a silkscreen studio, a recording studio and state of the art sound, lighting and recording equipment, all of which have helped us serve more people than ever before. Since opening the new space, Vera has served over 22,000, show attendance is up by 50%, and participation in silkscreen and sound engineering classes has doubled. Thanks to the new venue Vera will be a stable home for all-ages music and art for generations to come.

The Vera Project * 305 Harrison Street * Seattle, WA * 98109* (206) 956-8372 * www.theveraproject.org