Strumming From the Heart

April 2013

Donate Now

Hip-Hop Fundraiser

About Create Now

Strumming From the Heart

ECHOage

Volunteer Spotlight

Every penny counts!

$5 buys five songs for our music workshops. $50 buys arts supplies for 15 abused children. $100

enables 33 troubled kids to attend concerts and plays.

Click here to donate online or mail your check to: Create Now; 1611 S. Hope Street, # E, Los Angeles, CA 90015. You can also contribute through PayPal at: info@createnow.org.

Your donation is tax deductible.

Hip-Hop Event

Join us at the William Link Theatre at Cal State University in Long Beach on Friday, May 3rd at 7:00 for a hip-hop dance show and competition that will feature some of Southern California's most exciting dance crews. Many of our youth will be there and proceeds will benefit Create Now. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Contact Jon at: jonml13@gmail.com for reservations.

Create Now is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996. Our mission is to transform the lives of youth in need through arts mentoring and experiences. Our charity serves vulnerable kids who have been abused, neglected, abandoned and orphaned, homeless, runaways, throwaways, teen parents, victims of domestic violence, children of prisoners, substance abusers, gang members or incarcerated. In the past 16 years, we have reached more than 30,000 of these troubled youth through our unique arts mentoring and cultural programs and services.

Strumming From The Heart

Maryvale Guitar 1 Maryvale is a foster group home in Rosemead that serves around 60 girls ages 6-17 who have been abused, abandoned, neglected and orphaned.

Thanks to the Redducs Family Foundation, our teaching artist Kalla Vavra works with four teenagers at Maryvale, helping them learn acoustic guitar.

During our 12-week Guitar Workshop, they are becoming skilled in playing chords and developing songs.

Rose White, the Maryvale Activities Coordinator said, "The girls feel very special being a part of this. They so look forward to each class and have formed a special bond through the workshop.

Sara exclaimed,"Music is my life! The last time I saw my family, I said, 'I'm going to make a record. I'll be famous.' I can't believe we are going into the (Create Now) studio!"

The girls are also designing their CD covers on paper guitars. Kalla said, "These girls blow me away. Some are writing their own songs to record. Can you imagine the courage that takes?"

Maryvale Guitar 3

Rose remarked, "I know they will hate to see the classes end, but what a wonderful seed it has planted in their hearts for music."

We're grateful to the Redducs Family Foundation for making this Guitar Workshop possible.

Do you have a guitar that you'd like to donate to Create Now? If so, please contact us at (213) 747-2777 or email: giving@createnow.org.

ECHOage is a birthday party website that helps kids give to their favorite charity while also receiving great presents. The birthday boy or girl can choose any birthday gifts they want and at the same time, make a donation to Create Now.

ECHOage makes it so easy - and fun! Your child can design their own invitation and thank you notes. There's an RSVP manager and a contribution tracker. Best of all, half of the money that's given to your child will go to Create Now, while they can use the other half to buy whatever they want.

Through this website, your child will receive a priceless gift -- feeling proud about making a difference in the world by helping the most troubled children to experience the therapeutic power of arts mentoring and experiences.

Click here to register with ECHOage and you'll find us listed under Arts.

Volunteer Spotlight

We'd like to express our gratitude to Lynda Williams who is Create Now's website and newsletter manager. We hired her in 2006 to help with data entry. That project ended a few months later and she has volunteered much of her time ever since. Lynda is a freelance web/graphic designer at her company Baywood Design Studio. She loves singing in the Gold Standard (Barbershop) Chorus and walking. Lynda also has two grandchildren. Everyone at Create Now is tremendously appreciative of her time and support.