A Letter From The Chairman
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I just wanted to send you an update and remind you about the Red Dot Auction.
Although I have been in touch with some of you, I certainly have been thinking of many of you and wondering how your individual journey through your unique and your family’s unique experience of life has been.
I’ve heard everything from abject boredom to controlled (or perhaps not so controlled) chaos and so many variations in between. And I know every one of us has evolved and adjusted in so many ways over the past 10 weeks and more.
I am so impressed by everyone’s adaptability and resilience, particularly our youth. We, as "adults", potentially have much more perspective from years of experience, whereas this is becoming a big chunk of these young people's relatively short lives. And yet they are adapting amazingly well, with stumbles I’m sure (like all of us), along the way.
All of us at the Chuck Jones Companies have adapted quite a bit and each of us is safe and well and calm.
Changes at the Center
Specifically at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, we have had a complete shift in our world over the past 10 weeks with our talented Executive Director deciding to move to Washington State just before the pandemic and then the cancellation of 100% of our programming in the blink of an eye.
WHAT WE'VE DONE BECAUSE OF THE UNEXPECTED
Instant Virtual Pivot of Programming
I whole-heartedly applaud the amazing shifts our team made literally overnight who began to provide free virtual programs to the world almost instantaneously.
https://www.chuckjonescenter.org/going-virtual
We have now provided nearly 100 free programs to an estimated 2 to 3 thousand participants in the past 7 weeks around the country and as far off as the Czech Republic and Chile.
These programs now include two recurring classes provided through the Irvine Public Schools Foundation who also lost all of their on-campus programs immediately.
Chuck Jones on Your Phone
We started Chuck Jones on your phone, downloadable programs for anyone any time.
https://www.chuckjonescenter.org/chuck-jones-on-your-phones
Free Creativity Kits for the Home
We have and are in the process of delivering and mailing more than 1500 Free Chuck Jones Creativity Kits in numerous versions since the isolation began. Most of these have been provided to some of the most challenged neighborhoods alongside food delivery to children as well as Senior Facilities who are completely locked down.
Delivering Hugs Around the Country
We have sent out nearly 1000 free bearhugs (signed and mailed directly from my mother, Linda Jones, from her quarantine.
https://www.chuckjonescenter.org/free-hugs
2020 Vision and Foresight - Supporting Small Business
Two weeks ago we launched a small business support program called 2020 Vision and Foresight – Small Business Initiative to support small businesses across the country who need their community support to survive.
https://www.chuckjonescenter.org/2020-vision-sb
Now more than ever, we can use your partnership and support.
With all of the great strides above, our program revenues went to zero immediately and we have been providing all but two programs for free because we believe that is what our community needed and continues to need throughout this time.
Given that we cannot hold our most important fundraiser of the year, which normally sustains us for the rest of the calendar year, we can certainly use all of the support and participation possible.
Please join us tomorrow night (pre-register now!) for the event from 6:30 PM to 8 PM on Zoom, Facebook Live, and Instagram Live. Details on site below. (Saturday, May 16)
Register Here
Go to the link above to pre-register and even pre-bid on artwork or one of the UFO items (or perhaps just make a much-needed donation). Every bid and every donation helps keep our programs and our organization alive!
If you know anyone else who might be interested in joining in the fun, please feel free to pass this along and spread the news by email and in social media.
With great gratitude,
Craig
Craig Kausen
Chuck Jones Center for Creativity
Chairman of the Board
