Dear Friend of the Arts and Community Economic Development:

Our work at Gateway Community Development Corporation is informed by the knowledge of what is possible: that we can build strong, vibrant communities that are enriched by the presence of the arts. Indeed, our happiness is measured every day by the work we do with you to realize the vision of a thriving arts district in Prince George’s County.

That’s why we are asking for your support of our 2009 Annual Fund to help us continue our community-building work. And, when you make your annual fund gift between now and September 30, 2010, you are helping us meet a new $10,000 challenge grant from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation!

During the course of the past year, our work has included:

• Implementing 2 district-wide open studio tours with more than 125 artists participating;

• Working with the Arts District Management Team (a group of local government and nonprofit organizations) to develop a new online marketing tool: www.mygatewayarts.org;

• Writing more than $1 million in grant applications that yielded more than $505,000 for arts district projects;

• Working with the State Highways Administration to make Route 1/Rhode Island Avenue more pedestrian friendly as arts district development continues;

• Hosting a grand opening for the new ezStorage building that includes 10,000 square feet of artist and retail space on the first floor (perhaps the only storage building in the nation that features artist’s studios and retail space);

• Fully leasing the new Gateway Arts Center at Brentwood. This project will house 13 individual artist’s studios, the visual arts programs of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the temporary exhibition space of the new Prince George’s County African American Museum and Cultural Center at North Brentwood.

Please help us continue these successes by giving generously. Remember, if we raise $10,000 by the end of our fiscal year (September 30, 2010), The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation will match us one-to-one with another $10,000. Please help us make that happen!

Gateway CDC is a 501(c)(3) federally tax-exempt nonprofit and all gifts are fully tax-deductible to the extent of the law.  On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff, thank you for your gift to the Gateway CDC Annual Fund.

Sincerely,
William A. Updike
President

DONATE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE

Visit our new site: www.gatewaycdc.org

Contact: Cheryl Derricotte, Executive Director
       Bill Updike, Vice President
       Gateway Community Development Corporation
       301.864-3860, ext. 2 or 202.367-5649
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