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Are donations to BuildaBridge tax deductible? |
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BuildaBridge is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, so all donations made to BuildaBridge are tax deductible. A receipt and letter will be sent to each donor to verify the donation for tax purposes.
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Are BuildaBridge overseas trips safe? |
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Yes; BuildaBridge does not travel to unsafe areas of the world (defined as those countries having travel warning advisories by the US State Department). Crime exists in all countries; however, we can limit the possibility of being a victim by planning, training and safe practices. Because we work with local people in countries where we travel, they are very often aware of dangerous political activity and unsafe areas. (Note that the Arts Relief and Restoration Program specifically targets the toughest places in the world. These places are often intrinsically un-safe. While we never purposefully place staff or participants in peril, there is a higher level of risk involved with ARR trips than our Goodwill Tours or Cross-Cultural Discovery Tours [i.e. we do take ARR groups to countries tagged with a State Department travel warning]. Please contact the Overseas Coordinator concerning the specific circumstances of individual trips.
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Where are BuildaBridge offices located? |
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BuildaBridge offices are located at 205 West Tulpehocken Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144. (On the corner of Greene and Tulpehocken Streets in the Germantown area of Philadelphia.) The offices are easily accessible by public transportation. |
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Why is there a need for BuildaBridge? |
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The arts are an effective means to improve academic learning, to build culture, to develop community and to enhance personal growth and maturity. The arts are underutilized by many congregations, schools and community organizations. BuildaBridge provides ideas, expertise, practical knowledge and service. BuildaBridge works in the most disadvantaged areas in Philadelphia and around the world in areas that do not have the resources to provide the arts to those who need it most.
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How is BuildaBridge programming unique from other art education programs? |
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BuildaBridge values the holistic development of children, families and communities. We focus on teaching artistic, academic and social skills along with values and character development. BuildaBridge is also unique in that it implements programming both locally and internationally and has a global view of Arts Education and Art Therapy. BuildaBridge Institute provides unique coursework and training opportunities to prepare interested participants to use the arts and transform the lives of children and families.
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How does BuildaBridge assess its own work? |
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BuildaBridge assesses organizational work through stated outcomes, pre and post testing, final products (performances and visual displays) and journal entries and exit interviews from our teachers and assistants.
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What do you want out of a partnership? |
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BuildaBridge is continually looking for new organizations to collaborate with to provide additional programming, as well as to engage more artists and volunteers in service to others.
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How is BuildaBridge funded? |
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BuildaBridge is a 501(c)3 funded through grants, individual donations, participation fees and consultation services. Much of the Community Program has been funded through the Philadelphia School District's Homeless Children's Initiative.
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What organizations does BuildaBridge currently partner with? |
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In Philadelphia BuildaBridge partners with homeless shelters and transitional homes around the city, including Traveler's Aid, Woodstock, St. Barnabas Mission, Red Cross House and others. BuildaBridge also partners with the School District of Philadelphia and The Campolo College: School for Social Change at Eastern University. Internationally, BuildaBridge partners with Atlantic Bridge, Hands Along the Nile and others.
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How do we choose a partner site? Internationally? |
A staff member always performs a site visit and conducts interviews with the potential partner site. This is a way for BuildaBridge to see if the candidate organization shares the same goals and values, as well as for the potential partner to decide whether or not BuildaBridge is a good match for their own goals and mission. The same procedure applies internationally. A BuildaBridge staff member will always visit a site, and the organizations will mutually decide if the ability to partner is there.
Is BuildaBridge a faith-based organization? Some people use this term. We prefer to call ourselves an ecumenical organization founded on Christian principles of faith, love and reconciliation. BuildaBridge values learning and understanding between peoples of different religious backgrounds and encourages the expression of faith through the arts and service to others.
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What do you mean when you say you're ecumenical? |
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BuildaBridge maintains a core of principles and values that grow from the Christian faith; however, we invite others who share these ideals to participate with us in serving people in great need through the arts (regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion or other discriminating category). In addition, BuildaBridge works without prejudice in the secular environment for a common good. While BuildaBridge does not provide religious instruction or conduct worship services, it does recognize the importance of worship and celebration as an integral part of holistic health. BuildaBridge works for spiritual growth in our participants as we consider it a vital part of holistic health.
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What steps do potential volunteers take to begin? |
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After a potential volunteer expresses interest in working with BuildaBridge, he or she must first submit an updated resume and complete the BuildaBridge volunteer application. All volunteers must participate in a BuildaBridge training session, and those who plan on working directly with children go through a Child Abuse Clearance and Criminal Background Check. An interview will also take place with the BuildaBridge President, Volunteer Coordinator or one of the Program Coordinators (International or Community).
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How much time do volunteers have to put in each week? What is the time commitment? |
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Each opportunity varies with time commitments. Some volunteers may commit to only once per week or once every few months. Other volunteers will be expected to participate several hours each week. Before a volunteer begins, he or she should let BuildaBridge know how much time he or she can commit to and, in turn, BuildaBridge staff will outline time expectations for particular opportunities.
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I don't live in the Philadelphia area; are there ways that I can volunteer? |
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Yes. Many of our overseas trips are open to volunteers nation-wide and internationally. Opportunities are also available to volunteer from your location through writing, graphic design, communication, etc.
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Do I have to be Christian to work with BuildaBridge? |
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No. BuildaBridge in an ecumenical organization and does not require staff or volunteers to be Christians; however, a strong faith background can be helpful. BuildaBridge works with a variety of religions and cultures and asks that staff and volunteers are committed to doing good in the world and share our values of peace, faith, reconciliation and love.
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I'm not an artist; can I still volunteer at BuildaBridge? |
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Yes! Even if you are not an artist, there are opportunities for you to volunteer. We have internships available in marketing/public relations, IT and data entry and resource development. We also have opportunities available as teachers' assistants, who act as mentors, administrative assistants, special events planners and social workers, also aiding in classroom management. If you feel you do not fall into any of these categories, please feel free to contact BuildaBridge and let us know about your specialities and interests. We can find an opportunity that would best suit your abilities.
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I'm an artist, but I have no experience with curriculum writing. How can BuildaBridge help me pr |
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BuildaBridge training covers the process of writing basic arts-integrated curriculum and lesson plans. Before anyone teaches a BuildaBridge class, he or she must go through this training. BuildaBridge Institute also offers more in-depth coverage of curriculum writing, lesson planning and program assessment.
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What does the artist residency look like? |
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The artist in residence position is not a live-in position. It is a 10-month opportunity and responsibilities include: teaching two after-school classes per week (1.5-2 hours each), leading a team of teachers/assistants, completing all necessary paperwork in a timely fashion, attending monthly meetings with the Community Arts Program Coordinator and attending BuildaBridge Institute (and teaching at least one class as part of our Institute faculty). This can be a paid position; however, BuildaBridge always appreciates volunteers.
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Are internships paid? Do interns have to pay a fee to participate? |
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BuildaBridge internships are unpaid; however, they offer a great deal of experience. Interns are not here to make coffee and copies. They provide input and get first hand experience in their area of interest while working alongside professionals. They are invited to participate in staff meetings and receive real life education about the mechanics of non-profit work. There are no participation fees for interns.
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How can someone get involved in international work? |
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Contact our BuildaBridge International Coordinator, Elisa Clewis (
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
) or the BuildaBridge President, Dr. J. Nathan Corbitt (
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) for information about BuildaBridge International, upcoming trips or your individual interests.
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Do I have to pay my own way to participate in an overseas trip? |
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For the most part, yes. BuildaBridge tries to keep the participation and travel costs as low as possible, but we cannot afford to cover the costs of all overseas participants. Participants are encouraged to raise support for their trip and donation checks for individual participants can be written to BuildaBridge to provide the donor with a tax write-off.
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Are there any one time volunteer opportunities? |
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Yes. There are some options for one-time volunteers. These opportunities generally include helping with large mailings, cleanup of the BuildaBridge offices and grounds and special events preparation/cleanup. Due to the nature of our programming with at-risk children, we realize it is crucial to be as consistent as possible and therefore we do not have any one-time opportunities available to directly work with the children in the shelters at this time.
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Are there opportunities to volunteer as a group? |
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Yes. Performing artist groups are welcome to contact our Community Programs Coordinator or our International Programs Coordinator if they are interested in volunteering their artistic talents in Philadelphia or abroad. If another type of group (school club, group of friends, etc.) would like to volunteer some time, BuildaBridge will accommodate that request according to organization needs at the time. This could include a fall cleanup day, sending out a bulk mailing and other assorted opportunities.
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Whom does BuildaBridge serve? |
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Our primary focus is work with vulnerable children and youth and those who serve them?artists; church, youth, and community workers; and educators. Our programs are open to all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or ability. Since 2000, BuildaBridge has worked with over 1,000 children and youth. |
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Where does BuildaBridge actually work? |
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In Philadelphia, BuildaBridge staff takes care of the administrative/office work in our headquarters in Germantown. Currently, all actual programming (art classes, art therapy, life skills training, etc.) takes place IN transitional homes and homeless shelters around the city. Trained and qualified staff and volunteers bring the necessary tools and equipment to the site and hold the class on location. BuildaBridge is in the process of creating a Community Studioon-site at our Germantown location to open up art classes to the community as well as take the children from shelters out of their usual context and provide a safe and controlled environment with adequate tools for art education classes. |
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What is the difference between a shelter and a transitional home? |
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Each shelter and transitional home has different length of stay policies. Emergency shelters tend to be more short term and provide housing to those who have lost their homes due to fire, flood, or other tragedies. The length of stay can be day to day or by the month. However, some shelters can provide housing to a family for up to a year or more. Transitional housing is an in-between step from living in a homeless shelter and living in a more permanent, public housing facility (renting or owning). |
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How many families/children live in each shelter? |
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The number of families ranges in each shelter from 5 families up to 70 families in one of the largest Philadelphia shelters. In the largest shelters, there can be a couple hundred children living there at any time. |
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Where are most of the shelters located? |
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Most of the shelters and transitional homes that BuildaBridge works in are in North and West Philadelphia. |
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Does BuildaBridge only work with children? |
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No; through the Create! Opportunity program, BuildaBridge provides basic life skills training to families and parents in transitional homes and shelters. Some of the courses include financial management, healthy living, parenting, spirituality, and job skills. Create! Opportunity helps bridge the gaps between professionals in communities and those most in need of life skills information and training. |
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How old are the children you work with? |
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The children and youth that we work with are generally between the ages of 6-18. |
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Do BuildaBridge teachers have to teach about God in class? |
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Our focus is on spiritual development; we train for and encourage spiritual development in children. Our training includes topics of identity and family, forgiveness, service to others, community, and a sense of otherness (God). Through our research, we know that ritual and creativity are essential elements in this development. We encourage partnerships with congregations, the involvement of children in religious instruction, and attendance in worship activities. Most of the children and families we work with have a religious background; we focus on the core elements of spirituality and not on specific religious or doctrinal training. Teachers are not expected to teach about God in their classes; however, if a child asks questions teachers are allowed to answer to the best of their ability. Children are also encouraged to express their own faith through their artwork or verbally if they desire. |
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What does one of the classes in the shelters look like? How long do they last? |
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Each class looks a little bit different, though BuildaBridge trains and enlists professional artists and volunteers to provide classes in dance, drama, music, visual arts, culinary arts, and creative writing. The classes last for 10-15 weeks and take place once or twice per week (about 1-2 hours each session). BuildaBridge uses an energetic and creative approach to step out of the box of traditional art education. We highly value learning through participation and take a holistic approach to teaching through four ?blessings??artistic, academic, social, and spiritual. |
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What do you mean when you say you speak "blessings"? |
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See our book, Taking it to the Streets for a complete explanation of the "blessings" and corollary theories. There is a story in the Old Testament about a young boy who, according to today's standards, might be considered forced into child labor. Samuel's mother, Hannah, had prayed for years for a child. When Eli, the family priest, became old and blind, Hannah brought Samuel to the temple to care for him. Samuel was an obedient child and spent the days caring for the old man. One night while he was sleeping in a nearby room, someone called his name, Samuel. Thinking it was the old priest, Samuel came to Eli; but it was not him. After this happened several times, the old priest told Samuel to answer the voice, for it could have been the voice of God. It was. And, in a dream, God spoke a blessing into Samuel's life with vision for his future. |
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Read more...
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How long have BuildaBridge programs been operational? |
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BuildaBridge began in 1997, though the organization did not receive their non-profit 501(c)3 status until 2000. |
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Do families have to pay to enroll their children in classes? |
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At this point all BuildaBridge classes in transitional homes and shelters are free to the participants. The Institute and Overseas Programs charge a fee. |
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Are the classes during the day or in the evening? Weekdays or weekends? |
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The classes take place during the hours that children are out of school. Class times are decided according to shelter needs and artist availability, and can be during the week or on Saturdays. |
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Who works for BuildaBridge? |
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BuildaBridge is a primarily a volunteer organization with a growing professional staff. We enlist and maintain the help of over 50 professional artists, arts educators, and community arts practitioners from Philadelphia and around the US. |
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Are staff and others paid or volunteer? |
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BuildaBridge staff is a mix of paid employees, AmeriCorps VISTA workers and volunteers. While some positions have a stipend/salary, BuildaBridge relies heavily on volunteers to successfully run the organization, so many of the artist teachers, assistants and others volunteer their time.
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Do artists teach their own curriculum or is there a standard BuildaBridge curriculum? |
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Certain programs, such as Create! Opportunity, have established curriculum that is taught. While BuildaBridge does have a few other standardized curriculum courses, for the most part, teachers supply and implement their own curriculum. BuildaBridge staff has set particular standards and requirements that each curriculum must meet, and the proposed curriculum should be approved before being implemented.
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What type of training does BuildaBridge supply? |
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BuildaBridge requires that each of their volunteers/ teachers participate in a basic training that covers an orientation to the organization, the mission and overall goals that have been established. This training also covers basic, arts-integrated curriculum writing, working with at-risk youth and classroom management. BuildaBridge also holds an annual Institute that supplies a much more in-depth coverage of these topics, as well as others.
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What is the BuildaBridge Institute? |
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BuildaBridge Institute is a research and training program for community leaders, youth workers, ministers, teachers and artists that want to integrate the arts effectively in community-based service and church community mission. BuildaBridge Institute seeks to harness the power of the arts for community outreach and congregational transformation by bringing faith and art to practical life contexts. Eastern University offers credit towards a MA in Urban Studies for attending BuildaBridge Institute.
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What countries has BuildaBridge worked in? |
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BuildaBridge has taken choirs to Costa Rica and Egypt, worked in prisons in Guatemala, participated in a Muslim-Christian Youth Exchange in the Netherlands and has worked in the Republic of Georgia, Brazil, Rwanda, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya, Mexico, Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic. We also maintain extensive contacts with artists and organizational partners worldwide.
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What does international work look like? |
BuildaBridge International is divided into four programs:
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Arts Relief and RestorationThe mission of Arts Relief and Restoration is to provide, through the arts, a sense of normalcy, bring emotional healing, provide aesthetic nourishment and develop holistic health of children that have experienced traumatic circumstances as a result of war and catastrophic events around the world
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BuildaBridge InstituteThe BuildaBridge Institute,
offered internationally on location, provides training and workshops to
artists abroad. Around the world, BuildaBridge professionals teach
artists how to use their gifts as an instrument for help, education and
aid. Artists trained by BuildaBridge professionals then implement the
skills learned in working for social development in their communities.
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Goodwill ToursGoodwill tours provide overseas concert tour
opportunities for US-based performance groups. BuildaBridge
International partners with the group to promote and advocate its
mission overseas and, at the same time, bring an experience of the arts
internationally.
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Cross-Cultural Discovery ToursThese trips are
especially for those who wish to broaden their understanding of other
cultures and experience firsthand the lives of people around the world.
The Cross-Cultural Discovery Tour enables BuildaBridge to promote its
mission and activities overseas by bringing people from different
cultures face to face.
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