SMALL NONPROFIT GIVES $15,000 TO LOCAL ARTISTS, STUDENTS, AND SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESS FOR #GIVINGTUESDAYNOW

Chula League switches up Giving Tuesday with new initiatives to continue supporting local artists, students, and the community

AUSTIN (May 4, 2020) — Chula League launches Artist Relief Fund to support local artists impacted by COVID-19, with a portion of the funds designated to send Art Kits to Austin ISD students, and will match one small business’s efforts to give free sack lunches to those in need.

For 15 years, Chula League’s mission has been to fuel and sustain the arts in East Austin. During these uncertain times with stay-at-home orders, the producers of the beloved Cherrywood Art Fair are finding new ways to support the local art scene. These programs include direct monetary relief to artists, keeping 5th and 6th-grade students engaged with the arts and partnering with a long time local sponsor, Crema Bakery & Cafe, in an effort to #FeedAustin.

The Chula League Artist Relief Fund will provide local artists with $150 to help recover lost revenue from shows canceled due to COVID-19. Former staff and participants of Cherrywood Art Fair, or the free arts-mentorship program, Little Artist BIG ARTIST are invited to apply for relief starting 9 AM, May 5, 2020, through 5 PM, May 12, 2020, at chulaleague.org/relief

Chula League will work with six East Austin elementary schools: Allison Elementary, Blackshear Elementary, Barbara Jordan Elementary, Govalle Elementary, Oak Springs Elementary, and Maplewood Elementary to supply over 40 Art Kits to students currently enrolled in the 2019-2020 calendar year.

The small nonprofit will also match partner donors’ Crema Bakery & Cafe’s hunger relief initiative dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. This will provide free sack lunches with “no questions asked” to those impacted by COVID-19. With this $5,000 match, Crema Bakery + Chula League can feed up to 1,500 Austinites. Chula League will award Crema Bakery & Cafe with a commemorative check on May 5, 2020, at 10 AM at their Southwest Austin location, 9001 Brodie Ln b3, Austin, TX 78748 and they encourage the public to donate to Crema Bakery’s GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-crema-bakery-feed-austin

Many of our artists, Little and BIG, have been affected by the pandemic in ways that we’ve not experienced before. Our grassroots Board of Directors felt it was our duty to provide resources so our community can continue to create and stay safe,” says John Mathew Bernal, Chair of Chula League Board of Directors.

We saw Crema Bakery & Cafe’s selfless efforts to #FeedAustin and were inspired to contribute to their cause and flip the script on what it means for non-profits to celebrate #GivingTuesdayNow.

If the Austin community would like to participate in #GivingTuesdayNow and contribute to our mission in fueling and sustaining the arts in East Austin, we encourage them to donate via our website: chulaleague.org/donate

Social Handles:
@chulaleague
@cremabakerycafe
#FeedAustin
#GivingTuesdayNow

ABOUT CHULA LEAGUE
Chula League is a nonprofit formed in 2005 to support the arts, and art education in East Austin managed by a small, grassroots board of directors. Chula League ensures that the arts play a valued role in the educational, economic, and cultural well being of the neighborhoods in East Austin. Chula produces a variety of projects to achieve its mission and purpose, including its flagship event the Cherrywood Art Fair and the arts-mentoring program Little Artist BIG ARTIST, and their professional development series, Cultivate.

Cherrywood Art Fair is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.

MEDIA CONTACT:
John Mathew Bernal / Chair of Chula League Board of Directors
jmat@chulaleague.org / 512.913.1523

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