Help Us Meet Our Goal with a Matched Gift
Throughout this Deck the Alley series we have not only brought you videos, but we have also asked our leadership team to introduce the content and share a bit about their involvement with the Alley. Today we wrap up the campaign with a word from Ted Maust, our Associate Director.
Dear friends,
Thank you for your support during this difficult year. I’m grateful for those of you who have opened each and every one of these Deck the Alley emails, but if this is your first one, I’m grateful for you too! Each shared email or post, each like, each video view has meant a lot to me. Deck the Alley is traditionally a time for us all to come together; a time for familiar faces as well as new friends. I have felt that jolt of connection as I see your names pop up in each notification and I hope that these videos have brought you some measure of holiday cheer. You can see each and every video on our YouTube channel, and revisit our team’s messages on our website.
Deck the Alley is also a key event on our fiscal calendar, a fundraiser which keeps us going and allows us to not only dream of new programs and experiences, but also plan for the ongoing maintenance which historic buildings require. As we reach the end of the year, we find ourselves not only far short of our normal donations from this event, but also short of our modest goal for this virtual campaign which has replaced it. To meet that goal, members of the board have committed to ***match donations up to $1,000*** over these last 3 days of 2020. Make your dollar go further by making a contribution today!
Thank you so much for tuning in! As a final gift of our Deck the Alley 2020 campaign, we have a lovely video from our friends of the Belle Canto ensemble from Council Rock High School South. These singers have filled the back gardens and narrow passageways of the Alley with carols and return with four songs here. I especially enjoyed the images from last year’s Deck the Alley included during the video’s final number.
Gratefully,
Ted Maust
Associate Director
Elfreth’s Alley Museum
Donate Today!
We won't lie, 2020 has been rough for all of us - but today we ask for your help. We were closed during our busiest season and our wildly popular (and usually profitable) in-person events we host in June and December had to be cancelled. The Elfreth's Alley Association and our museum need your help. Please make a donation today to support our organization. We keep our expenses low, but we still need to pay the utilities, the insurance, and our one dedicated staff person's salary so we can continue providing support to everyone that knows, loves, visits, and cares about Elfreth's Alley.
In Case You Missed It
Today we're wrapping up our Deck the Alley campaign. If you missed any of our digital gifts, here's the complete list:
- A poem introducing Deck the Alley, performed by our friend Markus Harris
- An interview with scholar Isabel Steven about her research on the Alley
- A recipe for a Dickensian winter punch, complete with a backstory, again from Markus Harris
- A slideshow of what winters (and Deck the Alleys) have looked like on our street over the last 60 years or so.
- House Tour videos of #112, #123, and #1 Bladen's Court
- A documentary short on the history of the Christmas tree in Philadelphia
- A special episode of our podcast on the history of Christmas traditions in Philadelphia
- And of course, today's video.
You can find each gift on our website or watch all the videos in one place on our Deck the Alley playlist!
Oh, and if you don't follow us on Facebook, we shared this video of our friends the Bachmann Players performing "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen," on Christmas Day.
CARES Act Makes it Easier than Ever to Give!
The CARES Act earlier this year has a provision which allows taxpayers taking the standard deduction to take an additional above-the-line deduction for charitable giving. The limit for this special deduction is $300 for an individual or $600 for a family. The Act also raises thresholds for individuals and corporations itemizing their deductions. Take advantage of this special opportunity before the end of 2020!
Join our Patreon
Backers at our Alley Supporter level ($10/month) received patterns and instructions for a gingerbread house in the shape of our museum this month! Previous exclusives have included a live virtual lecture, and an essay on fire insurance as a historical source!