Dear Friends,
The last six months have been a whirlwind. Talent Maker City brought on four new staff and board members. We received federal funding to build a permanent, community makerspace in downtown Talent. And we’ve continued to provide our hands-on, educational programs and Rise Up + Rebuild workshops to the community. Thank you for your support.
Can you make a contribution to Talent Maker City today?
We can’t provide our creative, hands-on programs without your support.
The TMC Team (from left to right): Sue, Robyn, John, Alli, Vanessa, Karen, Katie, Darby, Lucia, Joe, Philip, Aiden, Piper, Laura, Gil, and Jim.
With big change, comes growth. While the past few months have been a lot for our little organization, we have grown and learned so much. Alli French stepped into the Executive Director role, providing TMC with her energetic leadership and a clear vision for the future. The addition of new staff and board members has increased capacity for communications, administration, instructors and fundraising. New systems and processes are in place to be even more effective as an organization. And with our community, we continue to support the rebuilding and recovery efforts from the Almeda fire.
Together we are resilient. As recovery from the Almeda fire continues, I’ve seen amazing signs of resilience in our communities. Phoenix High School reported a 2021 graduation rate of 95%, the highest in the Rogue Valley. Families are moving into transitional housing sites and new homes. Rise Up + Rebuild workshop participants are sharing their stories with one another, creating connections that will strengthen and fortify the community. We are honored to be a part of all of this and will continue to create ways for the community to rebuild, recover and rise together.
Your support will help sustain TMC into the future.
Become a monthly donor for as little as $5-$10 a month to create sustainable funding for our programs, workshops and mission.
TMC is ready for the next chapter. After all of the recent changes, we are excited to see what the future holds. We are better equipped to support the community with our educational programming, Rise Up + Rebuild workshops, small business support, and community development.
Together, with your support, Talent Maker City will:
Enhance our educational programming. In partnership with the Phoenix-Talent School District, our hands-on, STEAM-based educational courses have become our biggest program and a vital resource for local youth and their families. Your support will help us hire more instructors, offer a more diverse curriculum and provide more students with STEAM-based learning opportunities!
Continue our Rise Up + Rebuild Program. Recovery from the Almeda fire will take years, so we’ve focused this year’s adult, and many student workshops on providing resources for families who were impacted by the fire. All workshops will offer a creative, hands-on learning experience for community members while providing items for families in need.
Cultivate Community Partnerships. Our community collaborations and partnerships are vital to what we do. We love building and fostering new relationships and are thrilled to be partnering with groups like the Maslow Project, Rogue Action Center, Timber Products Company and more to respond to community needs with collective innovation, creativity and heart.
Open Up For More Community Access. A community makerspace is for everyone. We are currently looking at how we can reopen safely and allow for makerspace use that is accessible and sustainable for all. We are working with our Board of Directors and hope to have a new system in place this fall. Stay tuned!
Build a Community Centered Makerspace. We are in the process of purchasing property in downtown Talent that will one day become the location for a larger and permanent community makerspace! We are excited to work with the community to design a space that is inclusive, safe and welcoming in the heart of downtown Talent.
Your support is crucial to seeing Talent Maker City into the next chapter. By donating today, you will help us leverage our past achievements to accomplish even more in 2022!
We can’t do it without you and we don’t want to! Community is the fabric that makes up Talent Maker City. We wouldn’t exist without our partners, collaborators, volunteers, students, instructors, supporters and YOU. We hope you will join us in working to build a more connected and prosperous community through hands-on learning by donating today.
You + Make + Talent!
Thank you for your support.
Robyn and the TMC Team
P.S. April is the beginning of our Spring Fundraising! Your contributions, no matter how big or small, make a huge difference in our ability to provide equitable, educational and effective hands-on programming for the community. We hope you will join us by donating today. Thank you!
