Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Notes from the Field - Christina Galante


Upcoming Event






-what is your job title and employer?

I am the Retail and Events Manager at 826LA.


-what are your responsibilities?

I oversee our retail store, The Echo Park Tim Travel Mart from staffing and scheduling to ordering product and creating displays.I also plan events and fundraisers like 826LA The Battle of the Bands - where 6 bands helped us fundraise then, in live show each performed a song with lyrics written by the kids (http://826la.org/battleofthebands/songs.html) and the 826LA Echo Park Lake Paddleboat Regatta, where 45 teams of 2 raced paddle boats in the local lake to raise money for 826LA.

-what are some challenges for your organization?

We face the same financial challenges as any non-profit in this climate. Much of our support comes from grants and donations, so we need to work harder than ever to get our name out there and build awareness. We also run on a very lean staff, which means we do a lot of things ourselves. I come from an advertising background and it's still hard for me to accept that I have to figure out what's wrong with the copier or the printer myself. :)

-what are some cool things about your work?

There are so many cool things about my work. The first is seeing first hand the difference we make in the lives of the 826LA students as they get excited about writing. They are learning the skills to communicate on a broader level and thus advocate for themselves as they get older. Another exciting things is the people that I work with. I've met many many talented, creative, positive, enthusiastic people who just want to get involved. I am inspired by the students, their parents and our volunteers daily. It is a very rewarding job.




826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.



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