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POST-HURRICANE HELENE UPDATE FOR HOPE SACK

(see more on Hope Sack, below Brave Arts):

With only torn trees, crushed buildings and mud left by torrential flooding, many people around Asheville, NC, are left without supplies. Margaret Kellermann, director of Hope Sack, was once a camper and counselor at a camp that's now within the disaster zone.

Feeling a strong connection to the people there, she's sending Hope Sack care packages--tote bags of essential health items like socks and soap--to an Asheville friend who is distributing them to nearby rural communities in need.

With winter coming on, Hope Sack will continue to send these packages for some time as funds allow, since the expressed wish of so many Asheville citizens in the news is, "Don't forget us."

Each assembled Hope Sack costs $15, and shipping boxes packed with Hope Sacks contain added emergency kits ($500 total includes shipping per box). Thanks to all those who have already contributed to what Hope Sack is calling "the Asheville drop."

Hope Sack continues its primary mission, serving locals in need around Humboldt. Since January 2023, it has individually distributed more than 1100 Hope Sacks in this county, and the number grows each month.

If you'd like to contribute, see Donate buttons above. Or send a check made out to "The Ink People," with the memo "Hope Sack." Address: The Ink People, 627 3rd St. Eureka, CA 95501.

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ABOUT BRAVE ARTS

Our goal is encouraging people to use their creative gifts.

At Brave Arts, we've kept our mission purposely broad, to include local art education, art adventure tours, writing workshops, social ARTivism in our own art work, which has been shown in Morris Graves Museum of Art, Strawberry Rock Gallery, Brenda Tuxford Gallery, and Blue Lake Studio/Gallery. We are a big proponent of seeing everything creative as art.

With that in mind, we've added a key subproject to Brave Arts:

HOPE SACK.

Our ongoing weekly project that began in January 2023, Hope Sack distributes tote bags of toiletries, hygiene kits, socks, and other essentials to locals in need of these most basic health supplies. Hope Sack often distributes from resource centers around the county. As of late 2024, we have distributed 1200+ Hope Sacks one by one, while speaking with people individually about their current needs and short-term goals.

Hope Sack Assembly Line

If you have an organized group in mind that would like Hope Sack to visit and create a Hope Sack Assembly Line with you, let us know. It's a fun, positive way for all age groups (with 5-20 people) to actively help locals in need. Each participant can take home a colorful, filled Hope Sack. $100 per visit, all materials included. Contact bluelakestudio239@gmail.com.

Donations

For this mission, Hope Sack depends on the financial support of local grants and individual donors. The cost of each Hope Sack is $15, and for $100 you can "adopt" seven Hope Sacks that we will distribute. You can click a Donate button above, or for more information, reach us directly at bluelakestudio239@gmail.com.

Your financial donations go directly toward operations and supplies. Thank you!

Margaret Kellermann, director

Contact email: bravearts@inkpeople.org