First of all, whether you've given us $25 or $250, each and every donation has meant the world to us, and is finally being put to good use.
To fill you in, 8 years ago I heard that there were over 30 sober high schools throughout the US. 4 in Boston area alone.
Yet NYC & state has zero.
We at SLAM have worked our asses off trying to get the NYC board of Ed to give us a yes to go ahead with the school, and despite many people passionately supporting the idea, and multiple meetings with the board, we've been unsuccessful.
Our one true champion through all of this has been Erik Bottcher as well as Michelle Lipinski, the brilliant & talented principal of our sister school in Mass, North Shore Recovery High school.
She's come down to meetings at city hall, attended fundraisers, always bringing dazzling graduates of her program.
I have to be totally honest, I was on the verge of shutting SLAM down & donating the raised funds to Michelles school. I mean, after multiple failed attempts to get the board to understand the dire necessity of a program like this, I began to feel hopeless.
Thank God for our passionate board, run by Thomas Krauss, and the exceptional support of Joe Schrank, Dr. Scott Beinenfeld, Julie Michaels, and ALL OF YOU.
We went back to the drawing board & decided, ego aside, THE KIDS are what matter.
Therefore, we've decided to partner with certain already established schools as a jumping off point. We've hired (with all the monies you've already donated to us, and hopefully some more) someone brilliant who can spearhead establishing this program in schools.
We may begin with 5, 10 students in schools, but our goal is to eventually grow to such an extent that the board has no choice but to provide us our own school.
I realize this is a bit general at the moment, and it's all I'm at liberty to provide you with as of yet...but I know many of you have been understandably curious to know where your donations have gone. I'm thrilled to report that we now have a solid plan. It's not what we originally set out to do, but since 8 out of 10 of ALL ADDICTIONS begin in the high school years, and ONE in THREE US teens now meets the criteria for addiction, I say whatever we can do to provide kids with counseling & a safe place to go to begin their recovery, that's a win.
I'll be starting another T-shirt campaign shortly. (NOT with cigarette this time!)
I'd like to ask anyone with a cool artistic bent, feel free to send your designs for t-shirt to either me at @kjothesmrtass, or to info@slamnyc.org
Who knows? maybe your design will be used! the only thing I'd like to be included is our website slamnyc.org, and the logo above (designed by the brilliant @FagsyMalone)
Otherwise, the skies the limit.
As for any of you asking how you can help, at this point, RTing this blog would help the most.
And if any of you are so inspired, NOW is the time to go on our site, click paypal and give what you can. No amnt too small.
Sorry so cryptic, I promise to give you exact specifics as soon as I'm able.
We love you all
Kristen Johnston
Thomas Krauss
Joseph Schrank
Clint Ramos
Michelle Lipinksi
Terrence Noonan