Did you know in addition to Breast Cancer awareness, October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month as well? Blush Ball is a “Party with a Purpose” and we would like to talk about the purpose for a moment.

A portion of the proceeds from Blush Ball goes to Metro Centers for Community Advocacy. They provide so many vital programs and services to our community.

Metro’s Director, Darlene Santana, outlines how important Blush Ball is to their mission:

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On behalf of our Board of Directors and Staff, I want to express our deepest appreciation to the Pussyfooters for the generosity and support provided to Metro over the years. The proceeds donated to Metro from Blush Ball have been and are still used today to support free and confidential services provided to our survivors staying in our Emergency Shelter.  Donations from our community, such as Blush Ball, are used to fund the services that are not covered by grant funds. Grants are awarded for very specific purposes.  Therefore, there are many needs that are not covered by grants.  The following are needs that are funded through Blush Ball donations:

• Food (breakfast/lunch/dinner) for Emergency Shelter
• Small kitchen appliances for food preparation for Emergency Shelter (microwave, electric skillet, crock pot, rice cooker, etc…)
• Dishes, utensils for Emergency Shelter
• Formula and Diapers for Emergency Shelter
• Bedding – pillows, sheets, pillow cases, blankets for Emergency Shelter
• Transportation for Emergency Shelter clients – bus ticket if needed to transport clients to another state – local transportation (Uber/bus tokens) to doctor’s appointments, job interview, bring child to school
• Medication/Prescriptions and over the counter medication for clients in Emergency Shelter
• Clothing for clients in Emergency Shelter
• Paper Products – toilet paper, hand towel paper for Emergency Shelter
• Bath towels, face cloths for Emergency Shelter
• Hygiene products (feminine hygiene products, tooth paste, tooth brushes, deodorant, hair care products, bath products, etc…)
• School supplies and school uniforms
  

My accountant and I went back as far as our records would go to get a figure on how much money has been donated to Metro over the years.  Our accountant had records back to 2011.  The figure he has on the total amount of donations from Blush Ball to Metro is $169,170.00.

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Learn more about METRO

Metro Emergency Shelter Needs:  Full and Twin Size Bed linens, bath towels and face cloths.

Support Metro when you shop on AmazonSmile. Go to smile.amazon.com/ch/72-1062244 and Amazon donates to Metro Centers for Community Advocacy, Inc..
Metro’s mission is to break the cycle of violence and aid survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking through advocacy, intervention, empowerment and transformation.  

Donations: Metro is a 501(C)(3) qualified charitable organization, and you can deduct contributions or gifts you give. To make a tax-deductible donation, that will aid survivors of all types of violence in securing shelter, counseling, and alternatives to violence, check out how your donation helps.

Please make checks payable to: Metro Centers for Community Advocacy P.O. Box 10775, Jefferson, LA 70181.

Online donations are now available. Make a secure, online donation to Metro using the Just Give system. www.justgive.org

We are tickled pink be a part of FestiGals STEP UP second line parade again, happening Saturday, June 22. FestiGals’ second line parade is one of our favorite events each year.

Please help us support FestiGals as they raise money for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. Please click here to donate.

Every year we participate in the FestiGals’ second line. The theme of this year’s second line, scheduled for Friday, June 22, is Step Up!

The second line is a fun stroll through the French Quarter and the CBD followed by  an after party. There is a philanthropic aspect to the second line as well. This year, the Step Up Second-Line Parade benefits the New Orleans Family Justice Center. The NOFJC has led the way in bringing together community-based domestic violence and sexual assault providers as well as criminal justice and law enforcement professionals to provide wrap-around and comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse.

Help us raise funds for the NOFJC. Click here to go to our fundraiser page.

Thank you and see you in the streets, June 22!

We are hard at work planning our annual Party with A Purpose to benefit Metropolitan Center for Community Advocacy !

Details to be released soon on BlushBall.org and here!

We are excited to announce, now that all proceeds from Blush Ball 2017 have been collected and counted, we will be donating $38,000 to Metropolitan Center for Women and Children this year! The greatest amount we’ve donated ever! Thank you everyone who helped make this happen.

METRO recently lost a $100,000 grant that will no longer be federally funded. If you’d like to help them, you can donate here: http://mcwcgno.org/donate/

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the Pink Power Fundraiser auction and bid on items. We raised $1,349! People who won items will be contacted soon about arrangements to get their items. There are still some items that got no bids that can still be bid on. https://my.bidr.co/events/6712/items

It’s (a)LIVE! Bid on over a hundred items including wigs, clothing, shoes, purses, artwork, gift certificates, jewelry, cookware and more. ITEMS ARE STILL BEING ADDED so check back often.

Due to the limitations of the photos on the auction website, we have better photos of all items also on the Facebook event page. Click here for Facebook event.

Click here for Bidr, the auction website. You can either click on “Pre-Register” and enter your contact and credit card information, or it will ask you for it once you bid on an item. Thank you!

Support the Pink Army for the 2016 Marching Season!

This auction will support the Pussyfooters krewe members for the upcoming 2016 marching season.
Funding will help to purchase our SUPER new costume pieces that will blow your mind as we leave our glitter behind!

The auction will be live Sunday, July 24 at noon and ends July 31 at midnight.

Visit our Facebook event for a sneak peek of some of the auction items: https://www.facebook.com/events/153713265036757/

Support the Pink Army for the 2016 Marching Season!

This auction will support the Pussyfooters krewe members for the upcoming 2016 marching season.
Funding will help to purchase our SUPER new costume pieces that will blow your mind as we leave our glitter behind!

Stay tuned for auction items, link to auction and more information.