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

 

The New Orleans summer heat making you melt down? Join the Pussyfooters as we welcome our new 2018 members and paint the French Quarter pink and orange! Come prance with us thru the French Quarter and GET DOWN on the dance floor!

COSTUMES ENCOURAGED!
Strut your sassy stuff in our costume contest for a chance to win 2 tickets to the Pussyfooter Blush Ball 2019. FREE Mechanical Bull rides for all costumed participants at Bourbon Cowboy!

The Pussyfooter Pub Prance will wind through 3 of our favorite bars on Bourbon Street where you can enjoy 3 for 1 drinks and Pussyfooter dance performances.

What: Pussyfooter Summer Melt Down Pub Prance
Who: The Pussyfooters and YOU – dressed in your best costumes and pink and orange attire
When: August 18, 2018 Noon to 4pm
Where: Noon: The Beach on Bourbon (227 Bourbon Street)
1:30pm Bourbon Cowboy (241 Bourbon Street)
2:30pm The Swamp (516 Bourbon Street)

Buy your tickets early – the first 100 attendees will receive special Pussyfooter swag!

$10 advance sale (Click here for Eventbrite link), $15 at the door (cash only)
*RAIN OR SHINE EVENT*

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!

The entertainment for Blush Ball 2018 will keep you dancing!

The Brass-A-Holics will be the live entertainment, playing two sets. Quickie Mart will be spinning tunes on the dance floor all night long. Fresh Johnson will be the Master of Ceremonies, keeping the evening moving. The Pussyfooters will perform several dances, including one that will be only performed at Blush Ball!

Get your tickets now from any Pussyfooter or at https://www.501auctions.com/blushball

For the past several years the Pussyfooters have participated in the Festigal’s Stiletto Stroll through the French Quarter and CBD. This year Festigals has added a fundraiser to the event called “Shining Light on Domestic Violence.” The New Orleans Family Justice Center will be the recipient of the funds raised. The various parading krewes participating in the Stiletto Stroll have formed teams and we need your help to help us reach our goal and be the top fundraising team! Click here to learn more about the fundraiser, the NOFJC and Festigals and most importantly, to DONATE! Scroll down to find our team. No amount is too small! Then come out Saturday, June 24 at 8:00pm to see the Stiletto Stroll Second Line Parade (we will be wearing our trademark white boots.)

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Look for us in these parades:
Cleopatra – 2/17
Femme Fatale – 2/19
Nyx – 2/22
Muses – 2/23
Thoth – 2/26

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/

Thank you everyone who helped make Blush Ball 2017 a huge success! Initial projections on Friday indicated we can donate $30,000 to the Metropolitan Center for Women & Children. The final amount may be more!

We had a great time on WGNO’s News with a Twist the other day, dancing and talking about Blush Ball.

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