Pickleberry Pie Incorporated
Annual Report
July 2005
19 years of sharing the healing power of music
SMALL PROJECTS WITH BIG IMPACTS
Pickleberry Pie Inc., a public charity (501 c 3) for children and families, has accomplished small music-oriented projects for over 19 years. Our many projects are united by a single mission: to use the healing power of music and personal contact to improve the lives of kids and teens.
• We provide free acoustic concerts and free one to one entertainment for seriously ill children in 10 hospitals and one children’s hospice nationwide.
• Along with the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, we have begun free pilot project to use the songwriting process to help teens living with cancer.
• We provide free programming for children nationwide through that most personal of media: radio.
• We empower individual kids in families, schools, and day care centers worldwide to vote on awards for music and storytelling.
• And we help families and schools connect with entertainment professionals and music educators worldwide
Even kids in isolation get entertainment just for them
Over the years, Pickleberry Pie Incorporated has benefited millions of kids Yet our small structure allows the needs of individual kids to always stay in focus. When we put on a concert, we create one for specific children with specific needs. When we put together an awards program, we let individual kids tell us what they think. We don’t promote ourselves; we let the kids shine. There are no logos emblazoning our activities, no plastic Pickleberry dolls, no video games or computers. We don't rely on fancy technology, equipment, or corporate advertisements. We have no paid staff, no overhead, no development or administrative costs.
We keep things simple to simply benefit kids.
OUR HISTORY
Our volunteer organization was started in 1986 by Linda
Arnold, P. J. Swift, and a small group of adults and kids. We simply couldn't
understand why no one was making a series for kids on public radio. So we
decided to create one! We eventually recorded over 500 half-hour programs, put
together entirely by volunteers. “Pickleberry Pie”
was the most popular national children's series on public radio. Our honors
included the Gold Award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The
American Women in Radio and Television Award, Parent's Choice and many other
awards. The series is still freely available on public stations such as KUSF in
"One of the most popular children's radio shows ever baked in the public radio kitchen" radideo.com
Toward the end of the 80's, our volunteers started outreach activities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Again, we saw a need. Supported by small grants from Pacific Telesis and others, we created free songwriting workshops to enhance language arts in schools. In addition, we reversioned our radio programs for use in day care centers, for the Radio Reading Service for the Blind, and as part of a free closed circuit radio station in four Bay Area children's hospitals.
Then, the Pickleberries saw another need and did something about it.
OUR HOSPITAL CONCERT SERIES
When we created the “Sprouts” closed circuit children's
radio for Stanford's Packard Children's Hospital, we were reminded how healing
music can be.
We give out free instruments to involve even the shyest child in the action
Child life specialists in other children's hospitals
nationwide heard about the program, and asked to get their own centers
involved. We wanted to help them out, but didn't want to lose the personal
touch and flexibility that has been so much of our success. Thanks to the Margo
and Irwin Winkler Family Foundation and other funders,
we were able to expand to
This year, our eleventh, we'd like to again expand to serve
a hospital in
We help kids reduce their fears and reclaim their sense of fun
LOCAL AND ADAPTABLE
We can be adaptable because we're small and locally-run. Our concert series is planned, scheduled, and managed entirely by the local co-ordinators of Pickleberry Pie. Because we are well-connected to children's music, we can hand pick the entertainers for the concerts, selecting people we know and trust. This is not something just anyone can do. Because we are small, we can be non-intrusive and keep the focus on the kids, not on us. We pay our entertainers well, assuring a reliable, site-specific performance each time. Our entertainers are given strict verbal and written guidelines, created in conjunction with hospital staff, to insure that their performance is upbeat and comforting.
It’s not about us, it’s about the individual
kids
Our local co-ordinators work with the hospital staff to facilitate the concerts. We've had a great variety of performers in our concerts – from singers to storytellers to magicians. All performers strive to involve the kids in the concert, using rhythm instruments, group singing, and collaborative storytelling where possible. Small, participatory concerts are crucial to the success of our program. What these kids need most is personal attention.
There is always at least one child that grabs my heart and this
time it was 9 year old Katherine. Although she didn't appear to have any
physical problems (she was being discharged that afternoon) she clearly was in
severe emotional pain and spent most of her time in the playroom hiding or
sulking in a corner. I tried many times to gently engage her, but she usually
retreated even further. She would watch from a distance, as if she wanted to
participate, but couldn't allow herself. It was the greatest reward when I
finally hit upon a song that made her smile and she came closer. I let her sit
and strum my guitar for 1/2 an hour until they had to close up for lunch. She
looked so happy.
Joanie Bartels, children’s performer
After every performance, the entertainers visit the kids who are not able to attend the group concert and give them a private concert in their rooms. And all of our Pickleberry performers leave free CDs for the hospital library.
PART THERAPY, PART
FUN
This year, we have received two grants from the Lance
Armstrong Foundation and the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation to support
teens living with cancer in
We watched Dave Kinnoin work with a 11-year-old girl, Cokki, who had a transplant and had just pretty much given
up on pain and doctors and medicine and living. Cokki
wouldn't say much to the doctors, to the mental health staff, or to us.
However, on Dave’s second visit with her, Cokki
opened up on a hand-held tape recorder Dave had given to her. Then, that same
day, she and Dave sat down and wrote a song together. It made a big difference
in her attitude. I'm pleased to say that Cokki is
back in
Samantha Hochman, Child Life
Specialist,
Our personalized attention can be the highlight of their day
For ten years, Pickleberry Pie, Inc. has been the fiscal agent and parent organization for The Children's Music Web, a non-profit resource for families worldwide. The Children's Music Web is entirely self-supporting through small individual contributions and program service revenue from children's artists around the world. Our site, www.childrensmusic.org , has had millions of visitors over the years and has won many awards. It features webcast children's radio, song suggestions for teachers, links to other children's music and music education organizations, and tips on creating songs and audio by kids and for kids.
some
of the kids from
Our Children's Music Web's awards program for children's entertainers is the ONLY awards program truly decided by kids, because we involve families and schools in every step of the judging process. This year, we had about 150 entries in 24 age-specific categories. Over 2000 kids worldwide decide the winners, and help us select the recipients of our “Lifetime Achievement Awards” for children's entertainers. Past winners include Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger, Hap Palmer, Sam Hinton, Fred Penner, Tom Paxton, and Mr. Rogers. The awards program is self-supporting, with fees covering the postage and printing costs of the program. This year, we will partner with XMKids national satellite radio channel to help publicize the winners and give children an additional opportunity to vote on their favorite songs.
One of our
participating teachers made a homework assignment for her students
OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR FALL 2005 TO SUMMER 2006
Our Pickleberry Pie Incorporated Board of Directors meets on-line several times a year. Our Executive Committee meets on-line at least twice a month. During these meetings, the following goals and objectives were set for the coming year:
- Continue the Hospital Concert Series
- Objective:
Raise funds to continue the free monthly concerts for 10 children's
hospitals in the Bay Area,
- Expand the Hospital Concert Series
- Objective:
Raise funds, interface, and begin free monthly concerts in two hospitals
in
- Continue the service to George Mark Children’s Hospice
- Objective:
raise funds to continue the free service of concerts and music resources
to the George Mark Children’s Hospice in
- Pilot a songwriting series for teens living with cancer
- Objective:
Raise funds, interface, and begin free songwriting workshops for teens in
connection with Children's Hospital- Vanderbilt, Oakland Children’s
Hospital, and our
- Continue support of the Children's Music Web
- Objective: Continue free services, including on line “webcast” for children. Publicize the site and Children's Music Web Awards. Outcome: 500,000 visits by July 2006, representing continued public awareness and use of the site.
BUDGET
Our funds come from three areas: grants from supporting foundations, program service revenue, and individual donations to the Children's Music Web. We have two separate accounts - one for for Pickleberry Pie Inc., and one for our Children's Music Web activities. These accounts are combined in the budget below and on our tax returns. We have a significant fund balance at the end of each year because we receive funds at the end of the calendar year for programs implemented in the following year.
This year, we had a significant shortfall in support for the
concert series, however, this shortfall was covered by
our reserve funds. We managed to continue all of our concert commitments in all
existing locations, with just a slight reduction in services to
We are pleased to welcome the Lance Armstrong Foundation and
the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation in their pioneering support of the teen
songwriting projects. We also appreciate the continued support of the
PROJECT SUMMARY 2004
|
Project |
Income |
Expenses |
Remainder ((Deficit) |
|
Very Special Concert Series ( all parts) |
24500 in grants (concerts are free) |
35,945 |
(11,445) |
|
Children’s Music Web |
9112 |
5811 |
3,301 |
|
Interest |
62 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Totals |
33, 674 |
41,756 |
(8082) |
INCOME 2004 (Calendar year 04)
The Margo and Irwin Winkler Charitable Foundation 8,000
The
The Van Loben Sels/Rembe Rock Foundation 3,500
The May and
Subtotal- grants received 24,500
Contributions from individuals/program service revenue 9,112
Interest 62
Total income 33,674
FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES 2004 ( Calendar year 04)
|
Printing, postage, and shipping |
3,447 |
|
Internet and electronics |
1,504 |
|
Supplies ( disposable cameras, rhythm instruments for the kids, etc) |
2,360 |
|
Consultants ( entertainers and local co-ordinators) |
34,445 |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
41,756 |
All other expenses (rent, telephone, administrative, development etc) are in-kind donations/volunteer. We estimate that these in-kind costs total over $120,000 per year
HOSPITAL CONCERT SERIES BUDGET SNAPSHOT
Typical project budget per site: 94% of funds go directly to personnel (performers and local co-ordinators) All other costs are for printing, free instruments for kids, etc. We have no administrative costs, no development costs, and no overhead.
BUDGET FOR FALL 2005 TO SUMMER 2006 BY PROJECT (approved by Board 6/05)
|
Project |
Anticipated Income |
Anticipated Expenses |
|
1) ( 6 hospitals x 10 concerts each) |
Applications pending, anticipate 12,000 |
18,000 |
|
2) Music resource and concert series, George Mark Children’s Hospice |
Applications pending, Partially funded (3,500) |
6,000 |
|
3) Hospital Concert Series- Portland (2 hospitals x 10 concerts) |
Applications pending Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
4) Hospital Concert Series- Houston (multiple floors x 10 concert days) |
Applications pending, Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
5) Hospital Concert Series- Los Angeles ( 2 hospitals x 10 concerts ea) |
Applications pending, Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
6) Hospital Concert Series- ( one hospital x 10 concerts) |
Applications pending Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
7) Hospital Concert Series- ( two hospitals x 10 concerts) |
Applications pending Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
8) Hospital Concert Series- Denver ( 2 hospitals x 10 concerts ea) |
Applicatons pending, Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
9) Hospital Concert (2 hospitals x10 concerts each) |
Applications pending Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
10) Hospital Concert Series- Nashville ( 2 hospitals x 10 concerts ea) |
Applications pending, Anticipate 8,000 |
8,000 |
|
11) Pilot Teen Songwriting Workshops, ( 12 days x 4 sites) |
Fully funded (21,000) |
21,000 |
|
12) The Children’s Music Web |
10,000 new income (15,000 reserve fund) |
13,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
TOTALS |
Existing funds 39,500 |
122,000 |
|
NEED TO RAISE |
82,500 |
|
Pickleberry Pie Incorporated Board of Directors
This is an entirely volunteer and uncompensated Board
Executive Committee- meets on-line twice a month
Katherine Dines, composer and children's artist, Vice President, Denver, CO
Monty Harper , children's artist,
Secretary,
Fred Koch , writer for Parent's
Magazine, Board Chair,
P.J. Swift, special education teacher, Treasurer and
volunteer CEO,
Other Board members- meets on-line 4 times per year:
Linda Arnold, California ,
children's artist,
Ned Hearn,
Scott Liggettwood, children's
artist,
Irene Light, music educator,
Mary Lounsbury, PhD., clinical
children's psychologist,
Lanny Sherwin, children’s artist,
Rachel Sumner, children's artist,
Barbara Tilsen, day care provider,
Robert Wesley, MD,