Friends of JAMS receives check from Bread & Roses

In late summer of 2014, several members of Bread & Roses, a women’s chorus in northern Illinois, contacted Friends of Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls with an exciting proposal.

Bread & Roses was preparing to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a special concert in April of 2015. They wanted to make Jane Adeny School for Girls the beneficiary of that concert. We at Friends of JAMS were thrilled!

The mission of Bread & Roses is to “provide a community of women who deliver messages of peace and justice, protection of our fragile environment, diversity, women’s empowerment, and acceptance for all.” The goals of Bread & Roses seemed a perfect fit for JAMS.

Bread & Roses Concert to Benefit JAMS

Bread & Roses worked all through the year to plan and perfect a beautiful program of music. Friends of JAMS put out the word about the concert through our email newsletter, our web site, and our Friends of JAMS Facebook page.

As the word spread, a generous friend of JAMS offered to match up to $5,000 in donations at the concert. By April 26, as we arrived to set up our informational displays and banner, the Friends of JAMS board members were full of anticipation.

Our dreams were exceeded!

Friends of JAMS at Bread & Roses ConcertPeople kept coming through the doors of Westminster Presbyterian Church (DeKalb, IL), which provided their sanctuary free of charge; by the time the concert started, it was standing room only.

Teresa Wasonga, the Founder of Jane Adeny Memorial School, explained to the crowd how the school was founded to empower Kenyan girls. Then Bread & Roses, under the direction of Peggy Safford, regaled the crowd with songs both spirited and sweet.

In the end, $7,679 was raised directly through the concert. Counting the special concert match AND our ongoing Science Building Challenge Grant, the total amount raised was $20,703!

Friends of JAMS gives heartfelt thanks to Bread & Roses women’s chorus of DeKalb, Illinois, for choosing Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls as the beneficiary of their 20th Anniversary Concert. Our sincere thanks also go to Westminster Presbyterian Church and to all our donors!