Big Read

The Big Read is a joint project of the Columbus Arts Council, Columbus Lowndes Public Library, Friends of the Library, and the Mississippi University for Women Department of Language, Literature and Philosophy. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts administered by Arts Midwest.

Project Duration: January 8 - March 17, 2015

Big Read Book Selection: The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

Big Read Events At A Glance

Please see below for Building Bridges of Hope Foundation's donation request list and organization information.

For tickets or information on any events, please contact Columbus Arts Council at 662.328.2787 or follow the specific links.

While most of these events are free, toiletry donations are requested for the Building Bridges of Hope Assistance Program. For more on this organization and a list of suggested items, please check the CAC website above.

Building Bridges of Hope Foundation

Mission Statement

The mission of the Building Bridges of Hope Foundation - an organization dedicated to providing immediate services or support to the underserved in the Columbus community - is to seek support; provide limited transportation, shelter, and meals; give hope; and assist the needy and disabled in gaining skills by providing resources and additional educational opportunities that allow people to move from a temporary state of despair to a more productive life and a positive contributor to society.

Purpose

The purpose of Building Bridges of Hope is:

  • to provide resources to help the homeless, disabled, and the underserved families in the Columbus community,
  • to help individuals and families regain hope through education and job training in order to become self-sufficient,
  • to promote a giving spirit in the Columbus community from individuals, businesses, organizations, and churches.

Examples of Services or Support that Building Bridges of Hope will provide:

  • Food and hygiene bags
  • Furniture and household items
  • Food Pantry
  • Benefits for the elderly and disabled
  • Emergency motel vouchers
  • Assistance with permanent housing for the homeless
  • Mobile food programs
  • Outreach programs

Rationale

More than two thousand people were at risk of homelessness or were literally homeless last year in Columbus. The number of working families living on the street has increased by approximately five percent over the last year. Many of these are mothers and fathers, servicemen and women, and vulnerable young adults who are willing to get themselves out of their current situation, but need additional support. This large group of people across the Columbus community may be hungry, homeless, and hurting, but they are not hopeless! Through immediate, individualized, specialized care, support, and training, they can regain the lost feeling of self-worth.

Building Bridges of Hope is an organization that can immediately provide the helping hand that people need when they feel hopeless, hungry, cold, and out of society’s mainstream. Building Bridges of Hope is not a permanent solution, but is an organization that can respond to desperate circumstances instantly.

Concept Statement

To: Develop an organization dedicated to providing immediate services to the underserved in the Columbus Community,

In a way that:

  • Seeks and channels support
  • Provides limited transportation, shelter, and meals
  • Provides resources to assist the needy and disabled in gaining life-long skills
  • Helps individuals and families regain hope
  • Promotes a giving spirit in the Columbus community

So that: People move from a temporary state of despair to a more productive life and become positive contributors to society.

Items for Hygiene Bags for the Homeless

  • soap
  • toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • washcloth or hand towel
  • deodorant
  • comb
  • shampoo
  • tissues
  • hand sanitizers
  • feminine hygiene products

Welcome to "The Big Read"!

We and our project partners are excited to invite our community to join in
"The Big Read" kicking off this month and continuing into March. Our focus book,
Thornton Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" is a great American classic
which won Wilder his first Pulitzer Prize in 1928. Since it's first printing in 1927,
the book has NEVER been out of print! The story is well written, immersing us into
Peruvian culture and creating fascinating character studies--all in a fairly short read.
During our sojourn with the book, we will explore the characters and story in depth, as
well as the acclaimed author and his other works (which include "Our Town").
We will use the story's setting itself to branch out and study Peruvian and Spanish culture
and history, and connect through elements of the story to American and even local history.
Among the many exciting and educational events planned to foster exploration of the book
are a fun kick-off event for all ages, continuing with book groups, table talks, a writing project,
panel discussions, a gallery exhibit and artist talk, movies and documentaries,
art projects, a play, and even a children's tea party--all related in some way to the world created
by Wilder in this simple literary masterpiece.
"The Big Read" is a grant program established by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
in 2006 in response to studies reflecting the sad rapid decline of reading in America.
The program was developed to provide organizations with the means to develop community
wide reading programs. Through the focus on one book, we can encourage community
reading, discussion and participation amongst diverse audiences. From this we can all
come together to learn about the worlds encompassed in one story, and hopefully encourage
a renewed interest in reading.
For characters of "The Bridge of San Luis Rey", it is Friday, June 20, 1714 on a road
between Lima and Cuzco, Peru...............let our journey begin.
-----------------------------------------------------------
For a schedule of events, please visit our website at www.columbus-arts.org
*This community event is a project of the Columbus Arts Council, Columbus-Lowndes
Public Library, Friends of the Library and MUW Department of LanguagGaes, Literature
and Philosophy.
"The Big Read" is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts administered by
Arts Midwest.

January 14, 2015

The Big Read

We and our project partners are excited to invite our community to join in "The Big Read" kicking off this month and continuing into March. Our focus book, Thornton Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" is a great American classic
which won Wilder his first Pulitzer Prize in 1928. Since it's first printing in 1927, the book has NEVER been out of print! The story is well written, immersing us into Peruvian culture and creating fascinating character studies--all in a fairly short read.
For more information follow this link
"The Big Read" is a grant program established by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
in 2006 in response to studies reflecting the sad rapid decline of reading in America.
The program was developed to provide organizations with the means to develop community
wide reading programs. Through the focus on one book, we can encourage community
reading, discussion and participation amongst diverse audiences. From this we can all
come together to learn about the worlds encompassed in one story, and hopefully encourage
a renewed interest in reading.

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