Since posting a blog about Project 254 last week, I've had the opportunity to answer the question "What is Project 254?" several times.
It's pretty straight forward, I think. Waco businesses — Common Grounds and The Olive Branch being the first to get involved from the restaurant community — designate Project 254 items. When customers buy those items, part of the money goes to fund the fight against poverty in Waco.
That's the easy answer. But it seems to me that, when it comes to the fight against poverty in McLennan County, it's difficult to recognize the problem and identify the answer. I came a little closer, though, to understanding Project 254's plan when I attended a reception on Saturday evening at The Olive Branch.
It was a casual affair in which attendees mostly mingled and snacked on delicious cupcakes and coffee. But we also had a chance to peruse displays from the various Project 254 organizations. I spent a few minutes at the Waco Arts Initiative table, which opened my eyes as I enjoyed the art projects on display.
Waco Arts Initiative provides an opportunity for children living in poverty to experience the arts, so that those children can see a broader picture of life and their potential to live it. In order to provide that opportunity to children for free, Waco Arts Initiative needs financial support from our community. So, through Project 254, Waco businesses and their customers can help organizations like Waco Arts Initiative fight poverty where it lives.
That's the best way I know to answer the question. I think it's a pretty good one.
Here are links to Project 254 and Waco Arts Initiative for more information.
