Cedars of Marin residents created paintings to express their thanks for the tickets they received to attend the Golden Gate Opera’s Madama Butterfly.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Outreach Committee is to create greater awareness of the performing arts, to encourage more community participation, and to increase exposure, education and opportunities for those who otherwise would not have access to this cultural enrichment.

History
Established in 1993, the Outreach Committee distributes complimentary tickets for Marin Center performances to low-income and disadvantaged youth and adults who otherwise might not be able to attend these performances. No fee is charged to the agencies for this unique service. On average we distribute over 4000 tickets each season including tickets to the Marin Symphony.

Method
FOMC has created a distribution network to over 100 non-profit agencies and schools that allows for an equitable and effective system for ticket allocation. Events are matched with appropriate constituencies. An e-mail and fax-back system is used to notify groups of ticket availability, to determine interest and ability to take advantage of the tickets.

Results
We think the many thank you notes we receive every month tell more about the success of this program than anything we could say in facts and figures. Here are a few samples:

"We have been blessed this week with two fabulous opportunities to enjoy Marin Center performances...our clients really enjoyed Madama Butterfly and Tuesday night’s symphony!  The group that attended the symphony hadn’t been in quite awhile and were excited to share with many of us the day after (and they made it all the way until 9:30 which is a bit past bed time)... :)  So, a sincere thank you again for filling a void, if you will, in our clients social/entertainment realm."

Crystal Marker
The Cedars of Marin

"I would like to send the many thanks to you that I received from my residents who attended the two shows in September/October 2009, The Ukrainian Dancers and the Mariachi Band. Both sets of residents expressed how happy they were to be able to get to see the shows and how much the shows reminded them of their homelands.  Please accept my sincere thanks for the happiness you bring to people and for all you do."
 
Nancy Smith
P. P. Senior Apartments

"I feel so lucky that I am able to enjoy a variety of programs that I would not be able to afford.  I look forward to an evening out. A bit of culture rounds out my life. This is a wonderful program and I am thankful someone is thinking of others."
- Barb DeVaut, YOlder Adults

"I was a recipient of a ticket to last night’s Marin Symphony concert. It was an outstanding concert which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you so much for enabling me to have this opportunity to enjoy wonderful music first hand."
- Roberta Detz, YMCA

"Bennett House residents had a great time at the Golden Gate Opera and the Symphony last Tuesday.  Pianist Weiss was truly fabulous and the seats were so close we really had great viewing and hearing his playing.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
- Anya Maruscha, Bennet House

"Thank you SO much for providing our organization with the tickets for last night's symphony performance…. It was a smashing success! I have heard back from the parents of our singers who attended with our chorus director, and the children loved the performance!...We are hoping to continue encouraging our young singers to attend quality performance events provided by the Marin Center!"
Lisa Doering, Administrator
Marin Children's Chorus

“I wanted to thank you so much for the opportunity you provided to myself and four young men from the The Cedars of Marin - 60 Circle Group Home to attend the Marin Symphony performance on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007.
The setting was beautiful, and the minute the conductor walked onto the stage I could see the excitement in the faces of these men.  They leaned forward in their seats and as the first note was struck there were smiles all around.  
“Their favorite part was when Elizabeth Pitcairn came out on stage looking royal and beautiful in her bright red dress, and began playing her violin.
We were in awe!  One young man whispered in my ear "her violin is shining like gold".  Later that evening we talked about "The Red Violin" story
and that her "Stradivari" violin was so rare and special that it was like gold.
“The performance was full of energy, and left us all with a desire to listen to more classical music, which one gentlemen said was "very calming".
We will be checking out the music stores for CD's of Beethoven, Mendelssohn,and Brahms, the composers we listened to that evening.
“We are all so grateful to you for providing opportunities for us to attend the wonderful and diverse performances at the Marin Center.  Thank you again for your generosity.”
Kate Pokas, House Manager
Novato Boulevard Group Home
The Cedars of Marin

“The residents who went to the Marin Symphony performance loved it and had a great time! It means so much to them to be able to see such cultural events!  We appreciate you making this possible for us.”
Cris Ascierto
De Anza House

“Parnow House is a part of the affordable housing program for seniors, so its residents are on fixed incomes, and their limited budgets don’t stretch to include live performances. So they really appreciate the Outreach Program’s offerings of free tickets.
On a recent visit from FOMC Executive Director Jayle Hale, resident Fran Cohen, 93, told her, ‘I’ve really enoyed every single event I’ve attended at Marin Center. It’s opened doors for all of us here. It gives me a lot of mental stimulation.I feel young again!’""
Calen Chapman, services coordinator
Parnow Friendship House

"Much appreciation for making the Symphony accessible to all! Getting seats in neat groups was no easy task ---- but pulled off with last minute grace.Donated tickets from Friends of the Center made it possible for all to attend."
Also: "The [residents of our] 2nd Street house went to the Center's Ballet Flamenco and are still talking about the show."
Denise Bondy
The Cedars of Marin

“Every time I receive FOMC Outreach tickets to Marin Center performances, there is great excitement and anticipation in the class. And after every performance they talk about it for days afterwards. Here are some of the things the members of my class told Jayle Hale when she came to visit us:
‘Coming from Moscow and St. Petersberg, we grew up appreciating great music and culture, but because of the programmed narrow offerings of the Soviet Union, only now are we truly enjoying a full range of amazing performances from all over the world.’
 ‘Attending the events is important for us in order to socialize with Americans. It helps our English skills.’
‘FOMC’s free tickets are an example of the American experience, a generous people share a wealth of diverse cultural experiences.’
‘We appreciate how close Marin Center is. It would be impossible for us to go into San Francisco for the symphony. But we feel as if we are living  in near a great cultural center.’
‘It is the center of our lives.’”
Vicky Chuck, teacher
ESL Class for Russian-American seniors meeting at Maria Freitas Senior Center

"...Our seniors truly appreciate your outreach to them.  One senior told me last week that the show "Frogz" uplifted her very much from a bout of depression...  Thank you so much."
Novato Independent Elders Program/
Alma Latina Seniors

"Those of us here at Center Point that had the opportunity to see the Symphony would sincerely like to thank you. For most of us it was a first time experience that we will remember the rest of our lives. We thank you for your generosity and the cultural experience that we were allowed to share with each other through your donation."

"Thank you for helping us fulfill our mission to enrich the lives of children and the community through one-to-one mentoring relationships."
Heidi Pidcoke, Associate Executive Director
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Marin and Napa Counties

“Providing these tickets will give a sense of hope and opportunity to these most vulnerable families to share an inspiring musical together, while in the process of reconnecting with each other and their community."
Zara Babitzke, Resource Developer
Matrix Parent Network

“..sincere thanks to you for your generous donation of tickets…We are only able to continue to provide the opportunity to teach our residents to re-enter society as productive citizens because of the help of friends like you. There is no way we can adequately explain how much your support means to us.”
Roxanne Dracopoulos
Delancey Street Foundation