Donations
Over the more than 20 years since its founding, the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation (aka Archie’s Barbershop) has built a unique community that is known by blues lovers the world over. We look with pride at our achievements: the weekly Saturday jams which bring together new and experienced acoustic blues players, concerts by renowned blues artists, instrument and vocal workshops to help musicians hone their skills, monthly open mics where both professional and budding performers get a chance to share their talents, Barbershop ensemble performances that bring acoustic blues to a wider audience, and the blues museum/archives which help tell the story of Archie Edwards and traditional blues in the Washington region. We are proud that our work has been recognized with national and local honors.
The Foundation operates on a shoestring budget funded primarily through donations and the invaluable help of volunteers who give their time and skills to keep the organization going. More than 70 percent of our funding comes from donations.
The rest of our funding comes from CD sales, concerts, workshops, appearance
fees, and the occasional grant. Most of our budget is used for rent, utilities, and insurance. We have no employees and our directors are unpaid volunteers.
(Recent annual reports show revenue and expenses in detail and may be viewed from the links on the Our Story page.)
We hope you will consider making a donation to help ensure our work can continue and expand. The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation is a tax-exempt
IRS 503 (c) organization, so your contribution is fully tax deductible.
There are a few ways you can make a donation. You can give cash or check at a jam, workshop, or concert at the Barbershop. You can mail a check to AEBHF, P.O. Box 10124, Washington, D.C. 20018. Or you can make a donation directly through PayPal or a credit card using the yellow DONATE link below.
Thank you for your contribution.
Fundraising
Message from AEBHF President
At the end of 2023, looking at this past year, I feel a sense of gratitude and pride at what has been accomplished by the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. We initiated a relationship with Dumbarton Arts. We embarked on a series of free workshops at the Hyattsville Library and hosted four free concerts for the Washington blues community.
We held several activities to celebrate our 25-year anniversary. And, of course, we opened our doors every Saturday for our legendary blues Jams. Our relationship with Dumbarton Arts, as well as the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation,are ones of reciprocal assistance and publicity. We announce each other’s activities in our respective newsletters and provide support as we are able.
We initiated guitar, harmonica, vocal, and ukulele lessons at the Hyattsville Library. This was done at no cost to
attendees and all instructors were provided a stipend for their efforts. The purpose of this instruction was two-fold: first to advance the mission of the foundation of keeping the music alive and second, to attract new-comers to the Barbershop.
I spoke to a new-comer recently at the jam. It was his third or fourth time at the Barbershop. He related how much of a community there is here, and he went on to say how welcoming and warm others were on each of his visits. He stated that he intends to make this a regular Saturday afternoon activity. I recall my first visit to the Bunker Hill location in 2006 and the accompanying anxiety that came with that visit. I will always remember those individuals who welcomed me and helped to relieve that anxiety.
It costs us about $500.00 each week to keep our doors open. This includes: rent, insurance, utilities, hospitality, social media, internet, and printing. As our activities and outreach expand, so do our financial needs. Next year, we plan on making
improvements to our physical location and website and to continue music classes and workshops to teach others about the country blues tradition.
Please consider making a contribution to the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. Your generous contribution helps us to keep our doors open and our activities ongoing. I thank everyone who makes Archie’s Barbershop their blues home.
Willie Leebel
President, Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation
November 28, 2023