Featured Nonprofit - Café con MECA
"Café con MECA" is a collaboration between Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA) and Max Gonzalez, owner of Catalina Coffee on Washington Avenue and the Amaya Roasting Co. The collaboration is a fundraising effort to rehabilitate the historic Justin E. Dow School in the Old Sixth Ward. The school was built in 1912 and now serves as the home to MECA and it’s arts education programs.
www.meca-houston.org 713-802-9370
MECA is a community-based, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the healthy social, cultural, and academic development of at-risk youth through education in the arts. MECA has been providing safe alternatives to the streets for thousands of youth for over thirty years. MECA provides youth, who have very limited opportunities, the chance to excel while acquiring the tools for self-expression and creativity. At the same time, they gain a sense of direction, community awareness, and a commitment to cultural diversity.
MECA received its first development grant and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1979. Today, the organization offers classical and multicultural arts education and support services to approximately 1,500 students a year, and over 5,000 students a year participate in special workshops, residencies, and projects. MECA is an active participant in many community performances, public art exhibitions, and cultural celebrations, reaching over 18,000 people annually.
