The Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) Board of Directors is pleased to formally announce an AMA Pay-It-Forward (PIF) program to allow members to assist other members in retaining their AMA memberships during these extremely challenging times. The concept is voluntary and is intended to be simple.
Contributing Participants
The adverse financial impact of the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic has severely impacted many of our members such that some may not be able to pay their 2022 AMA dues. There are other members that wish to help their fellow members during these challenging times. The concept of the AMA Pay-It-Forward program is to provide a vehicle whereby members may submit payment in excess of their personal dues charge through their AMA account, via the Pay-It-Forward option in the member online Gift Shop, or by check. (If the latter, please mail a check payable to "Academy of Magical Arts" to The Magic Castle, 7001 Franklin Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028, and put “Pay-It-Forward” on the check memo line). The funds received will be used to subsidize those with financial hardship to maintain their 2022 membership status. It is the goal of the Board of Directors and the Pay-It-Forward program to assist and retain our members.
Member Directed Payments
We understand that some members may wish to directly assist specific members, and that option is available to you on the Contribute to Pay-It-Forward page.
Funds
The funds collected through the Pay-It-Forward program will be accumulated during the traditional annual dues paying season of December through February.
Contribute To Pay-It-Forward:
http://www.magiccastle.com/pifdonate
Dues Installment Pay Options
It is our hope that the installment payment options previously announced in the dues packet provides sufficient flexibility for most members to retain their membership and pay their dues over the payment plan period. However, we recognize that the financial impact on some members may prevent them from being able to commit to a payment plan. As the dues letter stated, Member Services can be contacted at memberservices@magiccastle.com for special individual payment alternatives.
Potential PIF Partial Dues Recipients
It is the Board’s desire to retain our full membership, and as needed, to assist as many of our members as possible. This will be made easier by a robust and timely payment of dues by a vast majority of our members who can demonstrate their commitment and are financially capable of paying dues. The support of as many members as possible is key to ensuring that the AMA will return as a community united by a shared passion for the magical arts, in an environment of mutual respect. The amount of funds paid into the Pay-It-Forward program will impact the degree to which it can provide meaningful assistance to members in need. We do not expect to have information on funds available versus those requested until February 2022.
Members facing dire financial hardship should apply via http://www.magiccastle.com/pifrequest. The pool of potential PIF funds will be applied toward dues payments for those members, until the funds are exhausted. We expect that these needs will be greater in the first half of the year than in the second half of the year, as the economy rebounds. Therefore, the program will distribute dues subsidies on a bi-monthly basis to a PIF recipient’s member dues account.
Board of Directors Oversight of PIF
The Pay-It-Forward program will be directly supervised by your Board of Directors, with the desire for fair and equitable allocation of dues subsidies to those members facing dire financial hardship. Our goal is to retain as many of our members as possible. To achieve this, we need to work together to have members helping members. This program means that those members in dire straits will be able to pay what they can each month toward their annual 2022 dues commitment, and have the rest of their dues fulfilled by the PIF program.
If you are financially able, please consider supporting our members in need by contributing to the Pay-It-Forward program.
Apply To Receive Pay-It-Forward:
http://www.magiccastle.com/pifrequest
Questions? E-mail payitforward@magiccastle.com to contact an AMA representative. Thank you for supporting the club!
Sincerely,
The AMA Board of Directors
Randy Sinnott, Jr., President
Max Maven, Vice President
Mike Flynn, Treasurer
Sara Ballantine, Secretary
Nick Stavros, Director
Ralph Shelton, Director
Dana Lebental, Director