Dear Friends,

We are reaching out today to announce an end of an era and a new chapter for The Guacamole Fund – a new book, actually!

After much deep and thoughtful discussion and consideration by the Board of Directors, The Guacamole Fund will be transitioning to a new organization called the Civic Literacy and Service Project. This new chapter will be led by Rick Leach, a member of The Guacamole Fund Board from its beginning. Rick, over the last three decades, has been leading movements and organizations to address hunger, environmental threats, public health challenges, and other social issues. (Please see more information about the mission of the Civic Literacy and Service Project below.)

It’s exciting and where help is acutely needed in our Country.

We think Tom would be extremely pleased with this decision to adapt to the changing times of the world and also pleased that we can keep a bit of Tom and The Guacamole Fund in it. The Guacamole Fund will be concluding our work by the end of the year, when our final granting cycle is completed, and handing over the reins to Rick and the Civic Literacy and Service Project with the beginning of the new year.

With Tom’s passing, The Guacamole Fund was poised for a change. Even though Tom was not working day to day with us the final 10 years of his life, we continued on as if he were right there with us. “What would Tom do?” was our continuing mantra. There most certainly is a need to continue to make the world a better place. However, we recognize that times have changed, with so many organizations and musicians now set up to do this important work on their own (thanks to one of the grandfathers of the benefit concert, Tom, leading the way, we believe!). It’s wonderful to see Tom’s life’s work continued through so many new artists and new efforts. “Eye on the Prize” he always said.

Additionally, the project of organizing Tom’s archives and gifting them to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, Austin has put a finishing point on his work. It was a hope of Tom’s that the meticulous materials he kept over his decades of work would somehow empower and help the next generation of activists learn how to effectively use music to affect social change, and we are so gratified to have made that so. With a selection of the archives having just been on exhibit, and with the Briscoe Center making the complete collection available to the public forever more, we are beyond thrilled.

Looking back, we have enormous love and admiration of Tom Campbell & The Guacamole Fund, the musicians, management, crews and activists with whom we have worked. It gives us great satisfaction to have been part of such a movement bringing organizations and musicians together to raise funds and awareness for amazing causes, organizations and communities.

And it has been a deep joy to work with you – whether you were a volunteer, a former staff member, a non-profit fighting the good fight, a concertgoer, or just general supporter, it has been nothing less than an honor to have you as part of The Guacamole Fund’s impact. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support and loyalty to Tom, Pacific Alliance, Avocado Productions and The Guacamole Fund through the last 50 years. We hope you carry on Tom’s legacy in your everyday life, whether volunteering in your community or just taking what you’ve learned through the years from the incredible non-profit organizations that we’ve brought to your attention. Our country, and the world, desperately need the action and involvement of every informed citizen. Tom would have wanted that to be his most enduring legacy.

“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you, kind souls. We are forever grateful.

Peace,

The Guacamole Fund

Paula, Diane & Rick

Civic Literacy and Service Project

Throughout the history of the nation, committed activists have fought injustice, promoted equality, and worked to create a more perfect union. Today, one of the nation’s greatest threats is the polarization that infects our national narrative and relations between people. Many feel increasingly alienated and disconnected from the government and each other.

While there is not one answer or strategy to overcome this threat, service and civic literacy are proven strategies to overcome polarization and promote civility. Community involvement and voluntary service alleviates polarization by bringing people together for a common cause. Deeper understanding of history, government, and democratic values foster greater receptivity to other opinions and to finding compromise and common ground. Even though there are thousands of organizations providing service opportunities, voluntary service is declining with 50% of volunteer slots at nonprofits unfilled. Similarly, there are hundreds of organizations that promote civic literacy but more than 70% of Americans failed a basic civic literacy test.

 In an effort to help overcome the widespread polarization, Rick will coalesce a national movement to increase civic literacy and service by uniting and amplifying the efforts of these existing organizations across the country. This initiative will engage our better angels and help strengthen the infrastructure of democracy. In contrast to other nations, America is defined by shared values, principles, and beliefs rather than ethnicity, race, religion, or national origin. Allegiance to these democratic values makes us a people, it is what binds us to one another. As was said during a presidential inaugural address, “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed by what is right with America.”

In the years ahead, The Civic Literacy and Service Project will build a coalition, develop partnerships, and establish operational capacity to lead a national campaign. While it may not provide the silver bullet, the initiative can play a role in our continued effort to create a more perfect union.