Friends​ ​of​ ​DANK​ ​Haus Support​ ​and​ ​sustain​ ​the​ ​building,​ ​programs​ ​and​ ​activities​ ​of  DANK​ ​HAUS​ ​German​ ​American​ ​Cultural​ ​Center 

Summary  The​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​has​ ​started​ ​the​ ​​Friends of DANK Haus ​program​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​sustainable​ ​and predictable​ ​source​ ​of​ ​revenue,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​help​ ​to​ ​identify,​ ​support,​ ​and​ ​reward​ ​the​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the organization.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​yearly​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​fundraising​ ​events,​ ​like​ ​Maifest,​ ​are​ ​unpredictable,​ ​as​ ​they’re dependent​ ​on​ ​weather​ ​and​ ​other​ ​factors​ ​out​ ​of​ ​our​ ​control.​ ​The​ ​additional​ ​funds​ ​from​ ​the​ ​​Friends of DANK Haus Benefits Program​ ​will​ ​help​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​maintain​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​address​ ​regular​ ​expenses​ ​that​ ​occur​ ​rain-or-shine.  Additionally,​ ​we​ ​hope​ ​that​ ​the​ ​program​ ​will​ ​help​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​a​ ​closer​ ​relationship​ ​between​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​and its​ ​supporters​ ​that​ ​will​ ​help​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​grow​ ​and​ ​adapt​ ​over​ ​time.

Questions​ ​and​ ​Answers 

How much does Friends of DANK Haus cost?  As seen above the​ ​annual​ ​contribution​ ​is​ ​$50​ ​for​ ​an​ ​individual,​ ​or​ ​$75​ ​per​ ​year​ ​for​ ​a​ ​family​ ​of​ ​up​ ​to​ ​six​ ​people.​ ​A​ ​portion​ ​of  the​ ​contribution​ ​is​ ​tax-deductible.   

Why should I become a Friend of the DANK Haus? The​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​is​ ​dedicated,​ ​as​ ​an​ ​organization,​ ​to​ ​preserving​ ​German​ ​and​ ​German-American​ ​culture​ ​in Chicago​ ​as​ ​a​ ​vibrant​ ​thread​ ​in​ ​the​ ​city’s​ ​tapestry.​ ​Becoming​ ​a​ ​Friend​ ​of​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​demonstrates​ ​your  commitment​ ​to​ ​that​ ​mission​ ​and​ ​to​ ​the​ ​future​ ​of​ ​the​ ​organization.​ ​It​ ​helps​ ​to​ ​fund​ ​activities,​ ​programs,​ ​and  building​ ​maintenance​ ​and​ ​improvement.​ ​With​ ​your​ ​help,​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Friend​ ​of​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus,​ ​these​ ​ongoing​ ​efforts  can​ ​continue.   

What are the benefits of the Friends of the DANK Haus program? In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​providing​ ​substantial​ ​support​ ​to​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus,​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​​Friends of DANK Haus entitles  you​ ​to​ ​benefits,​ ​including: 

● Discounted​ ​hall​ ​and​ ​room​ ​rentals​ ​at​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus 

● VIP​ ​and​ ​​Friends -only​ ​invites​ ​to​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​events 

● Advance​ ​registration​ ​and​ ​discounts​ ​for​ ​popular​ ​cooking​ ​classes 

● Discounts​ ​on​ ​tuition​ ​at​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​German​ ​Language​ ​School 

● Friend of the DANK Haus ​discounts​ ​and​ ​promotions​ ​at​ ​local​ ​Chicago​ ​and​ ​Lincoln​ ​Square​ ​businesses.   

What is DANK National? The​ ​German​ ​American​ ​National​ ​Congress,​ ​also​ ​known​ ​as​ ​DANK​ ​(Deutsch​ ​Amerikanischer​ ​National​ ​Kongress),  is​ ​the​ ​largest​ ​organization​ ​of​ ​Americans​ ​of​ ​Germanic​ ​descent.​ ​It​ ​has​ ​19​ ​chapters​ ​in​ ​7​ ​states,​ ​including​ ​8​ ​in​ ​the greater​ ​Chicagoland​ ​area.   

How does this differ from DANK membership? If​ ​you’re​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​DANK,​ ​you’re​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​both​ ​the​ ​National​ ​organization​ ​and​ ​your​ ​local​ ​chapter.  Membership​ ​in​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​National​ ​supports​ ​the​ ​mission​ ​of​ ​the​ ​larger​ ​organization​ ​with​ ​which​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​Haus is​ ​associated.​ ​DANK​ ​National​ ​membership​ ​helps​ ​to​ ​support​ ​German​ ​and​ ​German-American​ ​culture,​ ​heritage and​ ​language​ ​across​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​United​ ​States.​ ​The​ ​DANK​ ​Haus​ ​encourages​ ​everyone​ ​with​ ​an​ ​interest​ ​to become​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​DANK​ ​National.​ ​However,​ ​only​ ​a​ ​very​ ​small​ ​portion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​membership​ ​fee​ ​flows​ ​through​ ​from​ ​the​ ​national​ ​organization​ ​to​ ​the​ ​local​ ​chapter​ ​–​ ​including your​ ​DANK​ ​Haus.    

Participation​ ​in​ ​the​ ​​Friends of DANK Haus program​ ​provides​ ​increased​ ​support​ ​for​ ​your​ ​local chapter,​ ​helping​ ​it​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​a​ ​landmark​ ​in​ ​Lincoln​ ​Square​ ​and​ ​Chicago​ ​by​ ​continuing​ ​to offer​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​array​ ​of​ ​activities​ ​and​ ​programming.