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Unprecedented financial challenges
1st of January 2011
It is unconscionable that youth are living on the streets in the nation’s capital. The recession continues here, and with the coming of the new year, too many families will be on the streets, in the cold. As with our clients, our organization is not immune to the recession, and right now, we are confronted with unprecedented financial challenges. Donate Now
That’s why I am writing to you. You have supported our work in the past. And I feel confident that when I tell you what we’re up against now, you’ll want to do what you can to see us through to success.
Sasha Bruce Youthwork meets the urgent needs of runaway, homeless and disconnected youth and their families throughout the District of Columbia. Our sixteen programs include the city’s only open-access youth shelter, transitional housing, evidence-based counseling, home-based outreach, workforce development and a myriad of educational and positive youth development activities. Yet much of our programming is supported by District government funds; funds which, due to the recession, have been cut by approximately $250,000.
If we needed only to tighten our operations and work harder, I suppose it wouldn’t be necessary to write to you. I assure you that our dedicated staff and volunteers are already doing those things. But the fact is we are considering layoffs and decreases to the number of youth who can enter our safety net programs. However difficult it is for me to say—after 36 years of offering seamless access to our essential services for any young person who needs them—if you and I don’t act today, programs may be ended…maybe forever.
I’d like to ask you to do two things. First, click here to go to our website’s secure donation page. Then include as large a gift as you can make.
Our Board of Directors is pulling out all of the stops to secure immediate “bridge” funding of $200,000 during the first quarter of 2011. And we will continue to advocate strongly with government policy-makers to spare the budget axe on those who can least afford it. I will keep you updated on our progress, and welcome any ideas you may have.
Without our dedicated staff, volunteers and Board of Directors, we wouldn’t be the premiere youth service provider in Washington. And now we need your help more than ever. Without good friends like you, we wouldn’t be so successful. Your generous support is a source of encouragement to all of us as we work to empower our city’s most troubled youth and families.
Yours truly,
Deborah Shore
Executive Director
202-675-9340