Youth Services, a Windham County nonprofit celebrating 50 years building community, is using the occasion to increase its Endowment to $1.5 million through a fundraising campaign, “Invest in the Future”, according to Ana Saavedra, Board President.
“It’s clear from our early success with this campaign how committed the community is to helping Youth Services in its mission, but we still have work to do. We’re asking donors to make a one-time investment to secure the future impact of this critical organization,” explained Saavedra. “As an added incentive, we have acquired matching funds from the Thomas Thompson Fund and from my colleagues at regional Edward Jones Investments offices — to in essence, double each gift,” she said.
Youth Services today provides 20 critical programs in youth development, restorative justice and clinical services and is a crucial safety net for youth at risk of homelessness, substance abuse, truancy, or involvement with the criminal justice system. Since its founding in 1972, approximately 50,000 community members have been supported to develop resilience, find tools to address life’s challenges and discover their own unique path to a better tomorrow.
Youth Services Executive Director, Russell Bradbury-Carlin said, only half-joking, that he can sleep at night, thanks to the organizations’ Endowment Fund, which helps him fill some of the gaps from annual fundraising and state grants.
“We have some of the most devoted and skilled staff around, and as is true with most nonprofits, staffing is our largest expense,” said Bradbury-Carlin who explained that State funding for youth services and restorative justice programs has been stagnant for several decades while costs have only increased. “We struggle to keep up with the ever-rising cost of health insurance, liability insurance and workers compensation, not to mention offer competitive salaries,” he stated. “So, without the cushion of Youth Services’ Endowment, we’d simply have to cancel critical programs in our community or close our doors,” Bradbury-Carlin said.
Although Youth Services is fortunate to have an Endowment, its executive director stressed that the Endowment’s current level at $1.2 million doesn’t provide enough of a cushion to innovate, finance future capital needs and cover emergencies in addition to attracting and retaining their staff. “If we can grow The Endowment to $1.5 million or beyond, the income we could tap would be more substantial, in the $60,000-$100,000 range annually,” Bradbury-Carlin emphasized.
Honorary Co-Chairs of the 50th Anniversary Endowment Campaign, David Brown and Liz Richards have raised leadership gifts and pledges totaling $200,000 in the past 9 months together with committee members Ana Saavedra, Cathy Coonan and one of Youth Services’ founders, Larry Cassidy. In order to be eligible to be matched, donations or pledges of all sizes must be received before June 30.
Youth Services’ Endowment Fund was started in the ‘90s by board members who had the foresight to invest gifts in the stock market so that the donated funds would grow, permitting the agency to tap the income once the fund got big enough, leaving the principal investment untouched to grow.
Since then, bequests and other planned gifts have been slowing augmenting the fund together with donations in memory of long-time board member Jesse Corum IV and Court Diversion volunteer Tim Cowles or in honor of founder Larry Cassidy. In recent years, the Endowment has been a life-saver for Youth Services, allowing $40,000+ a year of discretionary funds to be used to fill budget gaps or the need for an immediate response to a youth crisis in our community.
To contribute to the Endowment on-line, learn more or make a pledge payable over 3 years, visit /endowment; mail a check to Youth Services, 32 Walnut St. Brattleboro, VT 05301; designate Youth Services as a beneficiary in your will or call 802-257-0361 x147.
