Rye Y Awards $140,000 in Financial Assistance in First 30 Days of New Year
Philanthropy Reflects on-going Community Need
“We’re extremely grateful to all of our supporters in this campaign, especially to our Co-Chairs Lisa Murphy and Mark Miller,” states Gregg Howells, the Rye Y’s Executive Director. “These funds provide support to kids and families who otherwise would not be able to take part in the programs and services that the Y offers such as swim lessons or teen nights.”
With an eye toward the coming year, Howells is already seeing a continuation of the trend that emerged last year – an increase in community need for financial assistance and scholarships. “Effects of the economy continue to linger as we see the same number of families approaching us for assistance in the areas of childcare, camp and membership. For many working families, the Y provides critical after school or summer camp programs for young children.”
Howells revealed that the Y has already awarded $140,000 in assistance in the first 3 weeks of the New Year alone. “We’re prudent with our scholarship program and there is an application that must be supported with documentation. So we see firsthand that individuals and families continue to struggle. We anticipate that requests for assistance will continue throughout all of the coming year.”
To meet this need, plans for future fundraising at the Y include moving its annual appeal up from its traditional launch in November to a new start date of March 2010. Sally Wright, the Y’s Development Director explains that the expanded fundraising campaign will feature flexible giving options in the form of pledge cards and extended payment plans.
“We’re stretching out the timing of our annual campaign and providing different, more flexible ways of giving. The need has just exploded this year, so we need to step up our development efforts. Our goal for 2010 will be to raise even more than we did last year.”
To help in this year’s initiative, Mark Miller has already volunteered to chair the campaign, his 3rd year in this important role. Wright is looking forward to working with him and others on the next Strong Kids Campaign which kicks off anew in a few months. Given how much the Y has already granted in assistance just 30 days into the year, there is no doubt that an accelerated and expanded fundraising campaign will better position the Y to meet a growing community need.
