An Update from Ignite CEO Jeri Linas
Dear Ignite Friends,
Today, I am so aware that I am reaching out to you this fourth week as a community coping with COVID-19; circumstances that none of us ever imagined a month ago. Last month on March 7, I was returning to Chicago after having connected with family from Ireland for a brief vacation in Florida. (Seems like a lifetime ago!)
I hope that you, your family, friends, and colleagues are well, staying safe, and practicing social distancing. Such a strange and counter-intuitive space to be in for people like us all – we are so used to reaching out, connecting, and creating a safe space with you for the youth at Ignite.
Ignite does not close its doors to youth experiencing homelessness, even in the event of a public health crisis like the one we are facing right now. In fact, our youth need us now more than ever. While things are shutting down around us, Ignite continues to operate. For over 500 youth experiencing homelessness each year, we are their safety net; the helpers that are available 24/7.
In fact, on April 1 we opened an expanded Community Service Hub for youth in the historic Rosenwald Building in Bronzeville – where youth experiencing homelessness can seek safety and supportive services daily. With your help, we have built it and they are coming.
From prevention and outreach to residential programs, supportive services, and economic empowerment, Ignite offers programs to meet the immediate needs of youth.
What we are experiencing that is different are the unintended consequences of COVID-19 on our budget.
Increases to our personnel costs have been greatly impacted by the need to ensure additional staff coverage for our residential programs – providing safety and support 24/7. Additional IT support to enable those staff who can work remotely; increased costs for sanitization and protective wear; food and rent relief for youth who are living in our independent housing programs and who now find themselves unemployed. These unanticipated expenses are currently costing us $47,525 every four weeks.
At this time of year, we would be planning to connect in person with so many of you at our Annual Spring Gala – our biggest fundraiser of the year. We depend on this event to help us raise critical general operating funds in order to provide our innovative and lifesaving services.
As we can’t be together in person, we invite you to join our virtual event Ignite & Shine Online 2020 from Monday April 13 through Friday April 17:
Follow along with the campaign hashtag #igniteandshine
Please join us there until we can connect again in person.
