I hope this message finds you safe, healthy and strong. Many of us are entering our second month of shelter in place, and although we find ourselves constantly rewriting “the new norm” of our day to day life, our core work has not stopped. Thanks to our dedicated staff, generous donors, and tenacious youth, our young people remain as engaged as ever. We have switched to online programming where our youth can continue to participate in meaningful discussions, enrich their professional development, and complete learning modules just as they would in a face to face setting.

Here are some highlights of all that our youth accomplished in their first few weeks of remoting programming:

• $10,680 has been distributed to 210 youth to support with basic needs through this crisis

• Youth spent a total of 315 hours engaged in meaningful learning

• Youth have engaged in at least two touchpoints with their program coordinators

Screenshot of a small group Zoom session with Juma San Francisco youth held last week by Program Coordinator, Steve Cong (top row, middle).

In addition to the positive impact this virtual engagement is bringing to the professional development of our young people, it has also brought a much-needed sense of community. We heard from one of our youth in San Jose:

            “Having Juma still thinking about us during these times…having Juma do
things like this is amazing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all!”

The “When Work Is Not An Option” campaign has been a resounding success thus far, but with indefinite stadium closures, we have no way of knowing when our youth can get back to their normal routine, even as we work diligently to find other types of job opportunities. That is why it is so important that our efforts do not stop here. Our youth need us now more than ever. With your support, we can continue to provide virtual learning, and the continuity of community, while putting essential dollars in our youth’s pockets.

Please consider donating today, so that together we can ensure that our youth have the opportunity to thrive in our ever-shifting world.

Thank you,

Adriane