As a member of REACH’s Development Team, I am working every day to ensure that we are financially stable and that we have the means to continue supporting survivors on every step of their journey. At the beginning of each fiscal year, we discuss our budget and the needs of the organization, our staff, and the survivors we work with. We attempt to project what lies ahead in the coming year and try to anticipate our financial needs. We come up with a plan to not only raise those dollars, but also to gather as a community, host awareness raising events, educate folks on domestic violence, and lift up and amplify the voices of survivors. Every day, I am humbled to know that there so many people who believe in the work that REACH does; people who believe that domestic violence should never be tolerated. Without our supporters, without those who believe in our mission, without our partners, this work would be impossible.
The current world is nothing we could have imagined when we started planning out the year. Just a few months back, we were celebrating the success of our Reach for the Stars Gala. At our signature event in October 2019, over 400 people gathered in a ballroom during Domestic Violence Awareness Month to hear the powerful words of an amazing survivor and to dance, hug, and celebrate together as a community. We couldn’t imagine that now, gatherings would be limited to five people and we would have to wear a face mask every time we left the house. Things have changed. And while we are all facing this challenge together, survivors of domestic violence are exponentially impacted.
As we navigate the unique challenges we are currently facing, one thing is clear: we need your help. A global pandemic is not something we planned (or budgeted) for. Our work looks different, and we have adjusted. REACH advocates are spending hours on the phone doing safety planning with survivors and making sure they have the means to get by. REACH shelter staff are supporting the shelter guests, who are currently staying in a hotel. Our prevention team is hosting virtual trainings and webinars on domestic violence and virtually meeting with student and community groups.
The work MUST continue and with your help, we can make sure our doors remain open.
Now more than ever, REACH needs your support. Our work has always been about building healthy relationships and we do this by being together and addressing the current needs of survivors. Although we cannot be together physically right now, our intentions and the way we do our work has not changed – we are helping survivors navigate technology, giving them the space to vent when they need to, and helping them access resources. We are responding to what people are dealing with on any given day. We are still here and will continue to be.
Deb Heimel, REACH’s Associate Executive Director
On Monday, May 18th, we will officially launch our 2nd Annual Planting Seeds of Hope peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Many of you have been reaching out and wondering how you can help support REACH while remaining physically distant. Our Planting Seeds of Hope campaign is one way you can do just that.
Peer-to-peer fundraising is unique. The goal is to empower the people who care about REACH: staff, volunteers, donors, community partners – YOU – to share our passion for REACH with our family, friends and neighbors. Each of us creates an online fundraising page and shares why we care about this work. Last year, supporters raised over $25,000 in just two weeks! We were so grateful – and not surprised. We know that when we all work together, magic happens.
Deb Jacob, one of our amazing volunteers, put it this way:
From my volunteering at REACH’s front desk, I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the amazing work of our staff. The easiest way for me to support them is through this Planting Seeds of Hope campaign. Even my tech challenged self was able to participate in it. I feel like it’s the least I can do to support and recognize them!
We know that fundraising and reaching out to your network for financial support can be intimidating – even I sometimes struggle with it. To help make the process a little easier, we put together a toolkit that walks you through the process – from setting up your page to sample social media posts – we’ve got you covered!
Board member Leann Sullivan participated last year and appreciated the tools:
Participating in the Planting Seeds of Hope campaign was a great way to help fundraise for REACH. I was also able to introduce the organization to friends and family that weren’t as familiar with it prior to the campaign. People generally like to help and support others, especially when they see that someone is passionate about a cause that serves such a great purpose.
We hope that you will join us by participating in our Planting Seeds of Hope fundraising campaign. Together, we can make an impact in the lives of survivors and in our own communities.
For more information, feel free to email me at lizzy@reachma.org or give me a call at 781.891.0724 x114.
