We're in the final week of our summer fund drive, with $32,869 left to reach our outrageously ambitious but critically necessary goal. Since May 1, nearly $8,000 a week has been raised to reach a total of $127,131.17. Much of this has come from new donors. Many of you who already support our work have recognized the need and stepped up to help with our challenges.
The coming year will be a rough ride. Our vendor numbers will continue on their upward climb. Our staff will be stretched past its capacity. Our space will be insufficient to the need. Services for the homeless that narrowly survived last time around will be threatened. This much we can predict.
The best we can do is to see that the ride we're in for takes us somewhere better. Real Change is framing a Plan for Sustainabilty that will be released Oct. 19. The plan begins with a badly needed Operations Director getting in place by mid-September, and leads toward expanded space for vendor services and the staffing we need to get beyond "permacrisis."
We are confident that our core values of professionalism, support for vendor dignity and success, and risk-taking in our organizing will take Real Change where we need to be at 15 years and going strong.
Your help, at any level that is significant for you, is what gets us there. Meeting the $160,000 summer drive goal will take us one very giant step down that road to stability. The outpouring of support for our work that's already arrived gives us enormous hope. Please make your gift today to Real Change, 2129 Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98121, or visit our website to make a secure on-line donation.
Thanks to our most recent supporters for walking with us: Robert Allyn, Glenn Amy, Patricia Ann, Anonymous, Osamu and Olivia Mae Arakawa, Julia Babkina, Mark and Lolly Bates, Rebecca Bennett, Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, Stephen Bomkamp and Farnsworth, Janice and Gary Box, J Howard Boyd and Karen Finkenhofer, Mark Bradley, Clare Bright, Alan Calkins and Sharon Lamme, City of Seattle Employee Giving, Gail Stygall and George Dillon, Anthony Draye, Lyn Eisenhour, Fauntleroy Church, Susan Fenoglio, Gift in honor of Steve Fontana and Britt Nelson's wedding, Patricia Lynch and Frances Ford, Leon and Erika Giles, Alan Goodin, Karen Granberg, Thomas and Ingeborg Herring, Cindy and Bill Jirkovsky, Gina Jonas, Pamela Kliment, Wendy and Peter Lagozzino, Mark McDermott, Lisa Moore, Harriett and John Morton, Edward and Susan Mulkern, Kristen Munderloh, Marsha and Michael Munson, Heather and Greg Oaksen, Andrew and Marianna Price, Tyler Ross, Valerie Sammons, Alison Thomas, John Watson, Emily Whitman.