48% complete
$6,000 Goal
| # | Participant | Donors | Donations | Raised |
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| 1 | ||||
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TO JOIN OUR TEAM, CLICK ON "FUNDRAISE" TO THE RIGHT.
TO SPREAD THE WORD, CLICK ON "SHARE"
TO DONATE, CLICK ON ONE OF THE NAMES IN THE LEADERBOARD
Each year we see dozens of unaccompanied homeless youth aged 18-24 in Hampshire County shelters; other homeless youth are couch surfing, "doubled up", or living on the streets. Some have aged out of the state foster care system. Some have been rejected by their families. Some have lost their support systems and their bearings in other ways. All are at high risk of transitioning into long-term, chronic homelessness.
The best way of helping them is to provide housing with wrap-around support services, a model used successfully in Franklin County for years by youth services agency DIAL/SELF. We will buy and set up a house in Northampton, and turn it over to DIAL/SELF to manage, bringing their support programs to the greater Northampton area. The program goal is to enable each young participant to rebuild a new, healthy life and become a productive member of the community.
We have already raised over $530,000; we are over 2/3 of the way to our goal. Please help us raise the remaining funds we need to offer a helping hand to these young people who so much need one!
We have a matching grant offer which will double all donations up to the $4000 point. (This will not count towards the prizes described below.)
There will be prizes for the three fundraisers who raise the most funds! Third place: $25 gift certificate for Sam's Outfitters; second place: $50 gift certificate for Sam's; first place: $100 Amazon gift certificate. NOTE: the "Rick Hart" fundraiser will NOT count in the awards ranking. Partly because it's the organizer, and partly because it will be used as a general one for folks to donate who aren't giving through an individual paddler.
The paddle will start from 10:30 to 11:00 in Sunderland, and proceed downriver to the new Northampton boat ramp, followed by picnic refreshments from 2:00 to 4:00. There will be shuttle service to get folks back to their cars, if needed. Call 413-320-1886 for details.
Paddle participants must have at least some experience paddling (no whitewater experience needed; this is all flatwater.) All participants must provide their own equipment, including at least: boat, paddle(s), and PFD(s). All participants must sign a waiver. A five dollar one-time registration fee will be requested of each paddler, but will be covered by the sponsoring group if needed.