March 24, 2011
SAVE THE DATE FOR JUNE’S REACH-OUT SATURDAY
Mark your calendar for June 10 and 11 and be a part of The Giving Spirit’s growing spring outreach program, Reach-out Saturday. This event focuses on serving homeless women and children throughout Los Angeles County. Last June, more than 250 volunteers distributed 1,000 survival kits at area shelters and on the streets, and their efforts inspired this Los Angeles Times article. This year, we’ve raised our goal to 1,250 women and children served. Online registration is required and will begin April 4 at www.thegivingspirit.org. For more information or to donate, contact info@thegivingspirit.org.
Everyone is feeling the effects of the economy and The Giving Spirit is no exception, but thanks to the unwavering dedication of our supporters, the 11th annual Winter Outreach was a great success, closing a fundraising gap in the final stretch that allowed us to reach our goal of distributing a record-breaking 2,640 survival kits to our homeless neighbors across the city. Close to 1,250 volunteers – another record – took part throughout the week. Check out Noel Kleinman’s excellent video that captures our volunteers’ efforts in time lapse, and see the photos below for an idea of just how much those efforts mean to the community we serve. In the end, 2010 fundraising netted $193,000 in cash and $38,000 in in-kind donations. Our sincerest thanks go to all who contributed their time, money and other resources to make this possible.
SEEKING A CPA AND BOOKKEEPER
The Giving Spirit is in need of financial services, either donated or at a nominal fee. Among other things this would greatly enhance our ability to raise funds through grants, as large foundations sometimes require a CPA to have reviewed and written an opinion on our financial statements — all to ensure that we are a sound organization. If you, or someone you know, is in a position to help us in this area, please contact candace@thegivingspirit.org.
FAST FACT
As we approach our June Reach-Out to homeless women and children, consider this: Since 2007, there has been a 30% increase in the number of families in sheltered housing, making families the fastest growing segment of homelessness. Adults who become homeless with children are overwhelming women and most are under the age of 31. Roughly four in five homeless families live in shelters, and more than half of the children in homeless shelters are below the age of six. Sources: 2009 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Count Report and 2009 Homeless Assessment Report to Congress.
On The Pulse is just one way to stay informed about The Giving Spirit. We encourage you to ” friend” us on Facebook if you haven’t already. Subscribe to our blog for news about us and information on trends impacting the homeless community, and links to homelessness in the news. We hope to see you in June!
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