“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Thank you so much for being part of our “small group” that is changing our world! Your kind and generous support of Extended Family and our programs has helped so many children and families who are dealing with the emotional, mental, and physical daily struggles of having a family member who is incarcerated.
While many non-profits struggled to make it through the COVID pandemic, Extended Family not only survived, we thrived! With guidance from our Board, staff, and supportive community, we found ways to adapt programs, create safety guidelines, and continue serving those who need us the most. We simply couldn’t let Our Kids down!
We learned two great lessons during this time:
- Extended Family for Kids Curriculum is versatile, and can work in non-traditional environments, such as virtual learning; and
- Extended Family has the resiliency and flexibility to grow, expanding the reach of our services to other hurting families beyond our immediate community!
COVID, with all of its challenges, helped us have confidence that Extended Family is designed to last and we are here to stay!
This is an exciting time to be a part of such an amazing work! Just in the last year, we were able to provide the Extended Family Kids Program (EFK) to 498 students in Cherokee and surrounding counties, from 189 students the previous year, an increase of 163%.
Additionally, in 2022, Extended Family offered Program Leader Training to 100 attendees, from 33 trainees the previous year, an increase of 203%. The number of children who were directly impacted, along with the unknown quantity of children who will be served by the 100 new trainers, is incredibly exciting! This success would not be possible without the continued gifts from you and others like you.
Another student program, Extended Leadership Academy (ELA), was created by Extended Family in 2018. Through ELA, students receive Lessons in personal leadership. ELA covers three Lesson Topics, and brings in presenters from the community:
- Job Readiness: Students identify the qualities of their dream job; practice interview skills; meet speakers from the community who are experts in careers fields
- Health: Students learn how to maintain good mental health; career paths in health care; identify healthy relationship signals
- Communication: Students practice communication techniques for making friends; learn the power of a thank you note; understand how to communicate more effectively with potential employers
In the 2022-23 school year, for the first time we opened ELA to “at-risk” students, as well as those coping with family incarceration. Whereas we had completed ELA with 19 students in 2021, in 2022 we had 66 students complete ELA, a 247% increase!
As the demand grows for our services, so does our need for financial support. We recognize how much we rely on the partnerships we have with our donors and are so grateful to each one individually who is able to give to help us continue our mission. Last year, 19% of our total budget funding came from private donors like you! We could not do this work without you.
You can be confident that your tax-deductible gift of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. We would not have been able to make the impact we made without your help. Thank you for considering this request and for your past support. Together, we are a “small group” making a big difference in the lives of children in our world!
