A Special Note from Our Executive Director
These arevery uncertain times for each of us, but what weat City Yearknow for sure is that our belief in service and the care we have for our community willsee us through.Today we were meant to be hosting our signature Ripples of Hope event and honoringPaula Gold-Williams.As you can imagine, the decision to cancelthis year’sRipples of Hopedinnerwas a difficult one to make, asthe eventraises a substantial amount of funds to support the work of our AmeriCorps members. However, the safety and well-being ofthe City YearSan Antoniocommunity – our AmeriCorps members, students, champions, staff members, and the broader communities we serve – is always our top priority.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on the name of our event, “Ripplesof Hope,”derived from Robert F.Kennedy’s 1966 speech given totheNational Union of South African Studentsduring the height of apartheid.His words have had an everlasting impact on society because theidea that many distinct acts of courage create ripples that turn into currents of justice is a powerful concept, for it tells us that our idealistic actionsarenot isolated, and that a cumulative effect of the work of many committed people and institutions can have a dramatic impact.As the entire world is being asked to stay apart in order to move forward together, the idea that our individual choices and the ripples they create seems more profound than ever before.
We have shifted our service to support our students virtually, while also continuing to deliver learning and development opportunities for our AmeriCorps members to help prepare them for their career and ongoing educational goals.
While we are disappointed to not have the chance to celebrate Paula with each of you in person, we have been uplifted to see ripples and continued generosity nonetheless. In true San Antonio fashion,after deciding to cancel the event,every event sponsor converted theirsponsorshipgiftto a direct donation.
Our AmeriCorpsare struggling with the idea of potentially not seeing their students again, yet theystillshow up tovirtuallyserve every daywith the same energy,passion,andkindness that they bring to the schoolhouse.
When theCOVIDpandemic subsides, its impact onthehealth, economy, and, especially, the education of our nation’s young people will mean that City Year’s work to create more equitable learning environments and develop the skills and mindsets of all children and young adults will be more important than ever.
Our greatest need right now is additional financial resources to ensure we have the funds to support the work of our AmeriCorps members during this unsettling period. Please join usinhonoring Paula, celebrating our AmeriCorps members andrecognizing theripples throughoutour communityby donating here.
Thank you for your support. We are so grateful.
Kelly Hughes Burton
Executive Director
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