Dear John,
In this turbulent time of the COVID-19 global pandemic, my thoughts go out to all of you. First and foremost, I hope you and your family are safe and well.
The challenges our world is facing are unprecedented as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on life as we know it. Many of us are experiencing health concerns, isolation, challenges with food, medical help and supplies, and financial losses. We must listen to the advice of experts who tell us to take things one day at a time and focus on minimizing our stress.
Our organization is experiencing many fast-moving changes as well. Our volunteer clubs have suspended in-person activities for the time being, and leaders are working hard to minimize financial losses to ensure we can continue to deliver our programs and services.
And, of course, we all worry about the women and girls who continue to need our help. In fact, they need us now more than ever. Because we serve a vulnerable population, we know this crisis will affect them disproportionately.
A few ways that happens:
- We know that domestic violence increases during times of crisis, which will put many women and girls at further risk.
- Financial insecurity may increase sharply for many single mothers, especially if they lose their jobs.
- The increased burdens of household management and childcare are falling disproportionately to women during this crisis.
While we may not be able to physically support the women and girls, there are steps we can take. Our organization has a Disaster Relief Fund designed for moments like these—it helps the women and girls we serve, and our volunteers, weather the difficulties of crisis.
We are certain the need for help brought on by COVID-19 will far exceed the funds we have. That is why we are asking you to make a contribution if you are in a financial situation to do so. Your gift will go a long way to providing support and continuing our mission during this time of crisis.
