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2023 Started Fast

Have you seen the meme with the photo of the egg truck and the line: Local billionaire drives by? That’s what it feels like these days. Groceries are expensive and every other headline is about tens of thousands more people losing their jobs. It feels like every year is tougher than the next and 2023 is not letting us off easy. Eviction moratoriums are ending at the same time that people are losing their jobs and can’t afford groceries. This means two big things:

1. We will soon see more people on the streets as they lose their homes and cannot afford new ones.

2. Nonprofit donations will decrease as incomes are lost or uncertain.

All of this is bad news for the people who depend on their local organizations for food, services, or IDs.

Here at STV + PID, we have been eyeing the news warily. Our inboxes are flooded with people who need IDs right now, but our budget reflects the economic times. How do we serve all of the people who need us in these uncertain times? As the Executive Director, the buck stops with me, and I wake up mornings with a knot in my stomach worried about literally everything. Last night it rained all night and all I could think about was our clients who live in tents. Then I woke up to news of a cold spell about to hit the East and I had the same thought.

That’s why I am so grateful for our supporters like you. When we asked for help with cold weather gear for our clients, you stepped up and we were able to donate blankets, coats, sleeping bags, and more to people who desperately needed it.

While being an ED means a decent amount of stress and guilt, it also means that it’s pretty difficult to lose your faith in humanity when people are constantly showing how good they are. Over the years we have had so many people, even in the very worst of times, who have showed up when our clients needed them the most, needed you the most, and these tough times are no different.

So, thank you for showing up even when eggs cost a million dollars. Thank you for donating what you can when the news is full of layoffs. Thank you for thinking of others, and remembering us. Your kindness, support, and generosity do not go unnoticed. On the contrary, they are what keep us going.

In solidarity,

Kat