Amizade needs your help

Dear Friends,

There’s no easy way to put this: Amizade needs your help. In one quick swoop, the pandemic made our traditional model of linking volunteers through travel impossible throughout much of 2020. For many months, our organization lost 99% of our revenue, with programming ending and fundraising dwindling. We had to make serious cutbacks, and the multiplier effect of our work that leads to income for thousands of people around the world came to an abrupt halt. In short, a lot of people in our network have suffered this year, and we have never needed your support more. If you are fortunate enough to have maintained your income this year, please consider paying it forward to Amizade by becoming a monthly donor at $10 or more.

The good news is that we quickly adjusted our model, virtualized, and actually impacted more young people recently than any other fall in the 26-year history of our organization. Early data suggests that not only are our virtual models of global engagement effective at increasing empathy, clarifying career goals, and inspiring young people, but they are nearly as impactful as our travel programs. Our programs are now more equitable—bringing in more global voices simultaneously than ever before—and of course, better for the environment. This is a big deal, but to flourish in digital programming in 2021 and beyond, we absolutely need your help. We are proving that just because the world is shut down, it does not mean that high-impact cultural immersion has to end. Consider investing $100 in our innovative and sustainable virtual programming today.  

2020 has tested all of us in profound ways. It has made us rethink how we live and who we choose to be with in our brief time on this Earth. As we approach the end of this year of physical distancing, I have never been more honored to be part of the Amizade network. We may not be traveling, but I’m reminded daily of our shared struggles and dreams; what brings us joy; and what inspires us to advance justice. The power to make a new friend, to be disrupted by new sights and ways of doing things, to help someone you don’t know, and to listen has never been more important. Make a financial contribution to our mission today: it’s the quickest and easiest way to show your commitment to our work in creating a more joyful and just world.

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful, safe, and healthy new year. 

Warmly,
Brandon Blache-Cohen
Executive Director