If you have lived in our region for a while, you already know how important your SOS Thrift Shop is to our community. Not only is it a place where you can recycle items that are no longer needed, but also a place where you can discover new treasures to take home. More importantly, it serves as the largest funder of SOS programs and services which low-income residents have relied on for more than 50 years.
Of course that all changed in 2020 when COVID-19 forced a three month shut down of our Thrift Shop and subsequent reduction in revenues due to safety protocol adherence. And given the ongoing capacity restrictions, we do not expect to see a return to pre-pandemic volumes until at least 2022. That means less funding available to deliver vital programs and services once the dust settles.
In the meantime, thanks to the generosity of our community, we have been able to continue delivering essential services to residents in need as well as adapt some of our services for children, youth, families and seniors. We look forward to the time when we can all safely gather once again.
But until then, it is time to rebuild for the future.
You see, the pandemic highlighted several areas of need that will become even more urgent in the coming months and years. Our population will continue to grow, and we will experience a profound greying of our residents. Housing costs will keep rising as will unemployment rates, mental health issues, and poverty.
In order to do the big things that will be necessary for supporting our community in the future, your SOS must move beyond just addressing immediate needs. We will have to rebuild our capacity.
That will enable us to open up additional opportunities for helping more kids grow into successful adults, assist more seniors to age in place, and ensure more residents have a safe place to lay their head at night.
That is why I am proud to officially announce SOS Project Rebuild with a goal of raising $1 Million over the next twelve months, to reach more and do more for residents in District 69.
Over the next few weeks you will begin to see more news about this important campaign in the paper, your mailbox, and through various social media and promotional outlets. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit our campaign website at www.sosprojectrebuild.com for more information about our plans.
To help us get the job done, we have assembled a dedicated campaign team of community volunteers who are already rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. They will help us mobilize the time, talent, and treasure of the rest of our community so that collectively we reach our goal.
We are so excited about what we can do together for our community’s future. I promise to keep you up to date on our progress throughout the coming year.
Warmest regards,
Susanna Newton
Executive Director
Society of Organized Services
250-248-2093 | www.sosd69.com
