Fall Update 2021
Dear Friends and Supporters,
“Where do we go from here?” That’s a vague question. But it seems to be an important one for all of us right now. Do we just pick up from where we left off in March 2020? Or will we be different?
Some say we will double down on physical interactions and care more for our communities and environment. Some say nothing will change. Others warn about another possible surge. The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.
Navigating the past 18 months and beyond has been challenging and disorienting. It's been especially devastating for the people with disabilities Do For One serves who; lost their jobs, developed additional health problems, lost family members to COVID, and many are still enduring a restricted life through professionally controlled services.
KEEP HOPE ALIVE
“Keep hope alive” Luis, an advocate says, “It sounds corny but it’s always good to have a little hope because that brings life.” He said this in an upcoming end-of-year video when paying tribute to his relationship with Ralph who died in 2017.
Thanks to your support, Do For One offers a vision of hope. By steadfastly promoting heroic personal action, where one person cares for another as if that person's needs were his or her own, we have witnessed new life spring up into New York.
To summarize what we’ve been up to, here are three themes shared by advocates at our Advocate Forum in October.
MORE PEOPLE, MORE CONSISTENCY, MORE HOPE
More people. Advocates can become a bridge to new communities and opportunities.
Ivy, a new (2021) partner with disabilities says, "I actually have a handful of people's phone numbers from the church and they know who I am. That's never happened at a church for me before."
More consistency. Sowing into the little things over a period of time prepares advocates for being an active part of the bigger, more life altering moments.
For example, one advocate since 2016 recently intervened when her partner was almost separated from her mother and placed in a nursing home.
More hope. Imagining a more hopeful future, and then leaning in and working toward that new reality.
“Relationships require patience, humility, and a hopeful faith" Jesse, an advocate since 2019 says, "A faith which commits and trusts in the value of the work, even if results are not immediate, obvious, or perceptible at all."
In every realm of life right now, we are looking for certainty. The problem is that we are looking for certainty by looking to uncertain things like the economy, or the government, and even good causes. But we need to look higher. What New York City and the world is ultimately looking for is hope.
Hope spurs us toward action. Optimism says, “things will get better” but hope says, “it doesn’t look like things are getting better so I will be a part of making it better.”
That’s what advocates are doing.
YOUR SUPPORT
This year, at our 6th Annual Christmas Party, we celebrate Do For One supporting over 50 enduring relationships. Each relationship is a Beacon of Hope; a signpost, a light, a guide, as we move forward into a post-pandemic world.
Starting November 23rd we will begin our year-end fundraising campaign with a goal of $30,000. Will you consider generously giving financially toward this campaign?
So far this year, we've made 15 new enduring one-t0-one relationships. Next year we plan to continue making matches that endure and grow our staff and leadership to harness this momentum.
Do For One NYC
455 Main Street #4H
New York, NY 10044
https://www.doforone.org/donate
In a world where cynicism is perceived as the intellectual or moral high ground, Do For One stands in contradiction to that. In a world where positivity without action is the attitude used to feel comfortable, Do For One stands in contradiction to that. Do For One sees the desperate hurt in the world with sober eyes and runs toward it. Do For One is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. Do For One is hopeful. We can love. We can endure. We can stand up to the walls of injustice and work hard to break those walls down. All because we have hope.
With love and appreciation,
Andrew