By Luigi Fu
I constantly have to remind myself – “It’s ok to not be ok”.
These are not normal times. We cannot normalize this situation; to do so would be a disservice to the folks who are serving on the frontlines and those who have found themselves on the edge of the precipice.
Over the last month, nearly 20 million people filed for unemployment, including nearly 3 million of our colleagues, friends, neighbors, and families in California. Many more were not included because of their immigration status.
Young nonprofit professionals, who suffer from low-pay and high-rate of burnout, found themselves in the same situation as the individuals and communities they served; they were unsure of how they were going to pay their rent, pay bills, buy groceries, take care of their families, and much more.
As board members serving on the Young Nonprofit Professional Network – San Francisco Bay Area chapter (YNPNsfba), we could not sit idly by as our peers were struggling to make ends meet.
The lack of a robust safety net, along with the pre-existing inequities in the housing market, amplified the severity of the crisis. We had to act, so we decided to create an emergency COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide a $500 stipend to six individuals who had their hours severely reduced or were laid off.
In the span of two weeks, we received 60 applications from across the Bay Area and heard stories that we can empathize with. While we regret we cannot help more people, we stand committed to supporting the young nonprofit community.
We do not have the funds to make more stipends available, but we are seeking donations to make it a possibility. If you can help, please make a donation to YNPNsfba to support young nonprofit professionals.