It’s that time of year again. Our mail boxes fill up with holiday appeals from dozens of organizations. How do you make the decision about where to invest your resources? Simply put, you need to believe in the work and trust the organization, implicitly. Obviously, we are asking you to invest in the International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA). But first, we want to build your trust and explain our work.
Why give to IOFA?
· The growing epidemic of human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable young people around the world.
· Our dedication to finding solutions for the most vulnerable and at risk: orphaned youth aging out of care, youth living in areas of conflict, young people from minority or indigenous groups, young people living in extreme poverty.
· Our decade plus of experience and achievements – more than 35 direct service and research projects designed and implemented, work in over 20 countries, more than 8,000 youth reached, more than 6000 law enforcement, legal, and social service professionals trained.
· Our commitment to effective and streamlined operations - You don’t have to be big to have a large impact!
· Our dedication to local partnership and grassroots collaboration.
Where are we going?
In our second decade of service, IOFA is launching a new strategic plan that will expand our scope of work, build off our past achievements, and create innovative solutions to the most critical issues faced by vulnerable young people. The focus will be on two core projects:
The Project for the Prevention of Adolescent Trafficking (PPAT) – a multi-disciplinary effort that organizes community-based organizations to build strong protections and response mechanisms for young people at greatest risk for human trafficking, and sexual and labor exploitation.
The Transitions Project - a comprehensive and multifaceted support program for young people aging out of orphanages and institutions.
Our goal for the next three years is to reach tens of thousands of young people at greatest risk through both these projects. We are currently collaborating with partners in Ethiopia and Cambodia, and are working tirelessly to launch both project models in those countries in 2011. Our target fundraising goal for these two projects and our total strategic plan is $300,000. Yikes. Seems like a lot. But with your help we can reach this goal!
What can you do to help?
1. Choose IOFA as your end of year donation. If 200 of our supporters gave $100, we would raise $20,000 and enable phase one of The Transitions Project in Cambodia and Ethiopia.
2. Increase your gift from last year. We all know money is tight but if you gave $50 why not $75?
3. Contribute to our Investment in Global Youth Fund (IVY). By becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to IOFA, you will help ensure that IOFA can continue critical anti-trafficking and youth support work in Chicago, New York, and around the world.
4. Follow IOFA’s work and impact at our website (http://www.iofa.org/ – new site to be launched Winter2010) and blog for all current IOFA info (http://www.iofa-talk.blogspot.com/).
IOFA is growing. We are one of the few organizations that focus specifically on the most vulnerable within this age group, particularly in the developing world. We are being called upon by agencies and organizations in the United States and around the world to help protect and respond to young people in crisis. We can only do this with your help. We hope you will continue to support our work and invest in our efforts.
Please go to our website – www.iofa.org – and make an online donation today!
Thanks!Shelby, ED
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