I’m a fundraiser. That’s my defined responsibility for the important mission of creating bright futures through adoption. However, in this moment and honestly, always, I am not connecting with families to raise money for our important work; I’m connecting to raise their spirits. Today, it is essential that we collectively raise all those who have supported Gladney when we depended on them most. Now, they need us. They are depending on us to be strategic with our asks. Today, my ask has never been more clear: how can Gladney and I help YOU, our family? We all agree family is essential. Gladney believes every child deserves a loving and caring family, and that need will always be essential. Gladney’s Family for Life promise will always be essential. We are here for you. How can we help? 

 Today, there are many nonprofits in need. They are our partners. They are on the frontlines of this crisis, alongside our birth parent caseworkers, adoptions from foster care caseworkers, and Gladney Home staff members. 

• They are the hospital social workers who are caring for our expectant mother clients, when the hospitals need to restrict our caseworkers from entering. We understand. Today, everything looks different. 
• They are the CPS caseworkers who recognize in this unprecedented time that even more children are being abused and neglected, and with school closures, there are not the same critical safeguards and advocates in place to intervene for these children. We need our neighbors to have a watchful eye and be the voice for these children. 
• They are local homeless shelters who are caring for displaced citizens and are in need of shared resources of basic items like hand sanitizer. We recount our inventory, ask what we truly need, and share what we are able. 

 We are all one community—from coast to coast—in this together. When we come to the other side of this, Gladney’s ability to serve our clients well will be contingent upon our treasured collaborative friends making it to the other side, too. We take care of our family. All who agree and support Gladney’s core belief are a part of our family. The Gladney Family stretches across the country. In some ways, we have never felt more apart, and in other ways, we have never felt so close because of this shared experience. 

Perhaps you are in need of encouragement, or maybe you would like to pay kindness forward and encourage someone else.  I’d like to invite you to take a moment to write a note of encouragement, or make a video to send to someone who needs to hear from you today. If you have children, involve them in drawing pictures writing notes, and making videos too!  You can send them to us and our staff will deliver them for you. Click here for a guide to making and sending your messages. 

 For 12 years, I have had the privilege to connect your time, talents, and treasures back to Gladney, this organization we all love. My team and I are the storytellers and connecters, presenting the needs of the organization and aligning those with your passion to make a difference. While everything around us feels out of control, and we are constantly reevaluating and being asked to relook at what is truly “essential,” please know this—YOU are essential. 

 With so many unknowns, this we do know—together, we are better. Together, we will rise.