*Thanks to a generous pool of supporters, all donations will be matched up to $40,000!*
This Holiday Season, help Fiver continue to stay connected to our youth.
On March 16, 2020, Fiver, along with much of the country, shut down, and our lives changed immediately. Like many nonprofits, Fiver quickly had to adjust to the new reality while still providing support to those we serve. We began by making phone calls to every single Fiver family. Over 400 calls later, we learned that many of their concerns came from a lack of access to up-to-date information that could be helpful during these unprecedented times. Our team sprang into action, creating a bi-lingual page on our website that highlighted resources for online learning, rent assistance, and access to free healthy food. We also offered weekly virtual hangouts for youth and families, creating a space for them to socialize and support one another, and decompress from the stress of the pandemic.
By May, we had to make the heartbreaking decision not to run our residential summer camp program this year. At the same time, we were hearing from Fiver parents that they were still in great need of social and emotional support for their children as well as opportunities for them to connect with peers and role models after months of social isolation. Virtual summer camp and socially-distanced family retreats were our best and safest options to meet this need.
Camp WiFiver, our socially-distanced Family Retreats and our ongoing virtual programs provided desperately needed experiences that allowed our youth and families to stay connected to one another and to the Fiver community. As 10 year-old Amina shared, “Fiver has given me the best experience in life so far. I appreciate the virtual camp. Even if I can't be there in person it’s helped me cope with being indoors with Covid-19.”
We couldn't be prouder of our class of 2020 Fiver graduates, who, despite the disruption, graduated from high school (100%), and 90% are continuing on to college or the military. To hear some of their stories, see below.
None of these experiences would be possible without the support of our donors. Your support makes a difference. Thank you for supporting our Giving Tuesday campaign to support innovative Fiver programs so that we can continue to be there for our youth during these critical times.
About #GivingTuesday
Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a worldwide movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy.
