The heart of Sierra Service Project is community, working side by side with new and old friends and our neighbors. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize both individually and organizationally the obligation we have to protect the health and safety of our volunteers, staff, and host communities.
With support from SSP’s Board of Directors and in the spirit of our mission, we currently plan to host all summer sessions as scheduled. Closer to the summer we will have more information to make further decisions in the event we need to alter summer operations. We are actively preparing for contingencies to ensure volunteers and staff could safely serve alongside the communities we work with. We will continue to monitor as the situation evolves each day.
The ongoing work of SSP is as important as ever: home repairs keep people safely in their homes as they age in place, and volunteers bring renewed hope in seasons of hardship. We have big plans to make an impact with our community partners in 2020, and offer meaningful service opportunities for youth and adult volunteers during our 45th year of service.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SSP relies not only on volunteer participation fees to sustain our work with underserved communities, but on generous donations from individual and institutional donors. Donations currently make up 50% of our annual budget, allowing us to invest in our summer program through careful planning and preparations all year round. The services that SSP provides to youth and families in need are heavily underwritten by generous donors, so that we are able to offer lower fees for volunteers to participate.
Volunteers are charged a fee of between $365-$455 for our week-long summer program, but the program costs us $727 per participant to carry out! Consider making a donation to Sierra Service Project during this season, to ensure we are set up to carry out strong programs for decades to come.
We thank you for your patience as we navigate a constantly evolving situation. We will make another announcement in the next few weeks with updated information.
Thank you,
Megan Walsh
Executive Director