Dear NYFS Supporters,
Thank you for all the powerful and critical ways that you show up for our mission and the people we serve. This spring and summer have been full of momentum and connection. The Leadership Luncheon fundraiser was a transformative and uplifting success. It brought together our community of supporters and offered a beautiful opportunity to deepen understanding of our mission and our Restoring Power Program. We heard directly from victim-survivors about the impact of our services on their safety, stability, and healing. Together, we surpassed our fundraising goals. Thank you for being part of that moment with us. Since then, we’ve been busy with summer outreach and events, connecting with community members and helping more people access our care and services.
In tandem with the hustle and bustle of the summertime, we are navigating the ongoing challenges brought by rapid and significant changes to our funding and service environment. Nearly 50% of our mental health clients rely on Medicaid, Medicare, or our sliding fee scale to cover the cost of care. Many also depend on SNAP to meet their basic food needs. At the same time, we have seen increased acute mental health symptoms over the last few years, especially in young people, and we know that these cuts will have a direct impact on the health of our communities.
This is why NYFS was founded. Our mission is all about access to care – and as the only nonprofit, community-based mental health and social service agency serving suburban Ramsey County, we welcome everyone regardless of insurance status or severity of need.
We intend to rise to the challenge and live out our purpose with the support of our community. To continue serving our clients holistically, we plan to strengthen regional coordination and train our staff to provide concrete tangible support – whether it’s to meet immediate hunger needs through our new food pantry or assisting clients complete new required paperwork – to ensure they can access the medical care and food resources necessary.
Next year, NYFS celebrates 50 years of serving our community! This is a milestone that reminds us we are still here, we are still committed – and we are still striving for a future where youth, families, and adults can access the care they need and deserve.
Thank you for your unwavering support!
Sincerely,
Angie
