Chris Askin, president Community Foundation of Western Nevada
The mission of the Community Foundation of Western Nevada is to strengthen our community through philanthropy and leadership by connecting people who care with causes that matter.
We’ve been meeting with people across northern Nevada and have learned that our communities have several concerns in common.
Basic needs of homeless people of all ages, including veterans and mentally ill
Affordable housing
Access to health care
Education and training programs
Job opportunities through apprenticeships and internships
The key stakeholders in the conversations must be the people receiving services.
By engaging those most directly affected in conversation with providers, funders, and influential officials and citizens, we focus on old problems in new ways. Through work in our current initiative, You’N-I, which addresses youth homelessness, we have found that encouraging homeless and aging out-of-foster care youths to be involved, even leading the conversation, opened the lines of communication. The youths identified possible courses of action; they then vetted those suggestions and identified roadblocks that were unseen by adult providers.
We are involved in this work because community foundations around the country have a responsibility to the communities they serve to help residents deal with vexing problems such as these. As a neutral convener, we have experience bringing large groups of diverse people together to work together on complex issues.
Money will not solve the big problems. Philanthropy is our business. We know the profound impact that charitable dollars have in our community. We also understand that problems like healthcare, jobs, and homelessness, need more than charity. Money is usually part of the solution, and must be used effectively to bring about real impact and change.
We are so much more than grants and gifts.
Leadership is a core value of the Community Foundation. The activities surrounding community leadership engage the Community Foundation staff and board’s minds and imaginations on a daily basis in 2016.
Real Impact: You’N-I
Activities of You’N-I, the Foundation’s initiative addressing the challenges of youth homelessness, have included:
Two community-wide assemblies discussed the problems facing homeless youth, and the roadblocks to services provided in our community.
Public Screening of award-winning documentary, Homestretch to capacity crowd at UNR Joe Crowley Theater.
Created www.RenoYouth Network.com, the go-to online site of regional youth services.
The Community Foundation matched interested donors with visionary advocate for youth Lynette Eddy to open the YOU, a downtown drop-in center open five days a week. The YOU sees an average of 150 young people alone and living on the edge each week. They come for a shower, find something to eat and talk with a caring adult. On-site social workers and service providers offer the young people access to healthcare, and other needed services. Computers are available and youths are encouraged and helped with job applications.
Children’s Cabinet is building transitional housing for runaway and homeless youth.
The Community Foundation partnered with a local publication to write six full-page articles on the situation in Reno as part of Streetsmart4 Youth, a restaurant fundraiser.
YOU’N-I has a life of its own
Most encouraging, other nonprofits and service providers in Reno and Sparks are considering making the issue their own and thinking about what they can do to change the course for these young people who have no parent in their corner.
You’N-I Inspired Action
When invited to participate in an initiative, who knows to what extent the cause will change your life. Here are examples from within the Community Foundation.
Family Pitches In Together
Community Foundation Board member Beth Schuler brought her mother, Jan Monroe to the You-N-I community convenings. As they shared a meal with runaway and homeless youth, Jan became inspired to give a major gift to help open the YOU, Reno’s only drop-in downtown resource center. Beth too, made a generous gift and, when the YOU drop-in resource center was about to open, she and her husband Mike, moved in the furniture donated from their home and from the Community Foundation office. In an inspiring action she committed to volunteer 40 hours a week for two years as a development staff person, giving tours, greeting visitors and raising money. Mike now works on repairing and remodeling the facility.
‘Put me to work’
Stan Mentzer and his wife Teresa left the You’N-I community screening of “the Homestretch” documentary determined to make a difference. The next day Stan, recently retired, walked into the Community Foundation and said, “Put me to work.” Stan was introduced to “the YOU” and within a few days he was putting up dry wall. Stan’s calm energy and skill are just what the YOU needs and it is helpful for the troubled teens to be around a man as cheerful and grounded as Stan.
Our community is facing great opportunity and change. Now is the time to work together. It is time to connect with the Community Foundation of Western Nevada.
