The Youth Endowment Fund was established by the St. Joseph's Villa Board of Directors to secure the agency's long-term financial viability and give the Villa the means to respond flexibly and creatively to the growing needs of at-risk youth in our community.
As a nonprofit agency dependent upon government reimbursements, a healthy Youth Endowment is crucial. It empowers the Villa to draft a blueprint for the future based solely on the diverse needs of our young clients and their families, without vulnerability to budgetary cutbacks.
It allows the Villa to remain strong and progressive despite economic downturns. Plus, it provides a meaningful way for the community to have a lasting, personal stake in the future of an organization that is firmly invested in the positive futures of young people.
The importance of the Youth Endowment Fund is underscored by two key factors:
- The number of at-risk youth in our community continues to climb.
St. Joseph's Villa grew from serving 700 youth in 1998 to more than 1,200 boys and girls in 2001. Today there is a waiting list for many Villa programs, which take referrals from 21 counties in the state. And there are thousands more children and teenagers who aren't getting the appropriate intervention and guidance to keep them in school, off the streets and on a successful path to adulthood.
Rochester now ranks 13th in the nation in child poverty, a statistic tragically borne out in an increased number of youth with severe mental health issues and backgrounds including fragmented relationships, physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, gang involvement and school failure. The Villa has also noted an alarming rise in the number of boys and girls from middle and high-income families requiring treatment and support for these serious issues. Without help, these youth face certain futures of homelessness, incarceration, drug addiction, teen pregnancy, or death from violence or suicide. Flexible, individualized programs remain key to effectively addressing the needs of young people and their families, not just with residential programs, but with preventive and asset-development programs in their schools, homes and neighborhoods. As evidenced by the diversity of our programs, the Villa is hard at work developing partnerships with schools, courts and even probation departments, to reach youth where needs are greatest and avert out-of-home placement whenever possible.
But there is much more that can be done if we have the resources. By helping youth and families develop the core strengths and abilities to live safe, productive lives, we can work to slow the disturbing cycle of societal problems and build a stronger community for future generations.
- Government funding for new programs is tentative at best. We cannot grow in the ways we need to without your help.
Currently, 97 percent of the Villa's funding comes from government agencies or local school districts who purchase agency services through a fee-for-service reimbursement system. This enables us to cover cost-of-living increases and some capital expenses. The remaining operational revenue, plus financing for capital improvements, must be secured through fund raising activities and private contributions. As the government continues to reduce its level of financial support, the need for endowment underwriting grows. Endowment funds will provide the seed money for new initiatives that will allow St. Joseph's Villa to reach out to areas where needs are greatest. A strong Endowment is imperative for the agency to plan strategically, creatively and proactively, enhance programs as needed and explore new solutions.
See "Planned Giving Options" for information on ways a gift to the Youth Endowment Fund can be structured.
please call the
St. Joseph's Villa Development Office at (585) 865-1550 ext. 371.
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