To build Sisters’ future, we must start today
Communications & Fundraising Director Justice Hager, left, and Grant & Donor Relations Coordinator Elle Appleton table at the Sisters of the Road Groundbreaking Block Party event on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Before we dive into the deep end, I want to say thank you for your continued support of Sisters. We wouldn’t be celebrating our 44th anniversary this year without our community behind us. We appreciate you!
That being said, I need you to hear a crucial message, especially those of you who are worried or unhappy about our extended closure.
We are in a pivotal time in Sisters’ history. The temporary closure of our cafe puts a strain on everyone. We are unable to meet with our community daily, and our customers are missing Sisters’ safe space to enjoy a meal and discuss the hurdles of day-to-day survival. This is a huge sacrifice for everyone, but we believe with our whole hearts it will be worth it when we reopen.
The other grave consequence is that we are receiving fewer donations during our fundraisers. Some people even think we have closed for good. The deep end reality is the devastating possibility that we won't receive the funding we need to get through this period. All of us can agree that we prefer Sisters’ cafe to be open. We want that too, and we need your help to get there.
Support our Sowing Solidarity campaign
Successfully running Sisters of the Road over the next year and a half means supporting the staff who are still working diligently behind the scenes. General operations funding is notoriously less compelling for many supporters. People love to see heartwarming pictures and to hear stories about projects their money is going towards. Most people are not enthralled by administrative action items, however, supporting general operations is crucial for non-profits.
Please remember that we are working to our capacity to stay connected to our community while the cafe is closed. We continuously take action to address the issues of the moment; we are developing know your rights training sessions in response to the camping ban, we are working with PSU and our unhoused neighbors to discover barriers to affordable housing and collaborate to find realistic solutions, we are rallying support for programs that work, such as the Portland Street Response, and we are advocating against wasteful and harmful practices such as gunshot surveillance technology.
Your support is going towards important strategies to improve the lives of those facing the violence of poverty, and will be the bridge to get us from Sisters’ legacy to its next chapter. In order to open a bigger and better Sisters, we are going to have to increase the number of staff, and therefore, the funds that support the employment of that staff over the next 2 years. We will not be able to wait until we are open to hire a cafe director.
We also need to pay our current and future employees wages that will keep them housed. What kind of hypocrites would we be if we paid our employees a wage that rendered them homeless or unable to feed themselves nourishing meals?
If you have the capacity to support us right now, please do. We need you. We are challenging our donors to increase their donation if they can. Another great way to support, especially if you are someone who cannot donate a large amount at once, is to give a recurring donation. For example, you could donate the same amount you would spend on eating out once a month.
If you don’t support us now, there will be no cafe to reopen.
We have not lost our drive to reopen Sisters to the public; don’t you lose it either.