Wind Youth Services has re-opened its recently closed adolescent shelter after receiving over $15,000 in donations. An initial seed gift of $10,000 from Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada, Inc. along with individual donations got things rolling, and the community at large has stepped up to help. Outword Magazine and Badlands Sacramento helped raise over $3,000 last week, which was matched dollar for dollar by Goodwill. In addition, churches around the region are taking special offerings to help keep the shelter open.
In order to keep the shelter open, Wind needs to raise an additional $100,000 to cover expenses through the rest of the year. In an effort to help, a Community Fundraiser to secure the needed funds will be held on Tuesday, March 29 from 8-9am on Good Day Sacramento’s morning show. County Supervisor Phil Serna and Goodwill will be the featured co-hosts, visiting with current and former Wind shelter recipients and community donors.
The Wind drop-in center is often the first stop for a young Sacramento child who has become homeless. Over the last two years, Wind’s adolescent shelter has offered safety and emergency shelter to nearly 200 Sacramento teens often escaping physical or sexual abuse, suffering from extreme poverty, or abandonment due to their gender or sexual identity or a combination thereof. “Many of Sacramento’s homeless children are subject to human trafficking due to their vulnerable situation,” says Suzi Dotson, Executive Director of Wind Youth Services.
Concerned parties can donate directly at www.windyouth.org/donate or checks can be mailed to Wind Youth Services, 8001 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95826.
