KIDS LIKE EMILY* NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

We have some pressing news to share with you.

Thirty-two children are on a list waiting for us to match them with a trained adult mentor in YWCA Cortland’s Bridges for Kids program.

Emily*, a very shy six-year-old recently placed in her aunt’s home due to custody reasons, loves to do arts and crafts projects. Especially anything involving paints and painting. She is learning to read and enjoys singing too. However, she displays signs of depression, and she struggles with peer interactions, tending not to have friends or keep friendships for very long.

The uncertainty and stress of the ongoing pandemic have strained family relationships and created anxiety in many home environments.

Can we count on you to support kids like Emily with a gift to the YWCA Cortland Annual Giving Campaign?

You can give Emily access to a trusted adult that will help her succeed in life. She will receive the one-on-one attention crucial to building self-esteem, increasing self-confidence, and learning the skills that create resiliency. Building healthy adult relationships can also help improve her social and emotional skills.

When asked if she would like to match with a mentor, she said, “Yes, because I could have a new best friend.”

We care so much about kids like Emily and their futures, and we know you do too.

*We used an anonymous photo and changed the name of the child on this webpage to protect her privacy.

To donate by check, please make the check payable to "YWCA Cortland" and mail to 14 Clayton Ave., Cortland, NY 13045. To support this fundraising campaign, be sure to write 'Annual Giving" in the memo line.

To donate with a credit card over the phone, please call the YWCA front desk at 607-753-9651 and mention the gift is for Annual Giving.

If you have any questions, please contact Robyn Hayes, Director of Development, by emailing robyn@cortlandywca.org.