SAY YES BUFFALO RESPONSE TO COVID-19: HELP US SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARS

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support of Say Yes scholars and families during this Covid-19 crisis.

Our Say Yes teams have adapted all programming to best serve our community at this time – from online Community Schools Saturday Academies to virtual check-ins with students and families to food and basic needs deliveries to webinars for our scholars. Our team is reaching out to place well check calls to Buffalo Public Schools high school seniors and our over 2,000 Say Yes scholars to assess and support their mental health, technology and basic needs. Our Family Support Specialists continue to manage their caseloads and as they are deemed essential workers, they continue to meet with families in person, utilizing social distancing best practices.

During these past weeks an immediate and critical need that has risen to the surface is our scholars’ needs for reliable technology in order to continue their online studies. The technology divide has never been more apparent and in response Say Yes Buffalo is launching a COVID-19 Technology Campaign to raise funds to provide a computer to as many Say Yes scholars as possible.

The needs of our scholars are significant - 50% of our Say Yes scholars have a family income below $25,000, and 70% are below $50,000; a postsecondary degree puts our young people on a path to employment and a brighter future. Without the proper technology, our students will face yet another barrier to success.

Many of you have reached out to ask how you can help. We hope you will consider making a gift to the Say Yes Buffalo COVID-19 Fund. A gift of $260 will cover a laptop for a Say Yes scholar plus a match to our scholarship endowment.  

We know there are many pressing needs at this time, and we appreciate your consideration of this special request in support of our scholars.

Be well!