Dear Friends,
My name is Allison Glidden, and I am the Administrative Manager at the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. I come to RCF as a young woman and graduate of The Evergreen State College with a strong belief in the strength of communities and the power of youth involvement in social justice issues.
Currently, RCF is in the middle of a matching grant campaign, to which many of you have generously donated! Part of this necessary funding will go directly to enhancing the connections between RCF and youth, students, and young adults and maximizing their experiences with RCF. To illustrate the tremendous impact of our youth development programming, I invite you to read testimonials from valued interns, former staff, and volunteers that give further insight to how their involvement with RCF is positively affecting their lives.
RCF’s vision for the future is to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and U.S. support of it. Providing the space, resources, and staff guidance for youth to learn about the occupation, to foster connections within their community and abroad, to participate in artistic expression, and to actively seek peaceful solutions to world issues is at the core of our existence as an organization, and directly impacts our ability to pursue our vision.
Since our inception, RCF has committed to engaging with youth and continuing Rachel’s legacy through our youth development programming. Most interns are with RCF for a period of three to six months for 5-20 hours per week, depending on the requirements of their programs and our capacity to work with them.Our interns and volunteers have provided immense support throughout the years, and are an integral component of our success. In the past three years alone, RCF has hosted over 20 college interns and numerous volunteers.
Our youth development programming is visible at campuses across the country, with a notable relationship in Olympia, Washington at The Evergreen State College, Rachel’s alma mater. With knowledge and skills gained through RCF, interns and volunteers have gone on to travel to Palestine/Israel, attend graduate schools, engage with other social justice organizations, work in local politics, and serve as board/committee members and RCF staff. Despite these critical successes, as a small organization with part-time staff, RCF has need to strengthen its infrastructure and resources to provide consistent, quality support and supervision for these bright, young individuals.
By contributing to our matching grant campaign, you will help RCF receive an additional $12,500 of grant funding to further improve and enhance our youth development programming. This funding will support staff oversight of interns and volunteers, and provide the resources necessary to maintain a strong youth development program. It will allow for structured curriculum for interns and volunteers, and broader outreach among schools and campuses.
With their diverse talents and contributions to RCF events, projects, and campaigns, the value of our youth interns and volunteers often seems immeasurable; but the reality is that in 2014, the value of volunteer time in Washington State was $27.54 an hour. Upon calculation, the value of our interns and volunteers skyrockets to tens of thousands of dollars. Contributing to our $12,500 funding goal is an investment in RCF and in youth committed to social justice, education, and ending U.S. support of the Israeli occupation.
I encourage you to read what our interns and volunteers have to say about their time at RCF, and to consider donating to our matching grant campaign, either via our website, or by phoning our office at (360) 754-3998. Mailed donations are also gladly accepted. Thank you for supporting RCF and for investing in our youth.
In solidarity,
Allison Glidden
RCF Administrative Manager
