Working to address some of the most pressing issues within our communities - safekeeping families facing food insecurity, caring for home-bound elderly adults, sponsoring growth and development opportunities for under-served students, and providing help to families and individuals in need - Red String, in it's second year of operations, continued to make progress in all of its strategic priority areas. We wish to thank all our supporters, partner charities, and corporate partners for helping us make a real difference for the communities and people that we serve. We couldn't do what we do without you.
from all of us at Red String
THANK YOU
Our Year in Review
Extending Our Reach
In 2021,we were pleased to increase our social impact by doubling our charitable grants, leveraging our giving through additional Corporate Matching Gifts, volunteering in our partners' programs, and extending our reach.
Beyond maintaining our support to 6 of our 7 2020 partner charities, we welcomed 8 new partners, including Kimochi Inc. and Mo'Magic in San Francisco, EBAYC in Oakland, and EXP and KidWorks in Southern California. We are excited to extend our charitable footprint into the state of Washington with the addition of Jubilee Reach, Northwest Education Access, and Rainier Scholars.
Jeff Adachi Legacy Project
In 2021, Red String established the Jeff Adachi Legacy Project to focus our efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area to better reflect, preserve, and carry forward the vision and legacy of the late San Francisco Public Defender and community activist Jeff Adachi (1959-2019). Legacy Project Current Grant Recipients:
East Bay Asian Youth Center (Oakland)
United Playaz (SoMA)
B-Magic (Bayview and Hunters Point)
Mo-Magic (Fillmore and Western Addition)
Kimochi, Inc (Japantown)
Fundraising
Although we did not meet our 2021 fundraising goal, we were very pleased that we were able to grow our fundraising revenue. Unfortunately, we only achieved a 48 percent donor retention rate from 2020. We realize we have more work to do to better connect and build stronger, more lasting relationships.
We need you. Increasing our donations and number of supporters are key elements for Red String to continue growing our capabilities, support, and social impacts.
Our Stories
Closing the Divide
Not all supplemental education programs are equal. This is why Red String carefully selects each of our education partner charities. Each have proven records for understanding the unique challenges and barriers faced by at-risk students in their communities and providing the additional long-term supports, opportunities, and resources needed to maximize their chances for success in academics and in life.
10 laptops to students participating in Northwest Education Access programs
Printers to all participants of KidWorks' College Success Initiative
Over 150 backpacks and school supplies for BMagic's and Mo'Magic's Back to School Backpack Giveaway events
A summer internship and counselor at EBAYC
Purchased over 580 books for Rainier Scholars' 14-month Academic Enrichment Program's literature class
Sponsored EXP's Women in STEM conference where over 350 middle and high school women attended.
Sponsored two students for EXP's Young Fellows Program
Food is Life
In a country that wastes billions of pounds of food each year, it's almost shocking that anyone in America goes hungry. Yet every day, there are millions of children and adults who do not get the meals they need to thrive. Red String is proud to work with community non-profits that provide nourishing food and other essentials to people in need.
Funded the purchase of perishable goods for over 500 families in the Bellevue, WA communities as part of Jubilee Reach’s Grocery for Families program
For a second year, we, along with a matching gift from the Boeing Company, provided funding for the recovery and redistribution of over 60,000 pounds of food in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of Foodshift's Operation Together program.
Celebrating Our Elderly
For an older adult, it is vital to stay in contact with other people. Lack of socialization can lead to depression and other mental and physical ailments.
Through programs like OCBC's Tomodachi Bento Program and J-SEI's Home Delivered Lunch, OCBC and J-SEI provide not only a free meal to older adults but also regular visits from volunteers who enjoy spending time with them.
We are proud to sponsor for the second year OCBC's Tomodachi Bento Program's Grandparents Day in September and for the first time, J-SEI's Harvest Day Festival in November, with both programs delivering special meals to their program's home-bound seniors. J-SEi also live streamed an online entertainment program.
Spreading Holiday Cheer
The holidays should be a magical time for families and children, and yet, the holidays can be an extremely difficult time of year for families who have been struggling.
It is why Red String, for the second year, is happy to be able to sponsor over 25 families as part of both Wrap the Kids of Long Beach and United Playaz of San Francisco for their Thanksgiving and Christmas events providing holiday meals and Christmas gifts for all the children.
Lending a Helping Hand
Boxes of Hugs
This past September, Red String's Leslie Wang joined other volunteers from Rainier Scholars to lovingly and thoughtfully create care packages for every one of the 167 Rainier college scholars. These packages, filled with a mix of the practical and the whimsical, along with a note from the sender, are delivered to students across the nation, and along the way, provide the students with
encouragement and a sense of belonging.
Empowering Women
In February 2021, Red String was a sponsor for EXP's Women in STEM virtual conference. More than 350 young middle and high school women logged on to learn about careers for women in fields of STEM. They met more than 32 exhibitors and 90 volunteers and participated in 9 different STEM career-focused panel sessions, where 35 accomplished women working in STEM careers shared their career journeys and advice Of the many accomplished women volunteers, we are proud that Red String's Tina and Leslie Wang, along with other Red String volunteers, Gelila Solomon, a Quality Engineer at the Boeing Company, and Jeanne Yu, founder of Coach4Good, helped to create and lead both the Women in Aerospace panel and one of the 17 STEM Experience sessions.
Toys for the Holidays
For the past 20 years, KidWorks has been spreading the Holiday cheer with their annual Toy Drive and Christmas Store at their Santa Ana center. To provide their students' parents with the joy of purchasing Christmas gifts for their children, the toys are made available to the parents at 10 percent of their retail value (typically around $2.00). Proceeds collected from the store then go to a benevolence fund to assist the neediest of families throughout the year. In addition to supporting KidWorks with a grant for their College Success Initiative, Red String volunteers worked at their Christmas Store, helping parents select gifts and offering gift wrapping services.
(to be continued)
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