2020 has not been the year any of us expected.

Keystone Opportunity Center has been on the frontlines of the pandemic, providing help and hope to the exponentially increased number of children, adults and families who are reaching out to us in need of assistance.

Consider the upcoming freezing temperatures, and the growing number of people who are facing homelessness.

Consider the vast number of children, seniors and families who are now experiencing food-insecurity.

While many were remaining safe at home or reducing their trips out, our team continued to work to provide

food, housing and education towards self-sufficiency.

We ask for your help in this extraordinary time. COVID-19 isn’t just creating more poverty, it is impacting our funding steams, too.

Some of the grants we’ve relied upon have been cut. And while many of our supporters have been incredibly generous, some are no longer in the position to help. Indeed, some of our donors have now become our clients.

Please make a donation now, so we can respond to the most immediate needs of others.

The impact of COVID-19 has nearly doubled the number of households who come to our weekly “Fresh For All” food distribution program, while also destabilized grocery warehousing and distribution. So we continue to purchase food to help fight local food-insecurity.

Adult students are continuing their high school equivalency classes online and scheduling their GED exams because they are desperate to find good paying jobs. We have invested in remote teaching platforms, and are helping students to cover the cost of exams.

Housing clients who once paid a portion of their rental fees have lost jobs, reducing or eliminating what they can pay toward their rental. Keystone is providing the additional rental-assistance to keep them housed through this emergency.

These are indeed extraordinary times. We ask you to be as generous as you can, this year of all years.

May we all be a little more grateful for what we have this year.