I have written this statement many times, “it is people who change people, not programs or projects.”

Our work is uniquely centered on relationships. It’s about people connecting with people to share, grow, and transform together. This commitment to transformative connections is not just a part of HBI’s DNA, it’s our passion, our dedication, and the essence of our work. It drives the way we plan, do, study, and act.

The piece that often gets overlooked when we talk about the power of connections is the urgent need for funding for annual salaries to staff an organization to work in such a way. Most grants will not fund overhead. Most funders like to support specific programs and projects with definable outcome measures. However, there is an urgent need for more opportunities to approach a foundation and request funding for annual salaries. To create these powerful relationships, the world needs to drive change and build new bridges of collaboration, and we need dedicated people. We need the right dedicated staff in the right defined roles. Your support is crucial in making this possible.

HBI operates with a very low overhead. One reason is that we have very few full-time funded positions outside our on-the-ground staff. We have a phenomenal Director of Operations who works full-time for HBI . . . AND continues to work as an emergency medicine nurse to make ends meet. As the Executive Director, I do not draw any salary whatsoever. Building a transition plan for our top leadership requires a salary. Yet, we do not have human resource staffing, nor do we have anyone dedicated to fundraising. We cobble together our research team thanks in great part to the many academics who volunteer their time and talents. Truth be known – I carry out all our communications, and I am not a savvy social media contributor. There is nothing sustainable about running an organization with this model.

We are at a stage in our development where we need solid, dedicated support to advance our organization. We are not seeking an annual salary comparable to the private sector or trying to provide ourselves with bloated compensation. We want to build an organization that can be here well into the future.

I am not one to make overt requests for financial support. However, I now know that securing funding to appropriately compensate our team is critical to our organization’s long-term health and impact. We would appreciate your help. Consider making a recurring donation to support HBI’s operational activities. Become an annual donor who pledges to support our administrative team. Please help us build the model we need to thrive.

We are changing the world with your help. Now, we need your help securing the team that will allow us to continue making a difference for children, families, and the communities that care for them well into the future.

Support our team. Make a donation or pledge today. Thank you.