This will be a year of big changes at Presencia. I wanted to let you know what the near future holds and invite you to be part of discovering what's farther ahead.
Our year-end held a few good surprises. We shared about Presencia with a lot of new people, secured a several recurring donations, and had several of our long-term major donors come through for us again. Still, at the beginning of 2025, we're looking at a gap of more than $100,000 between our target and what came in.
To stay sustainable, we have to make a major adjustment. Ruthie and I spent some time talking about it, and we have decided that I will seek other work.
For Presencia, this will free up my salary and open new space that our team of neighborhood leaders can step into. Personally, we hope this provides our family with the financial stability and healthcare that we have needed for several years.
As I'm searching for other work in nonprofit leadership and communications, I'll be training Katie and Wanda in the areas of my job that they can do well and creating systems that will make it easy to hand over my responsibilities.
We have also learned that the space that serves as Presencia's office and studio will be repurposed this Spring, so we are searching for a new home. We've had a few promising conversations, but we're not sure exactly what the future holds.
While we restructure our staff and search for a new studio and office space, we need our community to jump in.
If you are a person who prays, please pray for provision for Presencia's financial needs and the vision to find and take the right opportunities. Please pray that I will find good work at the right time to transition out of my role at Presencia. Please pray that we will find a space that adds to the good work we do in the neighborhood.
If you have resources to share, please give so that Presencia can move into this new chapter ready to love our neighbors well over time. We have extended our year-end fundraiser until the end of this month so that our community has a little more time to chip in.
If you have fundraising skills or connections, please share them with us. Ruthie, Wanda, and I would love to meet for coffee and talk with anyone who might be interested in our work.
I believe that this will be a good season for Presencia. Our young leaders will step forward, our supporting community will rally, and the vulnerable children under our care will grow up knowing that they are loved and that they have something wonderful to share with the world!
Have a hopeful Friday!
Ian North
Co-founder, development director