Call To Action: Save Summer

Our 300+ Outdoor Leadership Academy - Summer Youth Employment Program interns will be starting their Concrete Safaris journey in about 8 weeks, and we wanted to update you on what we have done to ensure they will have the rewarding growth experience they deserve.

First, our initial Call to Action: Save Summer appeal seeking $150,000 of additional funds has yielded $30,200, which, together with some budgetary adjustments, has enabled us to hire for the summer six (6) of the former Public Health AmeriCorps Members at Concrete Safaris' PlacemakingCorps we were forced to suspend on April 28th as PlacemakingCorps Interns.

Second, these new hires have given us the bandwidth to reconfigure the SYEP summer intern program to preserve, in large part, the features that have made our program so highly sought after by those applying for SYEP internships. We received 467 applications for the 189 spots we were initially allotted by the City.

Third, despite the progress we have made, we are facing a summer where our operating margin will be very thin unless we can make further progress toward hiring an additional 8 PlacemakingCorps Interns by getting closer to our $150,000 additional funding goal. At this point, every incremental dollar will further enhance program quality, including if sufficient additional funds are received supporting the hiring of more former AmeriCorps members. Please consider helping us make this a spectacular summer for our SYEP interns.

Fourth, we have made substantial progress in redesigning various aspects of our year-around operation to allow us to function at or above the level we have achieved, but on the assumption that the AmeriCorps program will not be available for the foreseeable future. Your donation will provide each PlacemakingCorps Intern with up to $4,950 in wages and a $1,400 Scholarship directly to their college for course completion as both a tax-deductible donation from you and a tax-free benefit to each Intern that completes the 300-hour summer.

Thank you for your support of the youth we are privileged to serve at Concrete Safaris.

Onwards & Upwards!

David Kaufman, Board Chair, and Mac Levine, Executive Director

May 22, 2025