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OUR RESPONSE TO COVID - 19

Taking Care of OUr community

TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS

The devastation of the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism has disproportionately impacted our communities. Young people rely on trusted relationships to navigate these challenging times. 

CONSISTENT SUPPORT

As schools are disrupted and other support systems are at capacity, we are providing consistent mentoring and other programming to support our participants in their efforts to carve out bright futures for themselves. 

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

Summer Search supports our program participant families. We help young people process the new world around them to ensure their path to thriving adulthood is not permanently disrupted.

How is mentoring being provided while school is virtual?

We have pivoted to providing 1:1 mentoring and meetings with student peer groups virtually via phone and Zoom to ensure the safety of participants and our staff.


In Spring 2021, there is a possibility that in-person programming, like mentoring in schools or in-person events, will resume. We are continuously monitoring the guidance provided by the CDC, local health authorities, and our school partners, to understand when in-person activities can safely resume. 

what about summer trips?

We have re-imagined our summer programming for 2021 to ensure the health and safety of participants, staff, and partners. This programming is aligned with Summer Search’s theory of change and informed by participants’ interests and preferences. We are continuously monitoring the guidance provided by the CDC, local health authorities, and our summer partners, to understand when in-person summer programming activities can safely resume. Parents/guardians and participants will always have a choice about whether to participate in a summer experience. Currently, we are planning for a range of summer experiences, including: 

  • Local experiences, like internships and wilderness programs
  • Travel experiences including out-of-state wilderness, academic and service programs
  • Virtual experiences to be led by Summer Search or program partners. 

What additional support IS being provided?

We have adapted our programming to be tailored to needs arising due to the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism:

  • Prioritizing topics and resources related to well-being
  • Curating and sharing resources to support mental health, physical and financial well-being, anti-racist engagement and community connection
  • Supporting post-secondary students to navigate ‘visiting’ colleges, and attending college virtually
  • Offering emergency funding to supplement financial needs for Summer Search participants brought about by pandemic
  • Partnering with an SMS provider to send personalized, mass message to participants who opt-in so we can keep connected and informed quickly in our ever-evolving context

supporting staff during the pandemic

We shifted promptly to fully remote operations to help limit our staff’s exposure to COVID-19 and will reopen our offices as soon as it's safe to do so — meaning when we've gotten the "ok" to reopen from local public health agencies and we've reconfigured our offices in line with safety guidelines that allow for social distancing.

We are prioritizing staff well-being by providing flexible sick leave, accommodating flexible schedules, supplementing federal benefits, and providing a range of supports to promote mental health and self-care.

We are providing tools and shifting expectations so that staff can be well, resourced and show-up fully for our participants.

funding Outlook for next school year

Summer Search is in a stable financial position heading into the 2020/2021 school year.

  • Our supporters recognize that the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism have urgently illuminated how important it is to support our work to ensure equitable futures for young people.
  • We receive philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, and corporations—many of whom commit to multi-year support.
  • We are continuing to navigate the unknowns and shifts in our funding prospects, innovating our approach to fundraising, and partnering closely with our supporters to successfully pull through these unprecedented times.

Learn more about our model, impact and other ways to support Summer Search.

Our Model
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