{"id":128,"date":"2025-03-14T00:00:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T00:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/?p=128"},"modified":"2025-09-23T17:47:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T17:47:19","slug":"weve-lost-critical-funding-but-were-determined-to-continue-our-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/weve-lost-critical-funding-but-were-determined-to-continue-our-work\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0We&#8217;ve lost critical funding, but we&#8217;re determined to continue our work."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>March 14, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#25a3a3\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Dear JYC Global Family,<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This morning, we received devastating news: Our $500,000 award from USAID&#8217;s MEPPA program has officially been terminated, part of $2 billion in foreign aid cuts ordered by the Trump administration. This loss jeopardizes critical elements of our future programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#25a3a3\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Our USAID-supported proposal was designed to deepen JYC\u2019s impact and expand our reach. The project would have:<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Continued to develop our comprehensive four-year curriculum to equip our singers with the tools to become powerful advocates for peace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introduced uni-national programming for middle schoolers in East and West Jerusalem to help build understanding within each community before engaging in binational encounters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Piloted new JYC chapters beyond Jerusalem, expanding our mission to Israeli and Palestinian communities throughout the land.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/c66f8eafcf6605b3b61711737\/files\/d3f73112-5ab0-459d-0eee-efa59c639199\/MEPPA_Final.pdf\" style=\"background-color:#25a3a3\">Download The Full MEPPA Program Description<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-41.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-129\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-41.png 800w, https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-41-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-41-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While this setback is significant, we are determined to forge ahead. JYC has developed a robust fundraising plan to raise $1 million in 2025, but the sudden loss of these expected funds has created a time-sensitive and critical gap of $150,000. To continue our programming and maintain our momentum, we urgently need your support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about how JYC is persevering and how you can help, join our Founder &amp; Artistic Director, Micah Hendler, and our Director of Development, Jackie Dentino, for a&nbsp;<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#25a3a3\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>one-hour Zoom session on Tuesday, March 18 at 6:00pm EST.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/mark>We\u2019ll share updates on our current programs, upcoming US tours, funding opportunities, and strategic priorities for the year ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScTTGTurOLkdOSG5OMkk7vohHBQ85XJi7gkOAjZfyzVPFv1bg\/viewform\" style=\"background-color:#25a3a3\">Register For Our ZOOM Session<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jerusalem Youth Chorus (JYC) has always been so much more than a chorus. We are building a movement \u2014 a community of young leaders from East and West Jerusalem who refuse to let division define their future. Through music and dialogue, our singers are building a path toward peace, justice, and inclusion \u2014 even in times of conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In moments like this, we are reminded why our work is so vital. In JYC, our singers \u2014 Palestinians and Israelis alike \u2014 prove that there is an alternative to violence.&nbsp;<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#25a3a3\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Together, we are raising voices that refuse to give in to despair. Please stand with us now to ensure these voices continue to be heard<\/strong>. <\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/involved\" style=\"background-color:#25a3a3\">Make A Gift To JYC<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you so much for being part of our global family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With hope and harmony,<br>Micah, Amer, Jackie, and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>March 14, 2025 Dear JYC Global Family, This morning, we received devastating news: Our $500,000 award from USAID&#8217;s MEPPA program has officially been terminated, part of $2 billion in foreign aid cuts ordered by the Trump administration. This loss jeopardizes critical elements of our future programming. Our USAID-supported proposal was designed to deepen JYC\u2019s impact [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=128"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128\/revisions\/138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerusalemyouthchorus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}