2021 has been full of continued challenges, but we have found ways to make life work. Throughout this year, the PUMP team worked tirelessly to operate programs safely and sometimes virtually, we stayed connected to the issues facing our community, and continued to share opportunities to our members about how to get involved in local advocacy initiatives. Now, we look forward to the promising possibilities of 2022.
To grow our organization and continue to bring high-quality programming to you, we are launching the Activate for PUMP 2021 campaign.
Why Activate for PUMP?
We all know 2020 was unprecedented. Among other reasons, it was the first time PUMP reached out to our members and their networks to sustain us through COVID-19 restrictions’ impact on our earned income programs.
What was not unprecedented is that our members and the Pittsburgh community showed up in a BIG way and helped us double our initial fundraising goal raising more than $50,000 from over 200 individuals. Last year’s Activate fundraising allowed us to continue our critical and immediate advocacy and civic engagement work and enabled us to restart our programming this spring.
In keeping with PUMP’s community mindset and thinking beyond fundraising, Activate for PUMP is an opportunity to reconnect with your friends andfamily, talk about why you are passionate about building an engaged Pittsburgh community, and to share the joy PUMP and its programs have brought you.
Friends of PUMP, it is time for us to build on last year’s success! Your efforts will help us continue PUMP’s vital advocacy, civic, social, and recreational programs that engage, educate, and mobilize nearly 30,000 young adults annually. We are so grateful and energized by your help. Thank you!
What will Activate for PUMP Support?
PUMP creates change by elevating the voice of young people around advocacy and public policy issues that are important to the future of our city. We leverage our collective voice for change and shine a spotlight on pressing public issues.
Just over three years ago, PUMP reached a high point for organizational capacity dedicated to advocacy and public policy work. Consistent with organizational capacity growth and program expansion, PUMP’s impact in the community has grown dramatically over the organization’s lifetime. Our successful work in advocacy includes Our Kids Our Commitment campaign to expand early childhood educational opportunities and the Parks for All ballot referendum that will equitably transform our community parks and green spaces.
However, COVID-19 had a profound impact on our financial capacity and caused major staffing disruption. Without a full-time staff member dedicated to advocacy and public policy, it limits the breadth and scope of what we can do. Without sufficient staffing capacity, for example, we may not be able to engage as deeply as we need to and must on the immediate and critical need of preserving and expanding voting rights and ensuring free and fair elections.
When you Activate for PUMP in 2021, you support us in sustaining and significantly enhancing our advocacy and public policy capacity.
Our 2021 Activate for PUMP Campaign Goal
In 2021, we are aiming high to meet or exceed the success of 2020. This year, we hope to raise $50,000 from over 300 donors.
The Activate for PUMP funds will primarily be used to increase the capacity of PUMP’s efforts on advocacy and public policy, a high-priority and primary organizational need for the year.
PUMP’s Efforts and Impact in Advocacy
- PUMP creates change by elevating the voice of young people on important and timely public policy issues. Our work includes:
- Our Kids Our Commitment campaign on early childhood education.
- Parks for All campaign on equitable support for parks.
- Family Care Act on paid family and medical leave.
- Voter rights and accessibility.
- Fair districts and legislative redistricting.
- 40 Under 40 recognizes individuals who are making an impact in Pittsburgh.
- PUMP connects engaged young people with civic leaders, elected officials, policymakers, candidates for office, and community leaders through debates, forums, and social events. We also help members navigate election season and secure leadership opportunities.
- Hosted more than 12 Mayoral and candidate forums including the 2021 Democratic Primary Mayoral Debate
- Organized numerous elected official meet and greets
- Sustained active election blogs and resource round-ups with over 50,000 page views in an election season
- Led voter registration and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) initiatives
- PUMP builds and diversifies personal and professional networks with young people through hosting and supporting over 30 diverse events and civic gatherings every year, connecting online resources, and operating the nationally recognized Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL), one of the largest adult co-ed sports leagues in the entire country with 24,000 participants each year.
- PUMP supports and strengthens our community through service and philanthropy. Through the years, we have donated tens of thousands of dollars to local charities and strengthened nonprofits and local initiatives through thousands of volunteer hours.
- Raised over $130,000 for the local charitable organizations through the annual Kickball for a Cause
- Removed hundreds of bags of trash through community and neighborhood clean-ups.
- Recruited thousands of volunteers for charitable organizations and community events like OpenStreetsPGH.
Get Started – Activate for PUMP
Give Lively is the official giving platform for Activate for PUMP. You can become an individual donor by visiting Give Lively and making whatever donation is meaningful to you.
You can further participate in Activate for PUMP by becoming a fundraiser. You’ll be able to set up an Activate for PUMP giving page on Give Lively and personalize it with pictures, your stories and reasons for supporting PUMP, and a fundraising goal to help your friends, family, and coworkers give online safely and securely.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Activate for PUMP, call us at 412-338-2133 or reach us by email at brian@pump.org.
Thank YOU for supporting the PUMP mission!