Exciting news from Next Step! We are expanding our STRIVE mentorship program to Philadelphia and New Haven in the coming year, and we need your help.
Please donate any amount to help us reach our goal of raising $100,000 this holiday season so we can bring STRIVE to where the need exists in these cities.
High school students living with sickle cell often miss school and experience disruptions in their social lives due to unexpected hospitalizations. Falling behind in these areas of their life can cause depression, feelings of isolation, and other mental health issues.
Next Step STRIVE is more than just an academic mentorship program. It is a safe place where teens can:
- Connect with peers living with the same diagnosis and build friendships that validate their feelings and let them know that they are not alone in their journey
- Build self-advocacy skills and receive guidance as they learn how to effectively talk about their diagnosis with teachers, at work, in a doctor’s appointment and in their social life
- Develop self-confidence they need to set goals for after high school
One of the best examples of how STRIVE changes lives is Nikki. She was shy and unsure of herself when she first joined the program. With the support she received at STRIVE, she graduated high school, went to college, and later returned to STRIVE as a volunteer to give back to the program that helped her. Now, Nikki is spearheading the effort to bring STRIVE to Philadelphia, her hometown, so that more students can have the same opportunities.
“What STRIVE is and what it offers people living with sickle cell is so valuable and not something we should keep hidden,” Nikki
I am asking for your help this holiday season to raise $100,000 to help fund the expansion of our STRIVE mentorship program. We’ve seen how powerful STRIVE can be in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., and we want to make the same positive impact in Philadelphia and New Haven. Your donation will give teens in these cities the resources, mentorship, and community they need to graduate high school and thrive in a future they never thought possible.
Thank you for believing in our plan to expand our programming to Philadelphia and New Haven! You’re an important part of this plan to support more teens living with sickle cell at a critical time in their life. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.
Warmly,
Bill Kubicek
Executive Director & Founder, Next Step
“And the pain is really isolating. It can take them out of school for days, weeks, or months at a time.”
Bill explains why having mentorship support is critically important for teens living with sickle cell disease.
“The data we’re gathering about how they are accessing communities to support them, how they are learning about their sickle cell and how to advocate, how they’re building their story and their self-confidence.”
Bill explains how STRIVE has been successful over the last 15 years.
“We know our STRIVE mentorship program works. We have seen it for a decade and a half and we need to do it for more young people around the country.”
Bill explains how your donation will support the expansion of our STRIVE program in 2025.
