Flow at Youth Passageways: A Vision for Our Future

“There is no scarcity. There is no shortage. No lack of love, of compassion, of joy in the world. There is enough. There is more than enough.

Only fear and greed make us think otherwise. No one need starve. There is enough land and enough food. No one need die of thirst. There is enough water.

No one need live without mercy. There is no end to grace. And we are all instruments of grace.

There is no scarcity of love. There is plenty. And always more.” 

– Rosemary Freeney Harding,

close friend and movement contemporary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a network supporting the regeneration of healthy passages into mature adulthood for today’s youth, Youth Passageways experiences the same tensions faced by our partners and friends as they engage in incredible projects all over the planet. Primary among these tensions are those around resources—how do we access the resources that are needed to offer our gifts to the world? How do we help build a gifting culture that allows us all to do what we’re here to do, in ways that are sustainable and right-sized?

Last week the Leadership Circle sent out a letter, inviting support.  It was an unusual letter for Youth Passageways, in its urgency, its directness, and its invitation to hold money and prayer in the same breath. This is one of the shifts that has emerged out of the organizational changes that came with the new year, that have been growing within Youth Passageways for some time.

Over the years since our birth, YPW leadership has been studying money and fundraising from a socio-political, relational, and spiritual perspective. Guided in large part by Guardians Gigi Coyle and Orland Bishop, and supported by several visionary funders, this last year has seen deeper confidence and devotion grow toward orienting toward money, resources, and relationships based on love, trust, abundance, and a commitment creating today the culture(s) we want to live in. Our current leadership structure reflects this commitment. For me personally, this last year has been a time of deep study of how key energetic forces, including money, have become “dammed up” culturally, and how they can once again be encouraged to flow (check out the Partner Circle I’m hosting in May on this project!).

In the coming months, you can expect to hear more from Youth Passageways about how we are holding trust, reciprocity, gifting, and the sacredness of resource mobilization in our operations going forward.  It is our intention to help build toward a vibrant, resilient network, capable of helping resources flow in a big way toward the work of our partners and communities.

Gigi Coyle frequently offers the words “give what you can, and ask for what you need.” To this end, I want to say clearly that Youth Passageways is in need of financial support to navigate this transitional time for the network from our founding financial investors toward a broader, community-supported network!

We are raising $35,000 this spring to continue offering services and support to youth, families, educators, communities, and partners around the globe. We ask you to give what you can, to help this dream become a reality! Your gift in dollars, prayers, and connecting us with others will help empower young people and weave strong, resilient communities capable of weathering the changes we face.

At the same time, we invite you to share your needs as well. How can this network support you, your community, your important and sacred work? One of the greatest services those tending the center of Youth Passageways offer is building new connections, and responding to emergent needs.

During these times of global transition, we must challenge ourselves to restore the ancient practices that have served humanity for millennia, while also responding to what is uniquely emerging now, at this particular moment of planetary interconnection. On behalf of all our youth and the young ones coming, we invite you to join with us in helping resources flow to where they are needed to leverage the greatest change.