Please help us raise $80,000 so we can provide more trauma-informed psychotherapy by counselors committed to systemic change and social justice, which is critical now and will be for the months and years of healing and recovery that lay ahead.
We are at a time of great convergence. The murders of George Floyd, Aumaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are among some of the latest Black lives lost at the hands of the police. This has ignited a global uprising that increased the momentum and visibility of ongoing work to end systemic racism and police violence. Fighting for systemic change is often a marathon and the emotional and psychological toll can be devastating. Activists and organizers are often overwhelmed and exhausted, and many experience violence and trauma because of their work. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented social isolation, economic hardship, grief and loss. While it will be years before we know the full impact of this crisis, we have already seen increases in anxiety, depression, intimate partner violence, child abuse, and substance misuse and addiction. In this historic moment, we need an explicit integration of social change work with mental health services, and The Relational Center is uniquely equipped to meet this need as we have been working for more than a decade at the intersection of individual healing and community liberation.
To meet the increased demand for supportive services, we have already begun offering more virtual psychotherapy and weekly support groups, including many groups that are free and open to the public. We are capable of doing this for under $150 per client per month – less than many people pay for a single session of therapy! Unfortunately, we were unable to hold our annual fundraiser this year due to the pandemic, so we need your financial support. Please donate today, in whatever amount you can, we are depending on you.
For over a decade, our explicit focus on social justice and community belonging has made us stand out among community mental health centers. Wellbeing depends on social and economic justice for all. There is no neutral. We must all do our part to dismantle white supremacy and the culture of violent, competitive individualism that sustains it.
You can donate online or mail us a check if you prefer:
The Relational Center
2717 South Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
All contributions are tax deductible.
You can download a PDF of this letter to share with others.
Additional facts about The Relational Center
- We run a very lean 501c3 non-profit organization with minimal paid staff, relying almost entirely on volunteers for all daily operations, with a budget under half a million dollars ($418,000).
- We avoid using stigmatizing diagnoses unless absolutely necessary to navigate the healthcare system and obtain resources for our members.
- We will not track/report undocumented individuals who come to us for support and community.
- We operate without government funding because the requirements for diagnosis and reporting can harm our clients and their families.
- We incorporate social justice into our counseling work – joining with our clients in collective action to improve the wellbeing of our clients and their communities.
- We refuse to make those who are suffering from systemic marginalization adjust to an unjust social context.
We depend on the generosity of folks like you to sustain our organization.
We are deeply grateful for all of our amazing supporters.
Questions? Feel free to contact us: engage@relationalcenter.org