In the Supporter Spotlight we recognize a Youth Service, Inc. supporter making an impact in the communities we serve. Mark and Esther Partridge have been supporting YSI for 6 years.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
We’re both retired after very long careers as a pharmaceutical executive (Mark) and a banker/teacher (Esther). We have three grown up children and two granddaughters. I (Mark) now have a new career as an artist. I try to bring all my life experiences to my art (see Instagram @prmarkfp). We spend time shuttling from PA to FL.
Q: How did you first get involved in with Youth Service, Inc. (YSI)? What attracted you to our cause?
YSI has a direct effect on the young people that it serves. We thought there was tangible evidence that the money/donations were managed successfully and helped people most in need by following the agency’s work on social media. We participated once in a college readiness program and we were quite impressed by the engagement of the staff with the community and the smiling faces in the crowd. And this reinforced our commitment to continue supporting YSI.
Q: Why did you choose YSI when you were looking for an organization to donate to?
It had a direct impact on the Philadelphia community and because it is not one of these large national organizations where you don’t know if your contributions will have an impact.
Q: What motivates you to stay involved? Why do you donate?
A desire to continue helping young people in need who have less than us and who are excited about their future, but sometimes the resources are lacking.
Continuing to help YSI is a self-sustaining act. The more you support the greater the impact in the community, and the greater the impact in the community the more kids will give back to the organization, and the cycle goes on.
Learn how you can support the work Youth Service, Inc. is doing by visiting https://ysiphilly.org/give-2/