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*** UPDATE ***
Hello Ashland Community. I am writing now in a moment of fatigue and difficulty. I'm sure you have heard that times are tough for downtown Ashland. Cost of living is high and the money just is not flowing. Landlords of Ashland continue to cash checks for high rent that is unsupported by the current economy. And we are smack in the middle of that issue.
The truth is, we are doing everything we can do make ends meet here. We have side jobs. We have evolved the business. We are barely cutting it, and every day that our rent is late our landlord threatens to call a lawyer, and have our wages garnished for the forseeable future.
I have this big beautiful dream that this town will help us make us through the last year on our lease. If everyone in town donated $3 to our cause, we would be able to finish this out. If we raised enough to make it, we would make our play area free, and every mother and child in this town could have a nice place to land, nurse their child, use a changing table, and have a safe place to play.
Who this will help
Hello! My name is Lizi Duffy and I am co-owner of retail store and community space Forever Young Ashland, which I run alongside my husband and co-owner James Duffy. With our three wonderful children at our side, we have put our heart and souls into Forever Young since November of 2022.
After being laid off from my Tech Industry career I realized that I wanted to do more in my life to connect with my community. I also had a deep desire to honor my incredible mother Susan, who passed in 2019 of a highly aggressive and devastating Melanoma. If you knew my mother, you know she embodied community. I wanted this space to bring the compassion, empathy, and pure joy in seeing other people thrive, that my mother brought to everyone she encountered. And so Forever Young was born.
Why I'm fundraising
I decided to create this fundraiser because I can feel it in my bones that Forever Young will be a staple of the Ashland community, but won't have the chance to be if we can't do two things: infuse the business with a round of funding, and adapt the business model to meet the needs of the parents in our town. The warm and welcoming space that we provide for parents and children is something this town needs. With high cost of rent and operations and a difficult economic climate, we need your support to stay afloat and further develop our vision.
We are not afraid of hard work and this fund won't change that. With this fund we aim to move forward with our goal of evolving the back Play House section of our store to a drop in childcare space/community space that will host play groups, support groups, and classes that provide families a healthy space to land and find support.
Childcare Structure:
- Forever Young will offer 4 scheduled hours of drop in childcare per day (6 days a week) at a set hourly rate for parents that need some space and time for exercise, appointments, work, etc.
- Forever Young will offer two date night drop offs per month that will offer childcare from 5pm-8pm at a set hourly rate.
Community Groups (Free for all!)
- Breast Feeding Support Group
- Baby Play Group
- Toddler Play Group
- Dad's Group
- Parenting Teenagers Support Group
Class Offerings (Cost designated by facilitator)
- Baby Sign Language
- Intro to Waldorf Education
- Handwork
- Kid Crafts
There is so much potential in this space and we are open to suggestions and needs from our community!
If you have found yourself in our store and Play House and been relieved to have a welcoming place to rest, an imaginative outlet for your child, and a place to find support from other families, please consider contributing to keep this space thriving.
The impact of your support
How we will use the funds:
- Our starting fundraising goal of $15,000 will pay for our rent for January, February, and March (our slowest sales months) while we work on improving our store.
- Funds beyond $15,000 will be primarily used to develop a Drop In Childcare space in the back sections of the store (the right side of the "L" shape). Development costs will include construction of gate to section off childcare space, additional play equipment, cushions and seating for supports groups/community meetings, and crucial childcare tools ie changing table etc.
- Additional funds may be used to cover other operational costs that keep our business in good shape and good standing.
In the spirit of transparency when it comes to asking for donations, our business does not have any outside funding beyond our little family. James and I each take on multiple side jobs to keep our family's expenses and business afloat. This funding would allow us to put more energy into our store, and in turn give it a sustainable future.
Thank you for reading and for visiting. We know that we are life rich with our children and community and have immense gratitude to be on this journey with you.
