Thank you so much for your generous gift of $1,000 to the multi-generational UW Odyssey Project. In the attached photo, you will see five of our beautiful alumni. Two have master’s degrees in social work from UW, one serves on the UW Board of Regents, one went from homelessness to a UW bachelor’s degree and business of her own, and one directs plays in Chicago. All five say their participation in Odyssey inspired their transformational journeys and encouraged their children to view themselves as college-bound as well. These five represent just a small sampling of the nearly 500 amazing graduates of our program. Gifts like yours truly do change lives.
As we begin the 18th year of the award-winning UW Odyssey Project, we are filled with a mixture of sadness and excitement. We made the difficult decision to move the entire fall semester online for Odyssey, Odyssey Junior, Onward Odyssey, and Odyssey Beyond Bars, and this means we must work extra hard to get our low-income families the technology and resources they need to succeed. We are exploring creative ways to provide lively, engaging, and life-altering education online, but we sure miss the hugs and shared community meals!
We know that Odyssey will continue to empower families to break a cycle of generational poverty by providing them with a free jumpstart course in the humanities, enrichment for their children, wraparound support, and continued course work following graduation. The pandemic has made it especially difficult for students already struggling to put food on the table, pay their bills, fight depression, and take care of their families. Since March, many have lost jobs, childcare, transportation options, and other basics. We continue to help our new students and alumni earn college credits through our Odyssey Project Fund while also using our Odyssey Family Fund for emergencies such as groceries, gas, household supplies, and medications. Facing centuries of racial and economic injustice, our students also need assistance with obtaining laptops and internet access. We are so grateful for your financial support, as it is needed now more than ever.
Thank you again for your generous gift. Please let me know if you have ideas for me (individuals and organizations you know, for instance) as we seek new sources of funding for our future. Our website has programmatic updates, videos, student newsletters, and various ways to help us. Best wishes to you and your loved ones in staying safe during these troubling times. odyssey.wisc.edu
Sincerely,
Emily Auerbach
Professor of English; Co-Director/Founder, UW Odyssey Project