SAVE CTI: A Community Built It. Now We’re Asking the Community to Help Preserve It.

21 hours ago

2 min read

Waiting on Funding. Our Community Can’t Wait.

When Touch Gift Foundation had the opportunity to take responsibility for a former workforce center at 640 E. 79th Street, I saw more than an approximately 11,000-square-foot building. I saw a place where our community could access food, education, technology, workforce development, resources, creativity, and opportunity.

I prayed about it. When I believed God said, “It’s yours. Go for it,” I moved in faith. and our community moved with us.

69 Days. One Incredible Community.

In just 69 days, businesses, partners, volunteers, and supporters helped us bring CTI to life. More than $125,000 in donated and in-kind support poured into the facility—from computers and furniture to equipment, professional services, and volunteer hours. Then our friends from New York created 15 murals in just 10 days, transforming the former workforce center into a vibrant space filled with love, purpose, opportunity, creativity, and community.

We didn't just fill a building. We filled it with purpose.

The Impact Is Real.

Today, CTI connects more tan 900 households each month to resources and opportunities.

And this work didn't begin with CTI. From March 2018 through December 2025, Touch Gift Foundation provided resources and stabilization support to more than 140,000 households. Through June 2026, we also facilitated 668 workshops and trained 1,893 individuals.

CTI gave this work a home.

So, How Did We Get Here?

I still struggle with that question.

We took responsibility for CTI in the middle of our fiscal year, adding approximately $202,000 in new annual facility expenses that were not part of our original operating budget. We believed anticipated funding, partnerships, and facility revenue would help sustain the space. Some opportunities took longer than expected, while others did not materialize on the anticipated timeline. But the expenses didn't wait; rent, utilities, operations continued; and so did we

We’re Doing the Work.

We have aggressively pursued grants, corporate and philanthropic investments, sponsorships, anchor partnerships, facility revenue, and other opportunities.

We're also restructuring CTI around multiple revenue streams so its future isn't dependent on one grant or one partner.

Several opportunities remain pending. Funding takes time, operating expenses don't, that's the gap we're fighting to close.

Why $250,000?

Our SAVE CTI Campaign goal is $250,000.

It's about addressing outstanding facility obligations, stabilizing CTI, protecting the community's investment, and giving our sustainability strategy time to work. We aren't asking our community to carry CTI forever. We're asking you to help us create the runway to make it sustainable.

We Need You.

For years, my question has been: “How can I help?”

Today, I'm asking: “Will you help us?”

When I believed God said, “Go for it,” I stepped forward in faith. But faith has also required work—submitting grants, making calls, building partnerships, restructuring, and finding new revenue.

We're doing that work.

Now we're asking you to stand with us.

Give $25. Give $250. Become a sponsor or major investor. Introduce us to a corporation, foundation, church, philanthropist, or anchor partner. Share our story.

One gift can help, one introduction can open a door, one partnership can change everything.