Briarpatch Youth Services would like to address concerns that have arisen regarding our affiliation with the 5th Annual MPPOA Hot on the Trail 5K Run/Walk & Kids’ Donut Dash event planned for Saturday, October 19, 2019. We at Briarpatch failed to do our due diligence when we agreed to accept proceeds from this event. The language used in flyers advertising the event, as well as descriptions of activities/themes for the event, are not culturally sensitive and may cause harm to the communities we serve. By not asking to review the content of the flyer, we failed to fulfill our goals for client advocacy and inclusivity.

We pledge that the proceeds we receive from this event will be used to promote positive youth development in a welcoming and inclusive manner. It is our intention to take this opportunity to reflect, and moving forward, better educate ourselves in understanding the impacts of historical and ongoing harms in our community.

Briarpatch recognizes the presence of ICE in the community may affect some of our clients and their families. If assistance is needed, please call Centro Hispano at 608.255.3018. For more information on the rights regarding this issue, please refer to the following link: https://www.nilc.org/get-involved/community-education-resources/know-your-rights/

Copies of our Annual Report are available to the public and may be found here.

Briarpatch Youth Services is a 501(c)3 organization. 

EIN 39-1391737