Baltimore, MD- After 35 years of championing the needs of Maryland's young people, Advocates for Children and Youth (ACY) will immediately cease operations and begin the process of legally closing down the organization.
When ACY began, few nonprofits dared to do advocacy activities as to not jeopardize their tax-exempt status. We, at ACY—on the other hand—learned and played by the rules to bring the needs of children to the attention of government decision makers and the public. We were the lone voice.
Today, there are hundreds of nonprofits, direct service providers and most importantly, community organizations across Maryland that are doing the work that ACY began. Our children, youth, and families are in good, capable hands.
As we close our doors, we recognize that we have fulfilled our purpose. Our strong, proud history includes leading the way in analyzing legislation with an eye to its impact on children; educating legislators and other policy makers about the consequences of their decisions; and creating coalitions to ensure all voices were heard. ACY was also the exclusive collector and disseminator of Maryland's Kids Count information that provided evidence to support the advocacy efforts of many child-serving agencies.
ACY couldn't have done this work without the support of community. We encourage you to give your support to other child advocacy organizations during this giving season. Our children and youth need your support now more than ever.
The Board of Directors has engaged Nancy Hall, of 501(c)Solutions, to assist in the dissolution process.