Support Soul Descendants' Launch

Soul Descendants is a fiscally sponsored project of State Democracy Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 52-2003442). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We're building stronger connections for Long Island's families.

Why This Exists

• 51% of Long Island renters and homeowners are cost-burdened — spending more than a third of their income on housing
• Black and Hispanic residents in Nassau and Suffolk Counties access support services at half the rate of white residents — not from lack of need, but from lack of accessible, culturally resonant entry points.
• No organization currently offers a community-controlled, non-clinical pathway that takes residents from initial community contact through trauma-informed mutual aid participation to cooperative economic readiness.

I am building that pathway.

What is Soul Descendants

A pre-launch nonprofit-in-formation building toward mutual aid leadership, cooperative housing and trauma-informed community infrastructure on Long Island — because housing stability and inner freedom aren't separate goals.

Our named communities: Hempstead, Wyandanch, Brentwood/Central Islip, and Glen Cove — all NYS-designated Disadvantaged Communities where we're building trust before building anything else.

First step: Sweet Connections — the first-run of our community listening events (5 events). We gather community voice before we build anything else.

At each event, community members will:

• Share a treat together — the primary bridge in neighborhoods where institutional trust runs low
• Complete a brief community needs survey — knowing they'll hear back what we learned within 30 days of the final event
• Receive resource cards with local community-led referrals — housing, food, healthcare, legal services
• Connect with neighbors — real conversations, not extraction

This is not service delivery. This is legitimacy-building. We're gathering community voice before we build anything else — because the residents who will eventually govern cooperative housing structures are not found through recruitment. They're developed through trusted community entry points like this.

Where Your Money Goes

Full Initial-Run Budget Breakdown

Full Sweet Connections proof cycle (Summer/Fall 2026)

Total | $5,000 stretch ($2,500 min)

Community Programming | $1,100 for 5 events

• Food, supplies, and materials for Sweet Connections pop-ups (5 events @ $220/event outlined in our budget) — the primary community draw
• Enables 75+ community members across 5 events to gather, share treats, and complete our communnity needs surveys

Printing & Materials | $900

• Surveys, resource cards, mini-zines, flyers, stickers, Community Findings Snapshot reporting ($900 budget line)
• QR code displays, printed surveys, resource cards, flyers ($200 budget line)

Permits / Insurance | $750

• Event liability coverage across 5 sites ($750 budget line) — non-negotiable for responsible programming

Outreach Materials | $200

• QR codes, visual assets, tabling supplies

Equipment | $300

• Portable grill, cooking accessories — one-time investment

Fiscal Sponsor Fee | $250

• SDP administrative oversight (5%)

Contingency | $450

• Reserve for unforeseen costs

Your Donations also funds

Operational Infrastructure (Budget in review)

• Tech stack systems: including Google Workspace, CRM system, Website hosting, data tracking, follow-up systems
• Ensures no participant falls through the cracks; enables accurate grant reporting

Accountability You Can Track

Within 30 days of the final Sweet Connections event, we will release outcomes in our Community Findings Snapshot publication— a plain-language document sharing back what the community tells us about their specific needs — what patterns emerged, and what we're building next inspired by those insights.

This feedback helps us make events accessible and these actions closes the accountability loop — participants hear back what we learned about the collective community. Our commitment to community transparency is structural. It's built into the model, not an afterthought .

Don't forget to our newsletter, for first-access updates directly from us! No donor report jargon. Just: Here's what our neighbors told us. Here's what we're building because of it.

We won't forget to include a mobile-friendly TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read recap), I promise! 😉

Why Me, Why Now

I've spent years organizing campaigns that produced a 25% increase in voter turnout and raised $80,000 in grassroots funding on just one campaigns in a few short months. Imagine accomplishing all that fir our community infrastructure and MORE just building a team of volunteers who call, text and visit their neighbors! I've seen what happens when communities are treated as beneficiaries instead of architects. I've learned that trust is built in small moments — showing up consistently, listening before asking, following through on ppromises.

This project is everything I've learned, poured into the communities I call home.

I'm not waiting for permission to begin, but I've seen how much can be built from one direct ask. I've committed personal resources to self-fund the initial launch. But to scale this work sustainably — to make it more than a one-time proof of concept — I need you.

We're just getting started. Be part of the foundation.

I encourage you to reflect on these words and my intentions:

Solidarity Starts With You🌻

Warmest Regards,

Ashley Cham, Founder of Soul Descendants

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Fund Management

All contributions flow through, State Democracy Project, a 501(c)(3) — your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

All contributions flow through State Democracy Project's financial controls and fiduciary oversight. SDP maintains 5% administrative fee for fiscal sponsorship services; remaining funds are disbursed directly to Soul Descendants.

No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. Contributions are processed by ActBlue as a conduit and are subject to ActBlue's terms of service.