This year has been unique. A unique year with unique challenges, not just for Yggdrasil, but for the world we all share.

Our volunteer-run wildlife rescue was not immune to 2020’s surprises. When the pandemic hit, Yggdrasil was in the Catch-22 position of suddenly having to shut down our volunteer and event programs, while facing quadruple the number of wildlife intakes!

This sudden increase in wild animal patients was due to a few reasons. The shelter-in-place order allowed people to spend more time in nature, resulting in more wildlife rescues. Additionally, the closing of some Bay Area wildlife centers put more pressure on the centers still operating. At the same time, the fundraising and event programs that sustain Yggdrasil were temporarily suspended, leaving us in a precarious position – understaffed, underfunded, and over patient capacity.

Challenging times require flexible thinking. Yggdrasil set up a leadership team and completely redesigned the volunteer program to fit COVID-19 safety guidelines and delegate responsibilities among team coordinators. We launched fundraising campaigns and volunteer recruitment efforts. By the summer, we had found new footing and were taking in hundreds of injured and orphaned animals, resulting in over 550 wildlife intakes in 2020!

In the end, 2020 was a year of rebirth and growth. Like a phoenix, the legendary bird from Greek mythology, we were set aflame. Rather than be consumed by these challenges, Yggdrasil has been reborn.

In 2021, a year marking Yggdrasil’s 20^th anniversary as an organized nonprofit, we will continue to finetune our operations and launch a rebranded look to celebrate our progress. We look forward to meeting whatever challenges face us in the future.

Thank you for your continued support. It is vitally needed every year, but especially this year.

Sincerely,

Lila Travis, Director
Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue