Dear LAH Community,
If 2025 has taught us anything, it is that ideology-based violence has a tighter and tighter hold on our nation. While we continue to hope for a civil society where we recognize our actions, and our ideology, have real consequences, the truth is we have become a country where we are less tolerant, less compassionate, less empathetic, and less accountable than we ever have been.
I realize this is a bit of a downer to start the year on, but we must be honest with ourselves. This reality also means that there has never been a time when Life After Hate and its programming have ever been in greater demand. Today, we have more participants seeking our help to disengage from violent extremism than ever before. We have court-mandated cases seeking our assistance more than ever before. We have more juveniles seeking programming than ever before. And we are being asked to do this with fewer financial resources than we have had in nearly a decade.
Yes, the last year has meant you have been inundated with requests for support and dollars for those causes and issues that you support and that you are passionate about. Trying times like these will do that. We are incredibly fortunate that you have supported Life After Hate in the past. Because of you, individuals have been able to leave behind lives of ideologically driven violence. They have been able to write new chapters in their lives, proving each and every day that they are worthy of second chances, that they can make positive changes in their lives and in our society. It isn’t easy. In fact, it is one of the hardest things in the world to do. But for the last 15 years, those who have turned to Life After Hate have been able to do it. Because of you.
This new year likely means that the demands on this organization and our programs will continue to rise. We have never had to turn away any individual seeking our help to disengage from a life of violent extremism, and we hope we never have to. But that is only possible if we have the dollars to provide programming that is time-intensive and emotionally draining for both those providing them and those receiving them.
As we step into 2026, I hope that you can spend a moment thinking about the positive impact Life After Hate has had on our communities and the positive impact it can continue to have. Please give what you can today to make sure that impact continues into 2026. Every dollar counts. And every contribution ensures just a little more compassion, empathy, and caring, and second chances in our society. And we are all a little better if 2026 starts with those building blocks.
Onward,
Pat Riccards
