Odyssey Youth Center Executive Director Carla Savalli will leave the nonprofit organization on Aug. 31, according to a news release.
Odyssey’s board of directors unanimously voted last week to lay off Savalli in order to save money for the financially struggling organization.
Savalli has been executive director of the center, which serves at-risk lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth since April 2010. She was formerly a senior editor at The Spokesman-Review.
“This was not a personnel decision. It was a business decision,” said Kelly Lerner, chair of Odyssey’s volunteer board in a press release. “This was a really hard decision for us because the board has been so happy with Carla’s leadership, her ability to draw supporters and donors, and her obvious love for the youth.”
Learner said the youth center, which was founded in 1992, has struggled to raise enough money for the last several years because of the recession, and can no longer support the costs of the current administrative model.
“Odyssey is struggling, but we’re not a sinking ship,” Lerner said. “The board is committed to serving our at-risk LGBTQ youth. Our doors are open, our programming continues, and our Oct. 27 Masquerade fundraiser is still happening. What we need to do, with the input of our youth, adult volunteers, and community supporters, is develop a new service model that we can financially sustain.”
Savalli said she understands the board’s decision. “It was the right thing to do,” she said in a news release. “These kids matter more than anyone else. Keeping the center open is the priority. It is extremely hard to be an LGBTQ youth here — everywhere. We’ve made so much progress toward LGBTQ equality in this country, but most of the policy changes and shifts in thinking have benefited adults. Our youth are still being bullied and harassed in school. They are still getting kicked out of their homes; they are four times as likely to attempt suicide as their non-gay peers. Odyssey is a critical resource in Spokane. We save lives. This community cannot let Odyssey fail. We cannot let these kids down.”
Community members wishing to make financial contributions to Odyssey may do so online.
