Meet our Development & Communications Associate, Melissa Laureta, who helps us manage our donor database and website, find funders, write grants, plan events, and communicate with our giving community.
Working with Urban Youth
A native of San Francisco and Sociology major interested in working with urban youth, Melissa first worked with Sunset Youth Services as an intern while completing her studies at SFSU––conducting prospect research and helping with grant proposal submissions.
Training Student Leaders and Cultivating Donors
After graduation she joined InterVarsity, working as a campus minister for three years. During that time, she developed content for leadership cohorts, trained leaders in multicultural awareness and cross-cultural competency. She also engaged in fundraising, donor cultivation, and strategic communications to raise support for her position. She briefly worked at a Jewish nonprofit where she managed the donor database, donor communications, and website before returning to Sunset Youth Services.
“Since high school I had always dreamed of integrating my faith into my future work, working in the space that I call home and being able to live and do life with people that I would eventually serve. And I get to do all of those things and call SYS family.”